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Life Experience Portfolio

Earn credit for college level learning gained through work and life experiences

Simpson’s Life Experience Portfolio (LEP) Program provides a way for students to turn their work and life experiences into college credit through completion of a writing portfolio. Credits awarded reflect the similarity between a student’s learning experiences obtained through life and work, to those learning experiences typically acquired through study in a liberal arts college.

A Life Experience Portfolio may be submitted for credit consideration by adults who are at least 25 years of age. For purposes of graduation, all credits from this process must be applied for within a student’s first 64 credits (including all transfer credit).

Adult students can earn up to 24 credits from non-traditional experiences such as armed services training, vocational-technical training, professional training (through organizations such as LOMA, CPCU, ABA, etc.), CLEP tests and a Life Experience Portfolio.

Questions? Please contact our West Des Moines Campus at 515-309-3099 or at adults.learn@simpson.edu

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Simpson recognizes the college-level learning you have acquired through previous life experiences, often outside of the classroom. The LEP is a writing project in which you reflect on those previous experiences and what you’ve learned through them. The portfolio may include volunteer activities, work experience and training, military credits and hobbies. After completing the portfolio it is presented to a panel of faculty members who will determine how much credit you will receive.

Continuing & Graduate students who are over 25 years of age and have accumulated less than 64 total credits (including transfer credits) are eligible for this program.

You may earn up to 24 credits.  Over the last five years, students who have completed the LEP process have received an average of 20 credits.  The LEP could save you up to two years of class work worth over $9,000 in tuition costs.

There is a $75 administrative fee to submit the portfolio for review. All credits earned are awarded free of charge!

If you would like formal instruction in preparing your LEP, we offer EXPL 150, an 8-week or 16-week writing workshop several times a year to provide additional support and guidance. To get started, contact our West Des Moines Campus at 515-309-3099 or at adults.learn@simpson.edu