Do college credits really expire after 10 years?

So, I was wondering about the shelf life of college credits. I heard somewhere that credits can expire after a certain amount of time. Is this true, or just another random myth? If someone took a gap year or more before continuing their education, could they potentially lose the credits they earned earlier? I'm trying to plan ahead and want to understand the risks if I decide to take a break during my college journey. Any advice or real experiences shared would be super helpful!

Hello! It's not exactly that college credits "expire" – what can happen is that the relevance or the applicability of these credits to a degree may diminish over time. This is especially true in fast-changing fields like technology, where the material of a decade-old course could be significantly outdated.

Each college and university sets its own policy regarding the use of older credits. Some colleges may accept old credits without any problems while others could review them closely to assess their relevance to your intended degree. If the content of the course aligns with the curriculum currently taught, then older credits have a good chance of being accepted.

If you are considering a break in your educational journey and are interested in the transferability of your credits, a great first step would be to consult with an academic advisor at your current institution, or at potential future institutions. They'll be able to help you understand the policies regarding credit transfer and possibly guide you on how to secure your credits.

In the end, the "usability" of your credits will depend largely on specific university policies and the relevance of the course content. Therefore, when you decide to return to your studies, reaching out to prospective colleges and directly discussing your situation would be advisable.