Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is a powerful lever for supporting military-connected learners—but how institutions apply military credit matters just as much as whether they do. When credit practices lack precision or clarity, they can unintentionally slow progress, create confusion, or even jeopardize financial aid and completion.

In A Smarter Way to Honor Military Credit: Precision, Policy and Pathways to Completion, CAI team members Matt Bergman and Dallas Kratzer examine how institutions can move beyond broad or inconsistent approaches to military credit and toward policies and pathways that truly serve learners. Drawing on their work with colleges, universities, and systems nationwide, they make the case for intentional design—one that honors military learning while accelerating degree completion and career transitions.

The article offers a timely perspective on how thoughtful CPL policy, clear crosswalks, and aligned pathways can better support military-connected learners and the institutions committed to serving them well.