Guidelines for Students

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Prepared by The Committee on Academic Standards, Policies and Regulations
Mercy College
Dobbs Ferry, New York 10522
Revised, May, 2001

I. What is life achievement?

II. What is credit for life achievement?

III. Which students are eligible to receive credit for life achievement?

IV. How is credit for life achievement awarded?

V. What must be included in students' life achievement portfolios?

VI. What is the cost for receiving academic credit for life achievement?

Appendix A. Application form: credit for life achievement.

Appendix B. Life achievement worksheet: Experiences related to academic disciplines.

Appendix C. Life achievement synopsis: Experiences related to college courses.

I. What is life achievement?

Mercy College uses the term "Life Achievement" to mean learning which adults have acquired from experiences outside of traditional college courses. Substantial learning often results from positions individuals have held or activities in which they have engaged. For example, life achievement learning could have resulted from work experience, volunteer work or some life event that resulted in college level learning.

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II. What is credit for life achievement?

Mercy College grants up to 30 academic credits for life achievement when that learning is judged to be comparable in value to learning, which could have been acquired in college courses. Life achievement credit may not replace general education or major level course work. It may be applied to open elective work only.

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III. Which students are eligible to apply for credit for life achievement?

A student who meets all of the criteria listed below is eligible to apply for credit for life achievement.

1. Is matriculated at Mercy College.
   
2. Is at least 25 years old.
   
3. Has completed at least 30 academic credits at Mercy College before submitting a life experience portfolio.
   
4. Has successfully completed ENGL112 either at Mercy College or in transfer.
   
5. Has a minimum of one year's relevant experiences to receive the minimum credit for life achievement (three open elective academic credits).
   
6. Has a minimum of five years' relevant experiences to receive the maximum credit for life achievement (30 open elective academic credits).
   
7. Has obtained assistance from a mentor who may be a faculty member and/or a Learning Center staff member in preparing a life achievement portfolio.

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IV. How is credit for life achievement granted?

Typically, credit for life achievement is granted as described below:

1. An interested student discusses the opportunities for receiving credit for life achievement with a faculty member or an Academic Advising staff member.
   
2. The student obtains a copy of the current Guidelines from a campus advising office or on-line.
   
3. The student obtains assistance from a faculty mentor, advisor, and/or a Learning Center staff member, and prepares an outline (Appendix B and Appendix C) to be reviewed by the mentor.
   
4. The student prepares the completed portfolio and submits it to the mentor to be sure that it complies with all provisions of the current Guidelines.
   
5. The student submits the life achievement portfolio with the applicable submission fee to the Campus Dean by September 10 (for a December 15 decision), by December 10 (for a March 15 decision), or by March 10 (for a May 15 decision).
   
6. The Dean reviews each portfolio for compliance with all of the current Guidelines and delivers them to the Chairperson of the Committee as follows: by September 15 (for a December 15 decision), by December 15 (for a March 15 decision), or by March 15 (for a May 15 decision).
   
7. A sub-committee comprising at least two faculty members of the Committee evaluates each portfolio. The sub?committee may decide to meet with the student if they have questions concerning the portfolio.
   
8. A portfolio, once submitted to the Committee, may not be submitted a second time. The life achievement portfolio is not returned to the student, but becomes part of the student's College file.
   
9. The student is notified of the number of credits granted, and the appropriate number of open elective credits is applied as transfer credit to the students academic record.

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V. What must be included in a student's life achievement portfolio?

All parts of the portfolio should be free from errors (e.g., punctuation, grammatical, spelling, typographical). The entire portfolio must be typewritten or computer?printed (except for signatures and Supplementary material) on standard 8.5 x11 inch white paper, and be submitted in a loose-leaf binder. Double- space the essay.

1. Cover letter: address to the Committee Chairperson; sign and date, and state the number of credits requested.
   
2. Title Page:
   
3. Table of Contents: show the page numbers of each item (A through J) to facilitate evaluation by Committee members; center the page number at the bottom of each page.
   
