Can AA degrees transfer from the College of DuPage?

I'm currently attending the College of DuPage and considering transferring to a four-year university. Do AA degrees from the College of DuPage typically transfer well, and are there any specific schools where they transfer more easily?

An Associate of Arts (AA) degree from the College of DuPage can indeed serve as a useful stepping stone toward earning a bachelor's degree at a four-year university. Generally, many four-year institutions accept the full 60 college credits from an AA, which covers the majority of the general education requirements in a bachelor's degree program. It's often termed as transferring in as a "junior" if the AA degree aligns well with your intended bachelor's degree program.

That said, it's also important to understand that the transfer process could depend upon the specific university and major. For instance, some universities have close articulation agreements with community colleges, which essentially promise that certain classes at the community college will fulfill specific requirements at the university.

It'd be beneficial to speak with your advisor at CoD and initiate conversations with the transfer admissions department at your prospective four-year schools about the specifics of transferring your AA degree. They could provide information tailored to your specific circumstance and facilitate a smoother transition toward a four-year program. An excellent tool to use might be the transfer equivalency databases that many colleges offer, showing which credits will transfer from CoD to the four-year institution.

Moreover, the College of DuPage itself might have partnerships with certain universities that can make a transfer smoother. For example, the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) could assist Illinois students transferring in-state. In this case, your coursework at CoD can fulfill general education core curriculum (GECC) requirements at participating colleges and universities statewide.

Remember that individualized advice from advisors at both institutions will be crucial, as they'll be able to assist you in your unique case and help tie your specific AA degree to a coordinating bachelor's degree program.