How do transfer credits work if I'm moving from San Jose City College to another college? I'm trying to figure out if I'll be able to carry all my completed coursework with me when I transfer.
The process of transferring credits from San Jose City College (SJCC) to another college or university varies depending on the institution you're transferring to. Generally, though, the following steps are involved:
1. Request Your Transcripts: Contact the registrar's office at SJCC and request an official transcript to be sent to the institution you are transferring to. Some colleges may accept unofficial transcripts for initial evaluation, but most will eventually require an official one.
2. Course Equivalencies: The college you're transferring to will have a designated office or individual who handles the evaluation of transfer credits. They will look at your transcript and compare the content of the courses you've completed at SJCC with the courses in their curriculum to determine equivalencies.
3. Credit Evaluation: Most colleges will accept credit for courses where you received a grade of 'C' or higher, but this can vary. Additionally, the transferring institution will consider the accreditation of SJCC and the level of your coursework (developmental, lower-division, upper-division, etc).
4. Determining Transferability: The individual college decides which credits will transfer, and for which requirements these credits can count towards. They'll let you know how many of your credits they accept and how they will be applied (toward general education requirements, specific major/minor requirements, free electives, etc).
It's important to note that not all credits might transfer. Factors like the relevance of previous courses to your new program and differences in course requirements could contribute to some credits not being accepted.
I suggest reaching out to the admissions office of your prospective college to inquire about their specific credit transfer process. They can provide you with detailed advice and often times they have articulation agreements with community colleges, which are resources that outline how specific courses will transfer between institutions.
Remember it's best to start this process as early as possible to ensure smooth credit transfer and to plan your course schedule accordingly if there are courses that won't transfer.
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