What are Credit Banks?

Credit banks are institutions that enable you to consolidate into one transcript some or all of the credits that you earned at various schools, as well as credits for examinations, on-the-job training, work experience, volunteer activities, and other life experiences. You must complete an application for the credit bank, pay a fee for the services, and submit a portfolio. Administrators at the credit bank then review your application and portfolio to determine which courses to count and which experiences to award credit for. Then they create a new, single transcript reflecting all of these credits. You can use the consolidated transcript to support your application to another school (most colleges offering distance learning recognize credit bank transcripts) or for employment purposes.

Two of the best-known credit banks in the United States are at Regents College and Thomas Edison State College. Each provides specific information on its Web site regarding the application process and documents to include in your portfolio. For more information: