Advanced standing is the granting of credit in an associate degree or technical
diploma program for knowledge and skills that directly relate to the program
curriculum. Such credit may be granted for proficiency gained through previous
work experience, previous military training or experience, business and industry
training, course work done at the high school level, or other prior learning
experiences. This policy enables students to accelerate the completion of
their educational goals. A nonrefundable fee is assessed for students requesting
advanced standing. Advanced standing may not be granted to any student who has previously enrolled in and attended the class, or who has completed any part of the course at the college.
Advanced standing for courses may be obtained through the following methods:
- Credit by Examination - Consideration will be given
to any student who requests advanced standing credit by exam prior to
enrollment in the related class. At the discretion of the Division Dean
or designee, the evaluation of such credit is conducted through oral,
written, or performance exam, portfolio development and review, or by
a combination of these methods. If the student successfully completes
the exam, credit will be granted for the course. Students may attempt
to earn credit by examination for a specific course only once.
Students may be awarded credit for a course(s) by achieving an acceptable
score on an exam with nationally recognized standards including Advanced
Placement (AP) exams with a score of 3 or above and the CLEP exams with
a score of 50 or above.
- Credit for Experiential Learning - Credit may be granted for previous work experience, previous
military education or experience, business and industry training, advanced
high school courses comparable in content and level, or other prior learning
experiences. At the discretion of the Division Dean or designee responsible
for the course(s) under consideration, this assessment is conducted through
methods such as, but not limited to, portfolio development and review,
transcript and resume review, and personal interview. Skills and knowledge
gained through experiential learning must relate directly to the program
course(s) and be comparable in content and level of rigor; elective credit may
serve as another option.
- Credit through Articulation Agreements - The College has established
a number of articulation agreements with the area high schools to grant
advanced standing credit to recent high school graduates who have successfully
completed course work and have met the requirements of these specific
agreements. This is a formal process to coordinate instructional programs,
enabling students to move from one instructional level to another without
unnecessary duplication. In order to be eligible for advanced standing
credit, students must present official high school transcript of high school course (s) completion that meets conditions stated in the articulation agreement. Please click on the Tech Prep Advanced Standing form, Request for High School Transcript Review. Take the completed form to your high school and request that the high school send it along with an official "final" high school transcript to FVTC, Transfer Credit Office.
For students transferring from another technical college district,
credit awarded for high school coursework covered by an articulation
agreement at the originating technical college shall be accepted as
credit toward completion of a comparable course or courses.
- Associate Degree Advanced Standing for Apprenticeship
Training - Apprentices who have completed a
minimum of 400 hours of registered apprenticeship related instruction and
obtained journey-level status are eligible for 32 credits of advanced standing
to meet the occupational-specific course requirements of an Associate Degree
in Technical Studies-Journey worker. Students must present appropriate
documentation, including a Wisconsin Journey level certificate. Students may be
awarded a maximum of eight additional credits toward the associate degree for
registered apprenticeship related instruction beyond the 400-hour minimum at
the rate of one credit per 36 hours of instruction.
- Associate Degree Advanced Standing for Technical Diploma
Course Work - Advanced standing credit can
be awarded for technical diploma level course work toward an associate degree.
Any request for advanced standing of technical diploma credits toward an
associate degree must be reviewed and authorized by the respective Division
Dean. For the Division Dean to review and authorize this advanced standing, at
no time should more than one credit of coursework at the associate degree
level be granted for three technical diploma credits. Some form of competency
assessment is strongly recommended to inform this advanced standing decision
to help ensure student success.
- Advanced Standing for Youth Apprenticeship Course Work - Youth Apprenticeship instruction is granted
advanced standing in associate degree or technical diploma programs.
Consistent with the timeframe for articulated agreements, students must enroll
at FVTC within 27 months after high school graduation to be eligible for
advanced standing credit and present appropriate documentation of successful
completion of the Youth Apprenticeship program.
For all of the above options, a grade of AS (Advanced Standing) is designated
on the student transcript. Advanced standing credit is not calculated in a
student’s grade point average.
A minimum of 25% of credit requirements must be directly earned through graded
coursework (with a minimum of 12 credits in the technical discipline/occupational
core) at Fox Valley Technical College for program graduation. Students cannot
obtain advanced standing and/or transfer credit for more than 75% of the required
program credits.
Students may appeal institutional decisions related to advanced standing
and credit for prior learning through the formal Academic Appeals Process.
Procedure
- Students who want to achieve advanced standing for a course
must do so PRIOR to the class start date. They cannot request advanced
standing after they have enrolled in the course or completed the FVTC
curriculum. A nonrefundable fee is assessed before the Credit by Examination
procedure.
- Students should identify the course(s) in which they wish
to take an exam, contact the program division and talk to them regarding the course and exam content. Review and fill out the Advanced Standing Procedures form
- For information on the above procedures, contact the Transfer Credit Office by calling (902)735-4720 or email transfercredit@fvtc.edu. Students will be informed through their FVTC email
regarding the results of their testing efforts.