People who earn non-traditional college degrees come from a variety of backgrounds and include those with: significant work experience; completed professional development training courses; community and voluntary services; travel experience; military training; prior life assessment tests or credit for life experience learning examinations (see Reference 5). Any experience must be verifiable and measurable by educators in order to be converted into college credits, and students must expect the procedure to be academically challenging. If a college deems a one-paragraph explanation of prior experience acceptable and grants the degree on that basis, then it can't be legitimate (see Reference 4).
Non-traditional college degrees include the following subjects: information technology, accounting, theology, social work, business administration and criminal justice. The list grows and diversifies all the time as more institutions include non-traditional options as part of their portfolio of programs. Students can earn these degrees at associate, bachelor's, master's or doctorate level and should enroll in an accredited program (see Reference 5).
CLEP lets you take examinations in subjects you already have knowledge in from prior study, cultural life experience, internships or professional development. There are 33 examinations in total and, depending on your particular college, a good score can earn you between 3 and 12 credits. Each exam takes 90 minutes and questions generally take the form of multiple choice. These correspond with longer traditional courses in the same subjects and, at $77 each, save adult students time and money (see Reference 1). Check with your chosen institution or shortlisted schools about whether they accept the CLEP program. A useful directory can be found on the College Board website.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation warns against being duped by so-called diploma mills and bogus accreditation companies. The CHEA reports that it can be tough to spot them because they "operate under the radar screen of legitimacy, as do those who receive degrees from degree mills" (see Reference 4). Thought to be a billion dollar industry their dangers are manifold, demeaning the value of education and posing a significant danger to the public by granting bogus credentials in fields that could actually cause harm (see Reference 4). Although legitimate non-accredited programs do exist, always check schools and programs with the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA websites. Do plenty of research into any school you're considering studying with and look out for institutions that are based outside America as they are immune to the relevant U.S. regulations. The CHEA website has a comprehensive list of accredited online colleges, a good place to begin your search (see Reference 3).