Transfer Evaluation at Maricopa Community College

How does the transfer evaluation system function at Maricopa Community Colleges? I'm considering transferring and want to ensure my credits will be accepted at my target school. Any advice on getting the most accurate evaluations? Thanks!

At Maricopa Community Colleges, the transfer process is essentially two-fold.

First, you need to choose your target school and prospective major. Each 4-year college has different transfer agreements which determine what credits will be accepted. Ensure that your target school has a transfer agreement with Maricopa Community Colleges. Look at Articulation Agreements or Transfer Guides - these are documents that detail course comparisons and can give you a broad sense of how your credits might transfer.

Second, the actual evaluation of your transcript will be done by the admissions office at the target school to which you are applying. Receiving institutions evaluate your transcript based off the courses taken, grades received, and their own school's course equivalencies.

To get the most accurate evaluations, a few things are suggested. Firstly, work closely with academic advisors; they can be instrumental in selecting the most transfer-friendly courses and providing tailored advice relevant to your intended major. Secondly, ensure your course syllabi are saved. This could be incredibly helpful as some schools may require detailed course descriptions to accurately determine credit transfers.

Lastly, initiate the transfer process as early as possible, ideally no later than one semester before your planned transfer date. The more time you give the admissions office to evaluate your transcript, the more accurate they can be in determining your compatible credits.

Keep in mind, institutions can have different residency requirements, meaning a college may require a certain number of credits to be taken at that institution to earn a degree from there, regardless of how many credits have been transferred. So, understanding your target institution's residency requirement can also save you time and money.

Remember, the transfer process can vary significantly based on the target school, so the best place to start is by discussing with your advisor and connecting with your proposed transfer institution early.