How to transfer community college credits to a different major?

I'm currently at a community college and thinking about switching my major when I transfer to a four-year university. How does transferring credits work in this situation? Do the credits still count, or will I lose some?

Transitioning to a new major can indeed affect how your community college credits transfer to a four-year university. The transferability of credits largely depends on two main factors: the transfer policies of the four-year institution, and the relevance of your earned credits to your new major.

Regarding the first factor, you should begin by consulting the transfer policies of your intended four-year university. Most universities have specific guidelines on which type of credits they accept. Some schools might accept general education credits but may not accept specific courses or vocational credits.

The second factor is the relevance of your credits to your new major. If your community college courses align well with your new major's curriculum at the four-year college, then there's a good chance they will count toward degree completion. For instance, if you were studying Biology and decided to switch to Environmental Science, many of your Science and Math courses would likely still be relevant and hence transferable.

On the other hand, if you were studying something like Graphic Design and now want to shift to Chemistry, there might be less overlap, so the transferability of your credits could be limited.

Bear in mind that even if your credits aren't directly applicable to your new major, they might still count as elective credits or help fulfill general education requirements.

What you'll want to do is to meet with an academic advisor from both your community college and the intended university. They can provide you with a concrete idea of which credits can transfer and count towards your new major. By doing this early, you can make a strategic plan for your course load, minimizing lost credits, and maximizing your time and resources.