{"id":12560,"date":"2020-03-06T13:18:38","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T20:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=12560"},"modified":"2020-04-28T11:29:29","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T17:29:29","slug":"will-my-credits-transfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/will-my-credits-transfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Will My Credits Transfer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We get it\u2014college is expensive. With the cost of tuition rising, it comes as no surprise that more and more students are exploring cost-effective solutions to earning a diploma. Some students choose to attend a <\/span>community college<\/span><\/a> prior to enrolling in a <\/span>four-year college<\/span><\/a> as a way to earn credits at a lower cost before applying them toward a bachelor\u2019s degree. In addition, some savvy students know that credits from exams including <\/span>AP<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>CLEP <\/span><\/a>or <\/span>DSST<\/span><\/a> are a quick way to receive college credit in subjects they already know. But regardless of the reasoning behind transferring credits, the main question on students\u2019 minds is the same\u2014will my credits transfer?<\/span><\/p>\n

One size doesn\u2019t fit all<\/b><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s important to note that each school will have their own policy on <\/span>transfer credits<\/span><\/a>, and there is no \u201cone size fits all ” answer. But that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t some similarities among schools in how they evaluate transfer credits. We spoke with Michelle Adams, Senior Director of <\/span>Transfer Admission and Articulations<\/span><\/a> at <\/span>Elmhurst College<\/span><\/a> to help us understand the process colleges use to determine if your credits will <\/span>transfer<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do schools determine if credits are eligible for transfer?<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe receiving school reviews pertinent information related to the course from the sending school, including course title, course description, number of semester hours or units, and syllabi. This review is performed by a combination of an articulation officer and faculty, in most cases,\u201d said Adams.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to transfer credits, each school may have a different procedure and set of standards, but we asked Adams to share the criteria Elmhurst uses in their evaluation process to understand how the system works.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt Elmhurst College, the following criteria are evaluated:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Is the sending institution <\/span>accredited<\/span><\/a> by a governing body from which we accept transfer credit, like <\/span>The Higher Learning Commission<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Is the course taught at the college level, and is it typical of a liberal arts and sciences curriculum?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Did the student earn a grade of D or better in the course?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If the answers to these three are all yes, then we move to determine exactly what equivalency the <\/span>course<\/span><\/a> will have at Elmhurst College.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    In an effort to dispel myths surrounding transfer credits, we asked Adams to share some of the common misconceptions students have.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201c<\/span>Students sometimes think all courses transfer to all institutions, and are surprised to hear that some credits cannot be accepted if taken at a non-accredited institution, or if they are courses below college level, such as remedial reading or math courses. Also, all schools have their own policies regarding transfer credit, so the way a course may transfer to one school may be different than at another school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    How to request a credit transfer\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

    We know this process can be intimidating, so we asked Adams to walk us through the procedure of requesting a credit <\/span>transfer<\/span><\/a> at Elmhurst College.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Before applying to the school<\/b><\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u201cA student may request an unofficial evaluation of transfer credits before the actual college application process by:<\/span><\/p>\n