How do college credits transfer?

If I take some courses at a local college while still in high school, how will those credits transfer when I apply to universities later? Is there a standard policy, or does it vary a lot between schools?

When it comes to transferring college credits earned while in high school, policies tend to vary by institution. Each college or university establishes its standards for awarding credit based on courses taken at another institution. Factors such as the accreditation of the institution where the courses were taken, the level of the course (i.e., is it comparable to an introductory or upper-division course at the receiving institution), the grade you received, and the relevance of the course to your intended major at the receiving institution can all influence whether or not an institution will accept transfer credit.

Some universities may have articulation agreements with local community colleges, which specifically outline which courses from the community college can be transferred and how they'll count towards degree requirements at the university.

It's also noteworthy that Advanced Placement (AP) classes and International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma courses taken in high school often allow students to earn college credits as well, but the policies for accepting these credits also vary by institution.

To ensure that the college courses you take in high school will transfer to your chosen university, you can take these steps:

- Check with the registrar's office, or the appropriate department, at your intended university to see if they can pre-approve the course for transfer credit

- Ensure the institution where you are taking courses is regionally accredited, as credits from regionally accredited institutions are more likely to be accepted for transfer

- Lastly, save the syllabi from your college courses as you may need to provide them when you apply for transfer credit.

Remember it's also important to maintain a strong academic performance in the courses you take at your local college, as the college or university you plan to transfer to will consider the grades you earned in those courses. They typically only award credit for courses in which a student earned a grade of C or higher.