Do community college electives transfer?

If you transfer from a community college, do all your elective credits transfer to a four-year college? I've taken some cool elective courses and want to make sure they count when I move schools.

When transferring from a community college to a four-year college, whether or not your elective credits are accepted usually depends on the specific policies of the four-year college. While most colleges do accept transfer credits from regionally accredited community colleges, some may have policies that limit the number of credits you can transfer, or they may only accept credits from certain classes that align with their curriculum.

In general, foundational or general education courses often transfer more smoothly than very specific or unique electives. However, this doesn't mean your elective courses won't be considered. Many colleges conduct a course-by-course evaluation during the transfer process to determine if the classes you've taken at your community college are equivalent to courses offered at the four-year institution.

To better understand how your courses might transfer, many four-year colleges offer transfer guides or equivalency tables on their websites, which can provide some insight into how your credits might be accepted. Additionally, if you have connections in a transfer office, academic advisors can often provide further guidance in understanding how your credits will transfer.

Keep in mind that each institution's policy can differ, so what applies at one school may not apply at another. It is always best to consult directly with the institution to which you are planning to transfer to get the most accurate and relevant information. This will help ensure that you don’t have to retake any courses unnecessarily once you transfer.