LEWISTON – The University of Southern Maine will host a public meeting to give those interested in pursuing a college degree the opportunity to find out if they can earn college credit for knowledge and skills gained outside the traditional classroom.

The session will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17, at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College, 51 Westminster St. To register, see Prior Learning Assessment session registration at http://usm.maine.edu/non-degree/form/form.html.

Attendees will find out more about earning academic credit for previous work and related experience through the Prior Learning Assessment program. Participants also will have the opportunity to meet with USM faculty and staff to begin an assessment of prior experiences. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled as needed.

The program at USM is one of the oldest in the country. Each year about 1,000 students, or 10 percent of USM’s student body, take advantage of the program.

For more information about the program and the information session, contact Joyce Lapping at 780-4867 or e-mail [email protected].