How does the Pennsylvania college credit transfer system work?

I've heard there's a system to transfer college credits within Pennsylvania. Could someone explain how this works, especially for a student looking to move from a community college to a four-year university?

The Pennsylvania college credit transfer system, known as the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center (PA TRAC), allows students to seamlessly transfer credits between participating Pennsylvania colleges and universities. This system is designed to benefit students who wish to begin their studies at a community college before transferring to a four-year university, ensuring that their credit transfer process is as smooth as possible.

The PA TRAC system has established a series of recognized courses that are guaranteed to transfer among the participating schools--over 100 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, including both state schools and private institutions. These courses are collected in what is called a Transfer Credit Framework (TCF). When a student completes a course in the framework at a PA TRAC institution, it can be transferred to another PA TRAC school as the same course or as a direct equivalent. It simplifies and streamlines the transfer process for students and can provide peace of mind knowing their hard work will carry over.

However, transferring credits is not exactly as simple as taking any course and expecting it to transfer verbatim. Several conditions typically must be met. First, the student must earn a grade of C or better in the course for it to be transferable. Second, the course must be part of the aforementioned TCF list. Finally, the credits are generally applicable to general education requirements or electives, not necessarily specific major courses.

It’s also important to recognize that while credits transfer, grades do not, meaning the GPA you earned at your previous institution does not carry over to the new one. Your GPA will effectively start over when you begin at your new university.

It's crucial for any student considering a transfer to work closely with academic advisors at both their current institution and the one they wish to transfer to. This will help ensure a smooth process, maximized credit transfer, and a clear academic path to graduation at the new school.