Transferring Penn Foster College credits to other universities?

I'm thinking about enrolling at Penn Foster College but I'm concerned about credit transfer. Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer credits from Penn Foster to other colleges or universities?

Transferring credits from one institution to another can be a complex process and largely depends on the acceptance policies of the college or university you wish to transfer to. Penn Foster College is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), but not regionally accredited.

Here's what you need to know: Institutions that carry regional accreditation (which covers many of the public and private universities and colleges in the U.S.) tend to be more selective, and may not always accept credits from nationally accredited institutions like Penn Foster.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that credits from Penn Foster can't or won't be transferred. Each institution has its specific credit transfer policy. Some might transfer all your credits, while others might transfer only some, and a few might not transfer any at all.

What you can do is to reach out directly to the admissions office of the college or university you're thinking of transferring to. They can provide the most up-to-date and accurate information about their transfer policy. Additionally, you can request an evaluation of your Penn Foster credits.

Another important factor is how closely the coursework you've completed at Penn Foster aligns with the curriculum at the college or university you're considering. For instance, if you've taken a lot of technical or career-focused courses at Penn Foster, you may find it harder to transfer those credits to a more traditionally focused academic institution.

Also, keep in mind that it's generally easier to transfer credits towards your general education requirements, compared to specific major requirements. Every college has a 'residency requirement', which is a certain number of courses you must complete at the institution in order to earn a degree from there, and credits outside of that institution won't count towards this requirement.

Ultimately, some careful research and direct conversations with college admissions offices will help you get the information you need to make an informed decision.