Can someone explain how the Oregon Transfer Degree works at Portland Community College? I'm planning to transfer to a university in Oregon and want to make sure I'm on the right track. Any insights?
The Oregon Transfer Degree, also known as the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer Degree (AAOT), is a degree offered by community colleges in Oregon, including Portland Community College, that is designed to allow students to complete the lower division general education requirements for a bachelor's degree. The goal of the AAOT is to allow Oregon community college students to transfer into public in-state universities as juniors, with all general education requirements met, so they can focus on upper-level coursework and their chosen major.
This degree comprises around 90 credit hours across various general education disciplines like writing, mathematics, social sciences, arts and letters, and science. You need to complete specific course requirements under each category, akin to what freshmen and sophomores do at a 4-year institution. The specific distribution of credits between subjects is outlined in the Portland Community College catalog.
The AAOT guarantees that you'll be able to transfer your credits to any public university in Oregon providing you maintain a high enough GPA (generally around a 2.0 or higher). It doesn’t guarantee admission to competitive programs, majors or schools, but it does secure you junior standing and ensured transfer of general education credits.
Before you start, be sure to meet with your counselor or advisor at Portland Community College to go over your course plan, to make sure that your classes will count towards the AAOT and align with the prerequisites for the major you wish to pursue after transfer. Additionally, I would also recommend reaching out to the university you plan on transferring to, to ensure that your course plan aligns with their expectations as well.
Remember that while the AAOT provides a convenient pathway for transfer within Oregon, it may not be recognized by out-of-state universities or private colleges within the state - so if you're considering options outside the Oregon public university system, you might need a different strategy. Hope this sheds some light on the Oregon Transfer Degree process!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.