Transferring colleges requires meticulous attention on the part of the student to ensure every possible credit will transfer. In addition to reducing the amount of time you spend making up coursework, transferring your maximum credit potential can save you thousands of dollars in tuition expenses. There are specific steps you can take to ensure your new college accepts most, if not all, credits from previous educational institutions. When in doubt, contact the admissions office of your new campus to get personal assistance reviewing former transcripts, course requirements, and syllabi from your previous school(s).
Here are five tips for transferring colleges without losing credits:
- Ask before you register. Many students choose to begin their education at a community college in order to save money, knowing exactly where they plan to transfer to afterwards. If this is the case for you, contact the admissions office of the school you will be transferring to. They can help you decide which college courses will be transferable so you can plan your coursework accordingly.
- Get unofficial copies of your transcripts. Have a clear idea of exactly what courses you have received credit for. Keep in mind that the school you are transferring into will have specific grade requirements for transfer credits. Remember to get all copies of your transcripts, even if you only attended a single class at a junior college several years ago. Every credit counts. In most cases, students can request unofficial copies of their transcripts online, or by contacting the Registrar’s office. These are cheaper to obtain than official transcripts, which will be required when it’s time to apply and transfer your credits.
- Understand credit transfer requirements at your prospective schools. Every school is different. At Bryant & Stratton College, we accept up to 75 percent of the total credit hours required for graduation. Credits can be comprised of advanced placement high school courses, previous college credits, as well as certain proficiency examinations. We assess these credits on a course-by-course basis. Timeliness of the information, or advancements in technology, may prevent certain courses from credit reciprocation. We only accept college credit transfers with grades of C or higher. For transferring credits related to our nursing program, we require grades of B or higher. Upon acceptance, students must complete the credit transfer process prior to registering for their classes. Additionally, Bryant & Stratton can only accept credits earned in technology classes if they are five years old or younger.
- Become familiar with the coursework required for your program of choice. Once you have chosen your prospective schools, examine the list of required courses for your program of choice. You may find that certain schools have requirements that better mimic the programs you have started elsewhere, which will ease the credit transferring process. Start working with those admissions counselors and registrar’s offices first.
- Save your previous syllabi and course requirements. There are circumstances where we require additional information before we can accept certain transfer credits. For example, every college and university titles their coursework differently. By having our admissions counselors or instructors review your old course syllabi, or the course requirements, we can gain a more detailed understanding of whether or not it is comparable to the equivalent coursework here at Bryant & Stratton College Online. Don’t worry if you no longer have copies. You can contact your previous institution and they can put you in touch with faculty members in the appropriate departments if necessary so you obtain the information you need.
Transferring colleges can be a smooth process as long as you are prepared and willing to work with your prospective campus. Contact the Admissions Office at Bryant & Stratton College so we can get started transferring your college credits.
