Choosing Courses to Maximize Transfer Credits

Students who choose to earn a bachelor's degree by starting at a two-year school and transferring to a four-year school often do so to minimize the costs of their education. But, if not done right, the total cost of college could end up being much more than expected and the time it takes to graduate may be extended. The reality is that not all courses will be accepted as transfer credits at another school. When this occurs, the student usually has to take additional courses at their new school, adding cost and time to their college education. To avoid this, students who plan to transfer schools need to do their research before they even start taking classes in their first school. The below discussion highlights the issues with transferring credits and provides suggestions on how to make smart choices.

Transfer Credit Issues

Subjectivity & Inconsistency - In order for a school to accept a course for transfer credit, the target school must offer substantially the same course. At some schools, decisions as to whether two courses are equivalent are made by an individual on a case-by-case basis for each student and course, resulting in subjective and sometimes inconsistent decisions. Even within a university, various programs or colleges may make differing decisions about whether a course can be accepted. In these cases, it is difficult for a student to make decisions about what courses to take with any certainty about their transferability.

Timing - Students often won't know which courses will be transferred until after they enroll in their new school. Once a student has applied as a transfer student to a school, they may be given an initial evaluation of what courses will be transferred. However, the final assessment is not typically available until after the student has chosen a school and enrolled.

Changing Majors – For students who change majors after they start college, the transfer process is even more difficult. Courses that would have been accepted for transfer in their original major may not be accepted in their new major or may be accepted as an elective rather than a core requirement. Changing majors poses the same issue for students staying at a school but adds to the complexity and creates additional risks for those who are transferring.

Course Choice Recommendations

Articulation Agreements – Students should consider schools that have an articulation agreement and stick to courses that are listed in the agreement as transferrable for the student's intended major.

Transfer Programs – Students may have the option to enroll in a community college's "Transfer Program" which is specifically designed for those who intend to transfer to a four-year school after program completion. These courses are more likely to satisfy transfer requirements than courses from other programs.

General Education Courses - If a student is unsure of what they want to major in, they should start with general education courses such as English Composition, Psychology, and Biology that are required by many programs. If the student wants to sample different courses in order to figure out what to major in, they may want to consider auditing those classes to save money and effort. Hopefully by the time a student moves into their second year, they will have a better idea of their major and can choose appropriate courses accordingly.

Course Equivalency Resources – Articulation agreements between schools are often available online and list exactly what courses are transferrable and for which majors. Some schools have course equivalency databases or transfer guides on their websites which provide valuable information about course equivalencies. Another resource is the u.select website which provides course equivalencies for hundreds of participating schools.

Four-year Curriculum - Students who have a target transfer school and program in mind should obtain the curriculum and course descriptions and do their best to mimic the first two years of classes.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) - Some schools award transfer credits for earning a minimum score on a College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject exam. If a transfer student finds out some courses won't transfer, they may be able to take a CLEP exam to earn the credits instead.

Resources

U.select Course Equivalency Tool - An online tool for transfer students to research schools and how courses will transfer.

College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).

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