I'm thinking about transferring to Boston College, but I'm confused about the credit transfer requirements. How many credits do I need, and are there specific courses that have to be included? Any advice would be appreciated!
As a transfer applicant to Boston College, you should know that the university requires a minimum of 30 college-level academic credits to be eligible. Generally, this is equivalent to one full year of coursework at an accredited institution, so if you're in your first year elsewhere, you'll want to aim to complete this amount by the end of the year. Please note that remedial, technical, vocational, and orientation-style courses are not considered college-level, so do not count towards this requirement.
On the specifics of which courses can be transferred, Boston College maintains an individual course approval process, meaning it will evaluate each course you've taken on a case-by-case basis to decide if it counts towards your BC degree. There's no universal list of transferable courses, but generally speaking, the university is looking for courses that match the intellectual rigor of its own curriculum and align with the requirements of BC’s core curriculum.
The core curriculum at Boston College consists of classes in the arts, cultural diversity, history, literature, mathematics, natural science, philosophy, social science, theology, and writing. To get a better sense of what this entails, you might want to refer to the BC website or contact their admissions office directly.
Additionally, Boston College will only award transfer credit for courses in which you've earned at least a C. So, do keep your grades up to maximize your chances of having credits transferred.
Regarding the maximum transfer credits, BC will allow you to transfer up to 60 credits - roughly equivalent to two years of full-time study.
In summary, while there isn't a fixed set of courses you must complete to transfer, it's wise to take courses in your current institution that closely align with Boston College’s core requirements and to ensure you complete at least 30 credits—but preferably around 60 if you’re hoping to transfer after two full years. Always double-check the most current information on the Boston College website or with their admission office.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.