College Transfer FAQs: What Do I Do If I'm Transferring from a Community College

About this article
A community college can be a good place to begin your college career. This article gives you guidelines to use when you are transferring from a community college to a four-year university.
View available schools

For many students, attending community college is a good way to begin their college career. While attending community college, you can complete your pre-requisite classes and core courses for a reasonable price. It also provides you the opportunity to explore a major before committing to a four-year program. After finishing community college, the next step for some students is transferring to a four-year school.

The following steps to ensure a smooth transfer come from Collegeboard.com:

  1. Learn all you can about the transfer program
  2. Check if your credits are 'transferable'
  3. Talk with a counselor at your community college
  4. Learn about the colleges 'articulation agreements'

Learn About the Transfer Program:

All transfer programs do the same thing: prepare you to enter upper division college as a junior. Those at www.collegeboard.com note that transfer programs generally consist of three types of classes:

  • General Education Courses
  • Major Required Course
  • Electives

When learning about the transfer program at your community college, you will probably find out at least two things: upon completion of the transfer program you will either have an associate's degree or you won't. Even if your school doesn't award associate's degrees, the requirements you met will still transfer to some four-year schools. The question remains, do you want that piece of paper or not? What if you get accepted at the university of your choice and decide you don't want to pursue a four-year degree? These are questions you need to ask yourself and discuss with your advisor.

Check if Your credits are 'Transferable:'

To make sure your credits are 'transferable,' you need to choose the four-year college/colleges that you want to transfer to. Whatever college you choose to attend (preferably the one where more of your credits are accepted), you need to contact that school's college transfer program. It may be located on the school's website or you may have to call admissions. Find out ahead of time so you can plan your community college classes accordingly.

Talk With a Counselor at Your Community College:

A face-to-face conversation with someone familiar with the way transfers are conducted is a good idea too. College counselors at your community college can help you meet your community college's graduation requirements and prepare for transfer -- with maximum credit -- into the college and major of your choice.

Even though the catalog may say the credit for a certain class transfers to another school, set up an appointment with an advisor and stay in contact with him or her throughout your time at the community college. If you know you're going to transfer, it's a good idea to meet with your advisor before you register for your first semester course.

Learn About the Colleges 'Articulation Agreements'

College articulation agreements are designed to help you. According to the experts at collegeboard.com, articulation agreements state policies regarding transferring and make it easier for you to transfer. Take note of your school's articulation agreements with other schools. For more information on articulation agreements, see the article titled College Transfer FAQs: What are College Articulation Agreements?

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Bryant & Stratton College

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • BA - General Management
      • BBA Human Resources Management
      • BBA Medical Services Management
      • BS Human & Social Services
      • General Management (GM) - BBA
      • Health Services Administration - BS
    Associate's
      • Criminal Justice Studies - AAS
      • AS - Business
      • AS - Criminal Justice
      • AS - Accounting
      • AS - Human Resources Specialist
      • AS - IT Networking
    Certificate
      • Business Assistant Diploma
      • Criminal Justice and Security Services Diploma
      • Business - AAS
      • Business Assistant - Diploma
      • Criminal Justice and Security Svcs. - Diploma
      • Accounting Assistant Diploma
  • Online Programs Available
    2. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
      • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Quantitative Research
      • Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Performance Psychology (Qualitative Research)
      • Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Performance Psychology (Quantitative Research)
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
      • Education Specialist in Teaching and Learning
    Master's
      • M.S. Psychology with an Emphasis in Gerontology
      • M.S. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Human Factors
      • MA in Curriculum and Instruction
      • MS in Psychology: General Psychology
      • M.A. in Communication with an Emphasis in Education
      • M.Ed. in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in Humanities (ITL)
    Bachelor's
      • BS in Psychology
      • B.S. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Performance and Sports Psychology
      • Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an Emphasis in Interpersonal Communication and Human Relationships
      • Bachelor: Business Admin
      • BA in Digital Film - Screenwriting
      • Bachelor: Accounting
  • Online Programs Available
    3. Saint Leo University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Doctor of Criminal Justice: Education
      • DBA: Business Administration
      • Education Specialist in Educational Leadership
      • Doctor of Criminal Justice: Homeland Security
    Master's
      • MS: Criminal Justice
      • MS: Criminal Justice - Critical Incident Management
      • MA: Creative Writing - Poetry
      • MAcc: Accounting
      • MBA: Project Management
    Associate's
      • AA: Criminal Justice
      • AA: Business Administration
      • AA: Information Technology
  • Online Programs Available
    4. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Masters in Psychology
      • Masters in Dispute Resolution
      • Masters in Legal Studies
      • Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis
      • Masters in Clinical Psychology (Licensed Professional Counselor)
  • Online Programs Available
    5. Fordham University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance
      • Masters in Social Work
  • Online Programs Available
    6. Penn Foster High School

