Many of us who are searching for a correctional officer job and don’t have the required college credits that some positions necessitate can find themselves in a real problem.

The simple solution would be to enroll in a correctional officer school and take some of the courses recommended corrections officer take, but that would put you at minimum weeks from completing your goal and being able to apply for a corrections job.

But what if you are like many of us that, for whatever reason, don’t have the time to commit to traditional college classes or maybe you just need the basic core classes to get you into the door before you apply for a correctional officer program, what are your options.

Well there are a few options that you can take to earn college credits fast, at a low cost, and at your own pace.

Credit By Examination

This option is beneficial to those who might have a background in a particular topic or subject and can pass a timed, computer-based examination to earn college credit in a particular area.  Tests of this nature are offered as College Level Examination Tests or CLEP tests, Defense Activity Non-Traditional Educational Support or DANTES tests, or through colleges like Excelsior College. Once you pass your exam, you will be issued a transcript stating your passing score that you then provide to any accredited college, university or employer for credit in a number general education courses.

The key to being successful with testing for college credit is that unless you have a good understanding of the subject, you really need to study hard to ensure you earn the minimum passing score. Additionally, even if you earn the minimum passing score through the testing organization, many schools often have their own established score level in which they will issue credit from the school, so be aware that even if you achieve a passing test score on a CLEP or DANTES test that you check with the school you are transferring into that you meet or exceed their minimum requirements.

College Credits For Life Experience

Another option is to seek out accredited colleges that, though an extensive interview and application process that is reviewed and verified, will grant applicants college credits based on their past life, work, and educational experiences.

This process is a good option if you are only in need of a few college-level credits to obtain a degree. The process involves that you submit documentation to build a portfolio that is evaluated after you submit an evaluation fee, which varies from place to place. Although this method of earning college credits is much quicker than sitting through the same number of classes that you can potentially earn, it is the fastest way to earn college credits. So what is?

Online Classes

Taking online classes is one of the fastest methods of earning college credit. So if  you’re looking for a quick, affordable and direct way to earn college credits then StraighterLine is a great option for prospective corrections officers in need of college classes in order to get hired for a correctional officer job, or as a way to advance your career in corrections.

Because StraighterLine offers first and second-year general education online college courses, you can save thousands of dollars on your correctional officer education while at the same time putting yourself on the fast track for success.

These online college courses provided by StraighterLine allow you to earn a college degree from some of the nation’s top colleges and universities. Combined with the fact that you’ll have access to student advising and assistance, on-demand online tutoring, and self-paced accredited courses, selecting StraighterLine for your online college needs is a great choice for your correctional officer education.