How do private Florida colleges evaluate transfer hours?

I'm looking at transferring to a private college in Florida. Do private colleges have the same transfer hour requirements as public ones, or do they vary widely? I'm worried about losing credits in the process.

Every private college has its own processes for evaluating transfer credits, and this can indeed vary quite a bit from public colleges. Typically, an institution will have a team within their registrar's office or admission department who specialize in credit evaluation for transfer students.

Private colleges have more flexibility than state schools in terms of how they assess and accept transfer credits. They don't necessarily follow a common standard or agreement across all Florida schools, like public colleges do within their system.

To avoid credits not transferring, here are some general tips:

1. Reach out to the admissions office at the colleges you're considering. They can usually provide detailed guidance on their transfer credit process and might have a preliminary credit evaluation tool available.

2. Review the college's transfer credit policy, which is often available on their website. This policy should give you an overview of what courses they typically accept.

3. Consider whether you see your prior coursework listed on their course catalogue. Colleges are more likely to accept credits from courses that are similar to ones they offer.

4. Look for colleges that are regionally accredited. The accreditation standards of the college you want to transfer to can impact your credit transfer. Regionally accredited colleges generally accept credits from other regionally accredited institutions, whereas nationally accredited colleges might not.

Keep in mind that even if a course transfers, it might not necessarily satisfy a specific requirement for your intended major. Be sure to clarify this with the college before making your decision.

Lastly, remember to request an official transcript from your current institution to be sent to the colleges you're applying to, as they'll need this for the formal credit evaluation. Your workload will vary from situation to situation, but following these steps will help to streamline the process. Good luck with your transfer!