    Program Options

    High School Diploma
      • HS Diploma
  • Online Programs Available
    7. Liberty University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • DME: Doctor of Music Education
      • LLM: International Legal Studies
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Elementary Education
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Middle Grades Education
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Secondary Education
    Bachelor's
      • Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
    Certificate
      • CTG: Communication
      • CTG: Criminal Justice
      • CTG: Curriculum and Instruction
      • CTG: Higher Education Administration
      • CTG: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • CTG: Psychology
  • Online Programs Available
    8. Purdue Global

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Master of Science - DNP Executive Leader
      • MSN-DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
      • Master of Science - DNP Path (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
      • Master of Science -DNP Path Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    Master's
      • M.S. in Health Education
      • MSPY - Forensic Psychology
      • MS in Psychology
      • Master : Business Admin
      • Master: Psychology/General Psychology
      • Master of Public Health
    Bachelor's
      • BS in Communication
      • BS in Criminal Justice - Socially Responsible Leadership
      • Bachelor of Science in Psychology
      • BSOM - Decision Management
      • Bachelor of Business Admin
      • BS in Finance
    Associate's
      • AASBA in Business
      • Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice
      • Associate: Business Admin.
      • Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Development
      • Associate of Applied Science in Human Services
      • Associate of Applied Science in Health ScienceNo Concentration
    Certificate
      • Professional Focus + Google Project Management Certificate
      • Certificate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology Graduate
      • Professional Focus + Google UX Design Certificate
  • Campus and Online Programs
    9. The Chicago School

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Dual Degree: MA Counseling Psychology and MS Applied Behavior Analysis
      • M.A. Counseling Psychology
      • M.A. Psychology
      • M.A. Behavioral Economics
      • M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
      • M.A. Forensic Psychology
    Certificate
      • Suicide and Cyberbullying Prevention Certificate
      • Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning
      • Certificate in Forensic Psychology - M.A. Non-Licensure Track to Licensure Bridge Program
      • Certificate in Behavioral Economics
      • Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
      • Certificate in Organizational Leadership
  • Campus and Online Programs
    10. Full Sail University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Science - Film Production
      • MS - Entertainment Business (Campus)
      • Game Design Masters - Campus
      • Entertainment Business Masters - Campus
      • Computer Science Masters - Online
      • M.S. - Entertainment Business
    Bachelor's
      • Sportscasting Bachelors - Campus
      • Bachelor of Science - Software Development
      • Communications Bachelors with Creative Writing Concentration - Campus
      • Film Production Masters - Campus
      • Communications Bachelors with Media Communications Concentration - Campus
      • Visual Arts Bachelors with Game Art Concentration - Campus
    Certificate
      • Computer Science Bachelors with AI Concentration - Online
      • User Experience Bachelors - Online

Featured Schools

Bryant & Stratton College

  • BA - General Management
  • Criminal Justice Studies - AAS
  • Business Assistant Diploma

What is your high school graduation status?

Grand Canyon University

  • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
  • M.S. Psychology with an Emphasis in Gerontology
  • BS in Psychology

What is your highest level of education?

Saint Leo University

  • Doctor of Criminal Justice: Education
  • MS: Criminal Justice
  • AA: Criminal Justice

What is your highest level of education completed?

Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

  • Masters in Psychology
  • Masters in Dispute Resolution
  • Masters in Legal Studies

What is your highest level of education completed?

Fordham University

  • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance
  • Masters in Social Work

What is your highest level of education completed?

Penn Foster High School

  • HS Diploma

What is your highest level of education?

Liberty University

  • DME: Doctor of Music Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
  • CTG: Communication

What is your highest level of education?

Purdue Global

  • Master of Science - DNP Executive Leader
  • M.S. in Health Education
  • BS in Communication
  • AASBA in Business
  • Professional Focus + Google Project Management Certificate

Which subject are you interested in?