Editing Z test format page

== Overview ==
Some of the terms and acronyms used on the [http://www.degreeforum.net/forum.php DegreeForums] can be confusing. Here is a list of those that are commonly used, but it is not exhaustive. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you're not familiar.

== Terms ==

=== A ===
*'''[[Accreditation]]:''' Certification of competency in education. Understanding accreditation is ''critical'' to deciding your future degree path.
*'''Acclaim''': Platform for sharing and transferring courses certified by ACE; name was dropped in favor of unifying everything under Credly.
*'''Alt Credit''': Alternative credit. Credits taken from institutions that are NOT a college or university. Examples include [[Sophia.org]] and [[Study.com]].
*'''[[American Council on Education|ACE]]''': American Council on Education
*'''[[ALEKS]]''': Math training tool, ACE approved for college credit.
*'''AOS''': Area of Study.  The focus of a bachelors degree.
*'''[[Advanced Placement|AP]]''': Advanced Placement test. Available to anyone, not just high schoolers!

=== B ===
*'''B&M''': Brick & Mortar; used in reference to classes taken at a college or university rather than from alternate credit sources. Usually applied to classes taken in-person, but can apply to online classes as well.
*'''[[The Big Three|Big 3]]''': [[Thomas Edison State University]], [[Excelsior College]], and [[Charter Oak State College]]

=== C ===
*'''[[College Level Examination Program|CLEP]]''': College Level Examination Program, a type of course equivalency test
*'''[[Competency-Based Programs|Competency-based]]''': Instead of paying per-credit, these schools operate on a subscription-based model. Once you pay the fees, you may take as many or as few classes are you are able to complete during your "subscription period". 
*'''COSC''': [[Charter Oak State College]]
*'''[[Ordering Credly Transcripts|Credly]]''': The new platform for sharing and transferring courses certified by ACE.

=== D ===
*'''DANTES''': Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education (See DSST).
*'''DEAC''': (formerly '''DETC''') Distance Education Accrediting Commission (née Distance Education and Training Council), a type of [[Accreditation|National Accreditation]]
*'''[[Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support|DSST]]''': DANTES Standardized Subject Test, a type of course equivalency test

=== E ===
*'''EC''': [[Excelsior College]]
*'''ECE''': (Now known as '''UExcel''') Excelsior College Exam, [[Excelsior College]]'s credit by exam/course equivalency test
*'''[[Federal Emergency Management Agency Independent Study Program|FEMA]]''': Federal Emergency Management Agency. College credit ''may'' be available for some students going to [[Excelsior College|Excelsior]]

=== G ===
*'''[[Gen Ed|GE]]''' - General Education; requirements that all all degree-seekers at a given school must complete.

=== I ===
*'''IC''' [[InstantCert.com]] - Many of the forum members use IC flashcards to study for CLEP, Dante, & Excelsior exams. Also has ACE-recommended courses of its own.

=== L ===
*'''LL: '''[[Upper and Lower Level Credit|Lower-level credit]] - Courses/exams accepted at the 100-200 (freshman/sophomore) level

=== N ===
*'''NA''': [[Accreditation|National Accreditation]]. Generally speaking you should avoid NA schools.
*'''[[National College Credit Recommendation Service|NCCRS]]: '''National College Credit Recommendation Service

=== P === 
*'''PF''': [[Penn Foster College|Penn Foster]], a regionally accredited, non-degree-granting school that provides ''some'' transferrable courses. Your mileage may vary.
*'''PLA:''' Prior Learning Assessment - Some schools (and all of the Big 3) offer college credit by an evaluation of the knowledge a student has gained in prior learning, careers, employer training programs, military service, independent study. Credit is usually evaluated by a submission and review of a portfolio.
*'''PUG''': Purdue University Global. A school that offers a number of popular competency-based degrees.

=== R ===
*'''RA''': [[Accreditation|Regional Accreditation]]. Generally speaking, schools favor traditionally RA credits for transfer.

=== S ===
*'''SL: '''[[Straighterline]]. Provides some courses for a fee. A source of some credits for the Big 3.
*'''SDC: '''[[Study.com]]. Provides some courses for a monthly fee. A source of LL and UL credits for the Big 3.

=== T ===
*'''[[Thomas Edison Credit by Exam Program|TECEP]]''': Thomas Edison Credit by Exam Program, [[Thomas Edison State University|TESU]]'s credit by exam/course equivalency test
*[[Free Sources of Credit|'''TEEX''']] - Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, offers ACE-approved courses for free and for cheap.
*'''TESU''': (formerly '''TESC''') [[Thomas Edison State University]] (previously Thomas Edison State College)
*'''[[The Big Three|"The Big 3"]]''': [[Thomas Edison State University]], [[Excelsior College]], and [[Charter Oak State College]]

=== U ===
*'''[[UExcel Exams|UExcel]]''': (formerly ECE/Excelsior College Exam), [[Excelsior College]]'s credit by exam/course equivalency test
*'''UL: '''[[Upper and Lower Level Credit|Upper-level credit]] - Courses/exams accepted at the 300-400 (junior/senior) level
*'''[[University of Maine at Presque Isle|UMPI]]''' - University of Maine at Presque Isle. A school that offers a number of popular [[Competency-Based Programs|competency-based degrees]].

=== W ===
*'''WGU''': [[Western Governors University]] is a school that is only open to US residents and US military members, plus select areas of Canada. They have a number of competency-based degrees available.

[[Category:Terminology]]