4. Application form: credit for life achievement.
   This one?page Application form provides standard data useful to Committee members. This may be downloaded from these Guidelines (Appendix A)
   
5. Life Achievement Worksheet: Experiences related to Academic disciplines Many students start preparing their portfolios by first completing this.
   Use this worksheet to list your life achievement experiences and relate them to academic disciplines. This is the beginning of relating what you learned from life achievement experiences to what you could have learned in college courses. Appendix B of these Guidelines shows the required format for the worksheet, and includes examples.
   
   Some students have difficulty identifying life achievement experiences from which they have acquired learning comparable in value to learning that could have been acquired in college courses. For example, assume that you consider your life achievement experiences to be those associated with your having cared for a seriously ill patient over an extended period of time. The fact that you had a wide variety of experiences associated with your caring role does not by itself qualify you to receive credit for life achievement. However, as a result of your experiences, you may have learned, as you could have in college courses, about the nature of the illness, different methods of treating it, the way society deals with the illness, how various members of a family react to a patient's illness, hospital administrative procedures, and the way both government and private insurance systems operate. The learning you acquired from experiences related to your caring role may enable you to receive credit for life achievement.
   
   Credit for life achievement has been granted for learning associated with experiences in community service, establishment of a business, hobbies, involvement in the arts, job training programs, non?credit adult education courses, paraprofessional work, politics, professional work, self?initiated learning projects, travel, and volunteer service.
   
6. Life Achievement Experiences Related to College Courses.
   Many students complete this synopsis second.
   
   Life achievement has resulted from a series of experiences. The purpose of the synopsis is to identify specific experiences, and to relate the learning that they provided to specific college courses from which you could have acquired learning of comparable value.
   
   Experience that is credited toward the student's academic degree program in some other manner, may not serve also as a basis for receiving credit for life achievement.
   You may relate your life achievement learning to any college course that is not required or used to satisfy any other requirement in your academic degree program.
   
   Prepare your Synopsis by listing all of your life achievement experiences which resulted in learning which you feel is comparable in value to learning which could have been acquired in a college course. Discussions with your mentor (faculty member or Learning Center staff member) can be helpful in preparing your Synopsis.
   
   Relate your life achievement learning experiences to specific college courses from which you could have acquired learning of comparable value. For each college course, state the course title and college catalog number. You may relate the learning from a life achievement experience to more than one college course.
   
   The Mercy College catalog presents summary information about the content of its courses. You may obtain a copy of the College catalog from an Advising Office or on line. In addition, you may review syllabi and course outlines for most Mercy College courses in the College's main library and branch libraries.
   
   Appendix C of these Guidelines shows the required format for the Synopsis, and includes examples.
   
7. Essay.
   The Essay should be clear, logical, coherent and well?organized.
   The Essay should be a reflective analysis that identifies and documents the learning which resulted from your life achievement experiences. As such, it is the primary evidence of your achievement, and a key part of your portfolio. You must show the Committee that your learning has the characteristics of intellectual challenge, scope and depth that are comparable in value to those found in college courses. The Essay must emphasize what you have learned, and not simply recite the details of your experiences or describe your activities. He essay is usually present your achievements in chronological order and not only highlights the learning that resulted from the experience but how that learning has related to both your personal and professional growth.
   
   The Essay does not have a required length; however, it should be long enough to develop thoroughly the points you wish to make, without repetition and padding. Sample essays are available at the Academic Advising Office at each campus.
   
8. Letters of reference
   At least two letters of reference for each related group of experiences for which you are seeking credit should be included. These letters should specifically confirm the actual learning you acquired, and not simply state that you participated in a particular activity. In the example of caring for a seriously ill patient, a letter from a professional who cared for the patient and observed your learning with regard to your caring role would be appropriate.
   If it is impossible to obtain letters of reference (perhaps because a long time has passed since this group of experiences), the Committee will consider other documented corroboration of your learning. Examples include pictures, samples of your work, and newspaper or magazine reports.
   
9. Degree Audit: obtain an up?to?date copy from the Advising Office or printed from Web for Student.
   
10. Supplementary material:
    Include supplementary material to demonstrate your learning when appropriate (e.g., photographs, videotapes, and awards). This is optional. Since supplementary material cannot be returned to the student, photocopies or duplicates are acceptable.

