Resetting Your GPA When You Transfer Colleges

When you transfer colleges, does your GPA reset or carry over? I'm a bit confused about how my academic performance at my current school will affect me at a new institution. Can anyone clarify?

When you transfer from one college to another, your GPA at your original institution does not transfer with you. At your new school, you'll start with a fresh GPA.

This said, your academic performance at your current college is still important. Even though your GPA doesn't transfer, your individual course grades certainly will, as colleges require your transcript as a part of the application process. Therefore, it's crucial to keep your grades up, even if you're thinking about transferring.

However, in terms of your standing at your new institution, you'll essentially start over. You'll begin accumulating your GPA based on the coursework you undertake at your new school. The courses you took at your old school will be factors for credit transfers.

For instance, let's say you took English 101 at your old school and received credit for it. If the new school deems the course equivalent to their English 101, it will transfer and satisfy any requirement for that class, but the grade you achieved won't figure into your new GPA.

It's essential to keep in mind the transfer policy varies among institutions, so you should check with the particular university you're interested in. Some schools even have transfer agreements with others, often community colleges, where they specify which courses and even grades transfer.

So while you get a "fresh start" GPA-wise when you transfer, maintaining strong grades at your current institution is still vital for admissions and for credit transfer purposes. Your new institution will determine how to factor in your transferred credits into your GPA based upon their specific policies.