Transferring Between Michigan Colleges

I'm looking into transferring college credits within Michigan. How easy is the process of transferring classes between Michigan colleges? Any specific guidelines I should follow to ensure all my credits are accepted?

Transferring credits between colleges in Michigan, like any other state, involves a process that varies depending on the specific institutions involved. However, Michigan colleges and universities participate in the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) to facilitate the transfer of general education requirements between institutions.

The MTA lays out a set of general education courses (about 30 credit hours) that, if completed at one school, will satisfy the lower-level general education requirements at any of the participating schools in Michigan. This can make the transfer process smoother as these credits are guaranteed to transfer.

However, specific requirements for degree programs or majors may not always transfer directly, especially if those courses are not included in the MTA. In these cases, institutions might evaluate these courses separately for eligibility to transfer, so you'll need to check with both the institution you're transferring from and to in order to understand their specific policies about transferring major-specific coursework.

You can use Michigan's online tool called the Michigan Transfer Network to check the transferability of specific courses between Michigan colleges. You just need to enter the sending and receiving institutions and the course number/code to check how and if the course transfers.

Also, always remember to keep a copy of the syllabi from your classes. These can be helpful if the receiving institution wants more information about what was covered in a course to determine how it maps to their own curriculum.

Lastly, always meet with an academic advisor or a transfer counselor from both institutions. They can assist you in the process and provide advice tailored to your specific situation. Having a clear conversation about your goals and plans can make the transfer process much more manageable.