Does Your GPA Transfer from One Community College to Another?

I'm planning to transfer from my current community college to another one and was wondering if my GPA transfers as is or if it will be recalculated. How do community colleges handle GPA transfers?

When transferring from one community college to another, your credits for completed courses will generally transfer, but your GPA typically does not transfer the way you might expect. Each institution has its own policy on transferring credits and calculating GPAs, so it's crucial to verify with the specific community college you plan to transfer to.

What usually happens is this: your new institution will review the courses you've taken at your previous school, and if approved, those courses will be accepted as credits towards your degree. However, the grades you received for those courses will not be factored into your GPA at your new school. Instead, you'll essentially start with a clean slate, and your GPA at your new institution will be calculated based only on the courses you take there.

However, it's important to note that these transferred credits and their associated grades don't just disappear. If you apply to transfer to a four-year institution or to a graduate program later on, those entities will likely look at all your post-secondary coursework, at both institutions, and may calculate a cumulative GPA from all your coursework.

In the end, the key is to communicate directly with the Registrar's Office or Admissions Office at the community college you plan to transfer to, to understand their specific policies and procedures. Keeping your grades up at both institutions can only benefit you, whether or not your GPA directly transfers.