Key Takeaways:
- ACE credit recommendation refers to nontraditional learning experiences deemed worthy of college credit by the American Council on Education.
- Not all universities accept ACE-recommended courses as college credit because you don’t take them through regionally accredited institutions.
- If you want to pursue a trade or seek an industry certification, it may be more beneficial to enroll in a course that carries ACE credit recommendation.
Not all colleges courses provide credit that counts toward your degree.
ACE accreditation sounds promising, but many institutions won’t accept it – and that can be frustrating for students.
Enrolling in a course that carries the recommendation may make sense in some instances, but it requires forethought.
In this blog, we’ll outline the pros and cons of ACE courses to help you do that and ensure you don’t waste time or money on your education.
What Is ACE Credit Recommendation and How Does It Work?
ACE recommendation refers to nontraditional learning experiences deemed worthy of college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE), a membership organization.
Examples include:
- Online courses
- Job training
- Certifications
- Exams
- Military service
It aims to provide institutions with reliable course-equivalency information that helps them decide whether to award.
If accepted for credit, students can save time and money toward their degree.
How Does ACE Review and Recommend College-Level Courses?
Faculty from colleges and universities across the United States determine whether a company’s educational offering qualifies for ACE recommendation.
The process involves the following steps.
- Determining eligibility
Organizations must be able to demonstrate that their experience includes structured learning with clear objectives and individually scored assessments taught by qualified instructors in an environment conducive to the student’s success, in line with ACE review standards. - Consulting with the ACE Learning Evaluations team
A team from ACE will meet with a company to give an overview of the eligibility standards, confirm they meet them, and obtain any additional information needed to move forward. - Applying for review
After the consultation, an organization must submit an application for evaluation. It takes ACE about 90 days to determine whether the offering should receive a recommendation for college credit. - Participating in a review readiness meeting
During this meeting, the ACE team confirms that available documentation on a learning experience provides them with the information needed to make a recommendation. - Scheduling an official review
ACE sets a date for faculty evaluators to go over a company’s application. - Awaiting a decision
The official review may happen virtually or onsite. Upon completion, ACE issues a final report within 30 business days, which includes any college credit recommendations and feedback from the faculty.
Pros of ACE Credit Recommendation
ACE-recommended courses allow you to:
- ·Strengthen your resume: You can demonstrate how prior learning adds to your skill set and differentiates you from other job candidates.
- Provide more flexibility: Many nontraditional experiences may be completed on your own schedule.
- Expand your learning options: Knowledge can be gained outside of a traditional classroom setting, which ACE recognizes.
Cons of ACE Credit Recommendation
Not all institutions accept ACE-recommended courses as college credit.
And if your course doesn’t transfer, you won’t be able to save time and money on your degree – despite what some online education platforms promise about ACE recommendations.
Universities reject ACE-recommended courses because you don’t take them through a regionally accredited institution, which indicates that a college or program meets the highest standards of quality related to coursework, faculty, student services, and more.
Providers with ACE recommendation don’t fulfill the same criteria for academic oversight and external accountability. Therefore, institutions don’t view the courses as being rigorous enough to accept.
If you can transfer them for credit, keep in mind that universities often limit the total number allowed, or will only accept the courses as an elective, rather than a course required for your major.
ACE-Recommended vs. Regionally Accredited Courses: Key Differences
Aside from transferability, other advantages of enrolling in a course from a regionally accredited institution include:
- Financial aid: You need to attend an accredited college or university to be eligible for scholarships, grants, and loans.
- Certifications and exams: State licensing boards require a degree from an accredited program before you can sit for a profession’s entrance exam such as the NCLEX.
- Employability: Even if your career doesn’t require a test to begin working
employers rely on accreditation to ensure your education
prepared you for the job.
You don’t need to rely on ACE-recommended courses to learn on your own either.
Accredited online institutions exist.
Portage Learning, for example, offers college courses that you can not only take anywhere – but at any time.
Jessica Bailey, a former student, praises the self-directed format.
“For someone who isn’t super tech savvy and has a busy life – a full-time job and a family of five – Portage Learning was perfect,” she explains. “I was able to go at my own pace and the instruction never suffered.”
If you pass a course, you’ll receive credit through Geneva College or Bushnell University, its accredited partner institutions, which may transfer to more than 2,800 colleges and universities nationwide.
Portage Learning itself maintains full accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education-recognized Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools, the highest level available for non-degree-awarding institutions.
Some other pros of Portage Learning include:
- Individualized learning: You’ll enjoy a one-to-one relationship with your professor. While enrolled, you can message them via your student dashboard to ask questions or to explain the material further. Faculty also provide regular feedback on assignments and grade exams within 72 hours.
- Affordable price point: At $230 per credit hour, tuition at Portage Learning remains significantly lower than the average $411 rate a public four-year university charges in-state students.
- Rolling enrollment: You can register for a course today and start tomorrow rather than wait for a new semester to start.
- Supportive community: The Portage Learning Student Success team walks alongside students as they work through their courses, helping with time management, study skills, grade calculations and more.
Should You Take an ACE-Recommended Course?
Enrolling in an ACE-recommended course may be a better option when you want to:
- Pursue a trade or skilled profession
- Seek an industry certification
- Complete an employer-sponsored training program
However, if you’d like to earn credit that counts toward your degree, then taking a course from a regionally accredited institution would be the smarter move.
Accreditation doesn’t guarantee transfer.
But it increases the chances – and reduces the risk of your frustration.
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