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VI. What is the cost for receiving academic credit for life achievement?

There is a non?refundable $100 fee due upon submission of the portfolio. Students who receive up to 15 credits for their portfolio pay an additional $320. Students applying for a maximum of 30 credits pay the $420 fee and an additional $40 for every 3 credits granted above 15 credits.

Financial aid including loans and scholarships may not be used to pay for Life Achievement credit.

The number of open elective credits awarded, are recorded as transfer credit on the student's college record when the College receives payment for the credits.

Any further questions regarding the preparation of your Life Achievement portfolio may be addressed to Shelley Alkin, Chairperson of the Committee at salkin@mercynet.edu

Appendix A
Application Form: Credit for Life Achievement
(To be Submitted with $100 non-refundable fee)

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Appendix B
Worksheet
Life Achievement Experiences Related to Academic Disciplines
Life achievement experiences, or groups Academic disciplines(s) to
of experiences (month/year of involvement) which experiences relate
Examples:

Experiences associated with a business career Accounting
that developed from secretary to assistant controller of a Auditing
small manufacturing company 9/87?12/93 Management

Experiences associated with caring for a seriously ill Gerontology
patient over a four?year period (1/88?3/92) Philosophy
Psychology

Experiences associated with starting and operating a Accounting
mail order business from home (3/85?11/94) Graphics
Marketing
Psychology

Experiences associated with being a full?time police officer Criminal Justice
and detective for twelve years (1/82?1/94) Law
Paralegal Studies
Safety administration

Experiences associated with between?trip Art
travel as an airline flight attendant for ten years . English
(1983-1993). History

Experiences associated with being a volunteer worker for Education
the American Red Cross Blood Service Program for nine Journalism
years (1986?1994) Management
Social Work

Experiences associated with being a county manager for a Behavioral Science
candidate for state office during a two year period Government
(1992 to 1994). Marketing
Radio and television production

Experiences associated with growing up on a farm Biology
and raising animals for show in a Future Farmers of Veterinary Technology
America program (1981?1989)

Experiences associated with self?initiated learning Computer Sciences
program associated with computers (1990?1994)

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Appendix C
Synopsis:
Life Achievement Experiences Related to College Courses

Examples:

1. Auditing, AC 420

I feel that learning I achieved from the life achievement experiences listed below is comparable in value to learning that I could have achieved in Mercy College's Auditing course, AC 420. (References are to pages in my Essay that document and explain my learning).

1. Handled all company relations with independent auditors (pp. 6?7).
2. Coordinated company records for independent auditors (pp.7?8).
3. Resolved auditors' questions (p. 10).
4. Followed up on auditors' recommendations and implemented changes ( pp. 11?12).
5. Made summary presentation of company's annual audit to the Board of Directors (pp. 13?15, and Appendix 11, pp. 45?46).
6. Attended ten hours' orientation for company accountants given by independent auditors (Appendix III p. 47).

2. Introduction to Management, MG 120

I feel that learning I achieved from the life achievement experiences listed below is comparable in value to learning that I could have achieved in Mercy College's Introduction to Management course, MG 120. (References are to pages in my Essay that document and explain my learning).

1. Supervised four professional and two clerical employees (p.2).
2. Conducted annual performance reviews during five years for four professional and two clerical employees (pp. 4?6).
3. Interviewed candidates and made recommendations for hiring (Appendix 1, p. 32).
4. Prepared department's financial plan (budget) of approximately $250,000 for each of five years ( pp. 11?13, and Appendix 111 p. 45).
5. Met 90 per cent of department's goals and objectives over a five-year period (pp. 9?10, and 24).
6. Implemented reorganization plan for a fifteen-person department based on recommendations from outside consultants (pp. 20?23).
7. Prepared departmental annual report for four years (p.7).
8. Attended in two five?day seminars on management techniques presented by the American Management Association (p.15 and Appendix 11, pp. 35?38).
9. Upgraded applications software package in department (p.15).

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