How do colleges determine which classes transfer?

If I switch colleges, how will they decide which of my completed courses can transfer over? Are there specific criteria, or do I need to petition for each class?

Whether a course transfers often depends on both the college you're transferring from and the college you're transferring to. Usually, receiving colleges have regulations in place that may involve the transferring university being regionally accredited, the grade achieved in the course needing to be a C or better, and the course content having to be equivalent to a course offered at the receiving college.

To determine equivalency, receiving schools will typically look at the course syllabus from the sending institution, which outlines the topics covered, texts used, and type of assignments and assessments. They use this information to compare the course to one of their own and evaluate how similar it is in content, rigor, and outcomes.

In many instances, colleges may already have pre-established transfer agreements, known as articulation agreements, with other institutions. These outline exactly what courses are equivalent to those at the receiving institution, making the credit transfer process seamless and straight-forward.

However, if such an agreement doesn't exist, or if a course is not clearly equivalent, you might need to petition the transfer of credits. This usually involves providing syllabi, coursework, or other evidence to prove the course's equivalency.

Remember that even if a credit transfers, there may still be additional factors to consider. For example, the number of credits earned for a particular course may be different at the two institutions. Similarly, a course that was a major requirement at one school might transfer as an elective at another.

You should check with the registrar's office or the transfer admissions department of the school you're interested in attending for detailed information regarding their specific transfer credit policies. It's beneficial to gather as much data as possible before transferring so you can strategically plan your course load.