Figuring out Southwestern College transfer credits

How do transfer credits work if you're moving from Southwestern College to a four-year university? I'm trying to understand how many of my credits will actually transfer over.

When transferring credits from a community college like Southwestern College to a four-year university, the number of credits that will be transferable mainly depends on the four-year institution you wish to attend, as they are responsible for determining equivalences for your completed courses, which can also depend on the grades you earned.

For instance, there may be an existing articulation agreement between Southwestern College and the four-year institution you're interested in. An articulation agreement is a formal partnership that outlines which coursework is transferable between institutions, and thus offers a roadmap for students to understand the transfer credit process.

If this kind of agreement doesn't exist between Southwestern and the school you're looking to transfer to, don't panic! Credits can still transfer, they will just have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis once you're accepted.

Your first step should be to visit Southwestern College's transfer center or speak with a transfer counselor. They should be able to provide you with a list of partner schools and the specific classes that they know will transfer over. If they don't have a specific agreement with the college to which you want to transfer, they can still likely help you understand which types of credits typically transfer.

Additionally, you should reach out to the four-year institution's admissions office or their transfer credit office, if they have one, to get more specific information about their transfer policies and how your credits may align with their curriculum. In some cases, you may need to provide syllabi to prove course content and understanding.

Remember, the general rule of thumb is that specialized courses taken at a community college are more likely to transfer as elective credits rather than specific course credits, while general education courses are more likely to transfer in full, as there is generally a clearer equivalency within the four-year school's offerings. However, the details will depend heavily on the specific institutions you're looking at and their requirements.

Lastly, many universities have a maximum number of credits you can transfer in. Looking into these policies would be a good idea, as if not all of your credits transfer, you could potentially need to retake courses, which could prolong your time to graduation.

Best of luck!