4 Steps to Earning College Credit by Taking Free Online Classes
You can take free online classes and earn college credit. The process may not be easy. If you are ready to make some concrete efforts, you can fulfill the requirements for getting a college degree by taking free class material online.
You can follow these steps to achieve it:
Select a College That Allows Credit for Experience
Join one of the colleges that give credit for life experience. Find out if your present college allows credit through an exam, portfolio credit, or independent study.
Independent Study: A student can study a course independently with the help of an advisor who keeps the student on the right track and sees that they complete the tests and assignments. Usually, students opt for independent study if they are interested in a topic that is not available at a high school. For instance, the field of interest could be British Literature.
However, before opting for this type of study, you should ensure that you possess sufficient time for it. Moreover, you should choose a course that is offered by a reputed institution.
Flexible Credit Colleges: Otherwise, you can join any flexible credit college out of the Big Three – Charter Oak College, Excelsior College, and Thomas Edison State University. These colleges are very generous about the number and types of credit that are acceptable from outside. They are regionally accredited institutions in the US. You can earn a degree that is regionally accredited or transfer your credits to a regular college. Most colleges will charge tuition fees for the credit earned by you in a non-traditional manner.
Take the Help of a Counselor to Choose a Free Online Class
Meet with an academic advisor in college and ask them to help you to choose a suitable online class. With the help of a counselor, you should select an online course that meets your credit requirements. They should also explain to you what you have to do to get formal credit.
Complete Exams or Make a Portfolio According to the Program Guidelines
To demonstrate your learning, you will have to study with an instructor, make a portfolio that has to be submitted to your college, and take standardized exams. While completing your free online studies, make all efforts to fulfill your college’s requirements.
Transfer Credits to Your Traditional College
After you have studied the online class material and fulfilled the college requirements, you will receive a grade. In case you have enrolled yourself in the three flexible colleges temporarily, you will have to transfer your credits to the regular college.
Conclusion
You can earn college credit by taking free online classes. For this, you should join one of the colleges that give credit for life experience. You can take the help of a counselor and choose a class that meets your credit requirements. You may have to take standardized tests to demonstrate your learning. Ultimately, you can transfer the credits that you have earned to your regular college.