How do I transfer community college credits effectively?

I'm at a community college and plan to transfer to a four-year university. What's the best way to ensure my credits will transfer smoothly? Are there common pitfalls I should avoid?

To seamlessly transfer credits from a community college to a four-year university, consider doing the following:

1. Understanding Target University Policies: Find out your target institution's credit transfer policies. Check if they have an articulation agreement with your community college. These agreements stipulate exactly what courses from your community college are accepted for credit at the university.

2. Research Major Requirements: Know your intended major's requirements at the university you plan to transfer to. This will allow you to focus on community college courses that will fulfill those criteria.

3. Maintain High Grades: Grades play an important role not only in your ability to transfer, but also in how many of your credits will be accepted. Focus on performing well in your current courses.

4. Stay in Communication: Regular contact with your community college advisor as well as the admissions department at the university you plan on transferring to can help. They would provide guidance about the transferring process and specific courses to take.

5. Regularly Review Progress: Regularly review your progress and ensure that you're on track to meet transfer requirements.

Common pitfalls to avoid might include:

1. Selecting Non-Transferable Courses: Always verify that a chosen course will count towards your future degree.

2. Ignoring the Accreditation: Only credits from an accredited community college are likely to transfer. Make sure your college is regionally accredited.

3. Poor Academic Performance: In order to transfer, not only will you need to take the right courses, but you'll also need to perform well in them.

4. Missing Important Deadlines: Keep track of application, registration, and scholarship deadlines to not miss any opportunity.

By mapping out your courses well in advance and maintaining frequent communication with the necessary college departments, you can ease the process of transferring credits from a community college to a four-year university.