Founded in 1973, the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS). NCCRS operates under the Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York with a focus on providing evaluation and recommendations to facilitate transference of non-traditional experience and credit to college credit equivalencies. NCCRS organizes teams comprising college faculty evaluators and subject matter experts to carry out thorough assessments of education and training programs provided by corporations, unions, religious organizations, and proprietary schools. The goal of this work is to help working adults and other learners earn credit for learning acquired outside of the college classroom. Over 1,500 cooperating colleges and universities consider granting actual college credit based on NCCRS credit recommendations and in accordance with their own transfer policies.
As described at the "History" section at the NCCRS website, the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York initiated a pilot study in 1973 to assess the potential of a college credit advisory service. This was spurred by recommendations made by the Commission on Non-Traditional Study (supported by the Carnegie Corporation), to provide a national perspective on the future of higher education, including recognizing and granting credit for postsecondary learning undertaken in noncollegiate settings.
The Commission called for a system to establish college credit equivalencies for courses offered by government, industry, and other non-collegiate sponsors. The prototype effort conducted evaluations of 102 courses and programs sponsored by eight organizations (AT&T, General Electric Company, Eastman Kodak Company, New York Telephone – now Verizon Communications, New York City, New York State Police Academies, Literacy Volunteers of America, American Institute of Banking of Greater New York). Credit recommendations were established when the learning experiences were found to be at the college level. In the process, the components of a model for a reliable and workable review system were identified.
The results of the pilot study were published in December 1974 in a first volume of course descriptions and credit recommendations: A Guide to Educational Programs in Noncollegiate Organizations. Subsequent volumes of credit recommendations used this title until 1985, when it was replaced by College Credit Recommendation Service Online. Updates are now made available through CCRS Online.
NCCRS does not provide transcripts. Transcript requests and inquiries fall under the aegis of the organization offering the courses, examinations, or apprenticeship(s). Since the first edition of the Directory, NCCRS has served more than 500 organizations across the U.S. and internationally; and has evaluated and recommended for college credit approximately 5,200 courses, exams, and educational programs. The most common use of the credit recommendations is to obtain college credit, either by a college actually awarding credit or waiving a required or prerequisite course. Individuals have also used the credit recommendations to qualify for job advancement, obtain salary increases, meet educational requirements for professional licensure or certification, or obtain entry into new areas of employment.