Transferring Credits from Herkimer County Community College

I'm a student at Herkimer County Community College and I'm thinking about transferring. How easy is it to transfer credits to a different college? Any experiences or things I should be aware of?

Transferring credits can often be a straightforward process, but it does depend on several factors including the specific program you're enrolled in, the college you're looking to transfer to, and the similarity of the courses between both institutions.

An important first step you should take is to meet with your academic advisor at Herkimer County Community College. They may have insights on which colleges have articulation agreements with your current school, which can ensure a smoother credit transferring process. Articulation agreements are formal agreements between two colleges or universities where the sending institution confirms which courses can be transferred for credit at the receiving institution.

Another factor is the type of accreditation your current college has, as most accredited colleges will accept credits from another accredited institution. Herkimer County Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, so if you are planning on transferring to another college with the same or similar accreditation, you might find the process more seamless.

Also, it would be a good idea to contact the admissions office or academic advising office at the prospective college to discuss the transfer process. They may give you a good idea of whether or not your credits will transfer and how they will transfer (i.e., as general education credits, major-specific credits, etc.). If possible, get a detailed syllabus for each of your Herkimer courses that you want to transfer. This includes not just a course description, but the specific texts you've read, the assignments you've completed, and the topics covered in assessments. You might need this in case the other school requires extra information to determine credit equivalency.

Keep in mind that most colleges have a minimum grade requirement for transfer credits. Usually, a grade of C or higher is required for the credits to transfer. Additionally, keep in mind that it is more difficult to transfer credits for major-specific courses as opposed to general education courses as there isn't always a one-to-one match.

In general, the process varies by institution, so it's best to research and reach out to the colleges you're interested in directly.