How do college credits transfer and what's the average credit hour?

I'm planning to transfer schools next year and am curious about how many of my credit hours will usually transfer. Is there an average number of credit hours that most schools accept from transfer students?

In general, how many and what type of credits will transfer entirely depends on the college or university you're transferring to. Some institutions have specific agreements with community colleges or other institutions, known as articulation agreements, that guarantee certain coursework will be credited. However, these vary by institution.

In terms of the average number of credits that typically transfer, it could range significantly based on the policies of the accepting institution. Some schools will accept up to 60-90 credits or sometimes even more, but transferability can be impacted by multiple factors including course level, grade earned, accreditation of the previous institution, and how closely the course matches up with the curricula at the new institution.

Typically, courses that get the best transfer credit will be ones that are similar in content to that offered at the accepting institution, especially for major-specific courses. For example, a mathematics course taken at a community college could likely transfer to a university-level course if the contents are identical or very similar. These courses need to be passed with a fairly high grade—often a C or better. It's also important to note that quarter credits and semester credits might transfer differently, so you'll want to be careful of that discrepancy when transitioning between different types of institutions.

For a better understanding, I'd recommend reaching out to the school you plan on transferring to. They can provide specific information regarding their policies and might even be able to give you a rough estimate based on the courses you've completed so far. It's also a good idea to ask about transfer credit evaluations which can give you a clear picture of how much of your courses will be counted. So, ensure to communicate with both your current and proposed institutions to avoid any confusion or disappointment down the line.