This handbook was designed for adults who did not complete an occupational or degree objective and who are considering returning to college and wish to request credit or advanced standing for learning acquired through non-college experiences. The handbook guides the student in the preparation of a portfolio which examines, identifies, describes, and evaluates learning experiences and aids in determining the place of these experiences within an educational plan. The handbook's first section discusses the personal, career, and educational benefits in preparing a portfolio. The second explains how to identify educational goals and provides guidelines for defining life goals, translating them into educational goals, and writing a degree program which recognizes prior learning. The third section clarifies the use of guides which list the competency requirements of a degree program against which the student can measure non-academic learning. The fourth section indicates how to write a description of non-academic learning experiences and their relevance to a college program. The fifth section reveals how student learning can be verified, measured, and evaluated, while the sixth explains formal requests for prior learning via a petition review committee. The seventh section outlines the parts of the formal portfolio. Four appendices deal with tools used in portfolio preparation. (Author/JP)