As students advance toward a degree many opt to transfer to another college or university. It is very typical for students to begin at a community college and then transfer to a BA-granting institution; forty-one percent of U.S. undergraduates begin their college career at a community college. For these students, the threat of losing credit as they transfer from one institution to another - particularly from a community college to a BA-granting university - means additional time invested in degree completion. Several studies suggest that the specific number of credits that are retained as a student transfers has a significant impact on time to completion. A study of a community college transfer population found that approximately eight of ten students who were able to transfer all earned credits when moving from a community college to a BA-granting institution complete a bachelor’s degree within six years of initial matriculation, but that only four of ten students who have only some of their credits transfer do so.
Several states have tried to ensure transferability of earned academic credit within their public higher education systems. Many states and systems have created sophisticated transfer and articulation agreements among their public - and some private - institutions so that students’ credits are not sacrificed in a move between institutions (see NCHEMS, State Policies on Student Transitions; Education Commission of the States, StateNotes: Transfer and Articulation). At least twenty-three states have created a common core of courses to fulfill graduation requirements. Indeed, some of these efforts to standardize credit accumulation pathways between community colleges and public universities have come close to universal credit transfer within a state system. For example, Florida has implemented common course numbering in addition to common core requirements for all public universities. The system assigns the same course numbers to courses judged by faculty committees to have substantially similar content. As a result, this makes credits completely portable from institution to institution.
Another strategy, utilized by Wyoming, allows students to be co-enrolled at a public BA-granting university and a community college to help ease the transition between the two institutions, including the transfer of credit. Other systems have formed inter-institutional partnerships to offer certain four-year degree programs at a community college, allowing some students to complete a Bachelor’s degree without transfer. Currently, seventeen states - including Nevada, Vermont, and Indiana - have allowed community colleges to award a Bachelor's degree (see the Community College Baccalaureate Association for more information). While there is little evidence about the effectiveness of these degree programs on transfer and degree completion, the blurred line between the community college and BA-granting sectors of postsecondary education presents an alternative for some students.
The most salient issues related to successful student transfer are the availability of accurate, timely information on credit accumulation, degree requirements, and the credits that will be accepted by other institutions in the system. Many states are attempting to put this information in the hands of students using online, and often interactive, technology. For example, ASSIST, the California online system, allows students to check whether courses will be accepted at other in-state public colleges and universities, even before registration, avoiding the problem of finding out too late that a course will not count toward a degree at another public institution. California also provides online support for their community college transfer counselors; the Transfer Counselor Website is a “one-stop” resource for advisers providing immediate access to needed information, enabling them to better serve the transfer student. A similar system to ASSIST, iTransfer, offers students transfer assistance within the Illinois state higher education system. In addition, community colleges are providing more information about four-year degree programs and options than ever before. In some cases, this information becomes part of advising that students receive while still in developmental education courses – before they select courses that begin to earn credits towards a degree.
Given that transfer and articulation policies and improved information-sharing practices are meant to protect earned credit, there is limited evidence to the overall effectiveness of these policies to actually influence transfer. A significant number of states and systems have articulation agreements, but few have leveraged incentives for student transfer, or created policies that support the specific needs of transfer students. About thirteen states have legislated agreements that provide specific incentives for transfer. A number of those states that have implemented common core requirements system-wide have also guaranteed full transfer of credit between community colleges and public universities in the system (e.g., North Carolina and Georgia). Even states that have not created common requirements have chosen to create transfer incentives. For example, Kentucky allows for "block transfer of credit" (instead of course-by-course evaluation) and Ohio grants priority admission to community college students having completed an AA/AS degree or 60 credits.
Other states’ policies have outlined the types of supports that colleges and universities should provide to transfer students. Texas’ transfer and articulation policies stipulate that incoming students are assessed for placement and advising needs to ensure an easy transition to their new campus with timely and accurate information on requirements. Colleges and universities are then responsible for provision of these services as part of the statewide accountability system.
For a full list of Transferring Credit resources from the TTC database, click here.