Retrieve Previous Course Credits
Most online undergraduates don’t start their education from scratch, experts say. In fact, 95 percent of students in ranked online bachelor’s programs who enrolled between July 2015 and June 2016 had credits from a previous education, U.S. News data show.
Here are 10 questions prospective online students should ask about transferring credits when choosing an online college.
1. What support is available to evaluate transfer credits?
Determining whether past courses are equivalent to those in an online program is complicated. The first step is to speak to an adviser, one expert told U.S. News in 2014.
At the University of Minnesota–Crookston, for instance, online advisers assess credits “with a fine-tooth comb, bringing in everything we possibly can for them while maintaining the integrity of the U of M degree,” says Megan Pederson, a teaching specialist who also advises online transfer students at the school.
2. Are the previous schools regionally accredited?
It’s easier to transfer credits to an online college if the previous school is regionally rather than nationally accredited, experts say. Accreditation, a process conducted by an outside authority, ensures a program meets certain quality standards.
Online students “want credits that are acknowledged and respected and usable once they’ve completed their coursework,” Judith Eaton, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, told U.S. News in 2016.
3. Is there a limit to how many credits you can transfer?
Many online schools cap the number of college credits incoming students can transfer. Colorado State University–Global Campus, for example, will count up to 90 transfer credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
After finding out the limit, a student can calculate how many remaining credits they need to graduate from their program, Pederson says.
4. Can you transfer credits from many years ago?
Students in ranked online bachelor’s programs are on average 32 years old and typically returning to school, U.S. News data show. Whether they will be able to transfer over college credits from several years ago varies.
At the online, for-profit Kaplan University, for instance, some programs will accept any older credits. But that’s generally not the case in disciplines that are constantly changing, such as information technology and health care, says Michael Lorenz, the school’s registrar.
5. Do your grades meet the requirements?
Experts say online bachelor’s programs — like those on campus — have different policies on whether they will accept a grade lower than a C for courses that transfer. An online college might not accept a D, or might accept just a few of them, for instance.
“For some institutions it’s a flat letter grade, and for others it’s based on what major they’re going into,” says Melissa Emmett, director of enrollment services for UF Online, the University of Florida‘s online undergraduate arm.
6. How are transfer credits from accelerated online programs evaluated?
Students who transfer to a semester-based online program from one with a quarterly system, for example, should ask an adviser how their courses will be converted, experts say.
UM–Crookston often accepts credit hours earned from schools that are on different academic calendars, Pederson says. That might result in a course being worth fewer credit hours than at the previous institution. The school might waive the difference in credits to help students fulfill major and general course requirements but not for the overall graduation credit requirements.
7. Does the school offer credit for life or military experience?
Some online programs allow students to test out of classes by taking exams such as the College-Level Examination Program to gauge what they already know, or by creating portfolios to highlight their achievements. Students might also be able to directly translate past vocational, technical or military experience into credits if it aligns with the curriculum.
“Not every institution is equally poised to honor this learning meaningfully, though, and students should do their homework before enrolling at an institution,” Lorenz said via email.
8. Can you earn credits through employer partnerships?
Some online colleges partner with employers to offer credit to current working students for their professional training.
“It does not behoove them or us to have them sit in a class on something they already know,” Lisa LaVigna, the online Excelsior College‘s executive director of strategic partnerships and alliances, told U.S. News. The school’s partnership with Pizza Hut, among others, offers credits to enrolled employees for their corporate training.
9. Do you have the documents you need?
Experts say prospective students should ensure their previous school kept records of the college classes they took to ensure the credit transfer process goes smoothly. In case they don’t, a student might consider checking whether they personally saved any documents.
“I kept all of my syllabi and assignments for the courses and asked NCU to compare class requirements,” Kim Blackham, who pursued her doctorate online at Northcentral University, told U.S. News.
10. Does the school have any transfer agreements?
Those pursing an online bachelor’s after an associate degree should be aware that some four-year schools have articulation agreements with certain community colleges, meaning that students can seamlessly transfer credits.
Typically, existing agreements between two on-ground institutions will also apply to their online programs, Karen Pollack, then assistant vice provost for undergraduate online and blended programs at Pennsylvania State University–World Campus, told U.S. News in 2015.
More About Online Education
Find more advice about applying to and choosing an online bachelor’s program on the Online Learning Lessons blog, and check out the U.S. News 2017 Best Online Programs rankings.
For additional tips and information, follow U.S. News Education on Twitter and Facebook.
More from U.S. News
4 Steps to Transfer Online Associate Credits to a 4-Year Online Program
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Get 4-Year Credits With Online Community College Classes
Ask 10 Questions About Transferring Credits to Online Bachelor’s Programs originally appeared on usnews.com
