How does the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum work for college transfers?

I'm currently attending a community college in Minnesota and I'm curious about the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. How do the credits transfer to other colleges, and are there specific requirements I need to be aware of?

The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) is a program intended to streamline the transfer process from two-year community and technical colleges to four-year institutions within the state of Minnesota. It's a collaborative effort by all public colleges and universities in Minnesota to make transferring credits easier and more efficient.

The curriculum is structured around 10 areas of competency or general education requirements, including communication, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts, among others. Each area has a particular number of credits that need to be completed. In total, the MnTC requires completion of at least 40 credits in these general education courses, with a grade of C or better.

Once you complete the MnTC at a community college, that coursework can transfer to any public university in Minnesota and fulfill their lower-division general education requirements. This is a significant advantage as it eliminates the need for you to retake these classes at the university.

However, it's important to note that individual universities may still have upper-division general education requirements that aren't covered by the MnTC. This means even after transferring your MnTC credits, you might still have to complete some additional general education courses.

Moreover, not all credits from outside of the MnTC may transfer directly or may not satisfy degree requirements at the university where you intend to transfer. It would be a good idea to work closely with your academic advisor or the transfer admissions counselor at the college you plan on transferring to ensure that all your credits will indeed transfer, and that you're on track for the program you intend to study at the 4-year institution.

Remember that completion of the MnTC doesn't guarantee admission to every public 4-year institution; you would still have to meet the specific application requirements of the college or university you are applying to. But it does help to smooth the transition and reduce the risk of losing valuable credits in the process.