How to Transfer Colleges: Community College to University

Starting your education at a community college is a fantastic way to earn your associate’s degree, receive academic credit, explore classes, and save money. This can help ease your transition into higher education and allow you to enter a four-year university with more confidence in your academic goals and your career goals.

But the transfer process is not always as easy as students anticipate. Despite more than 80% of community college students planning to transfer, only about 31% actually end up transferring.¹ However, universities are starting to recognize the challenges that these transfer students face and are working towards creating solutions. Just last year, the transfer rate of community college students to four-year universities increased by nearly 8%.²

Why Should You Transfer to a 4-Year School?

With all the challenges and costs surrounding the transfer process, why would anyone want to go through this challenge just to be rewarded with 2 more years of hard schoolwork? Is that commitment actually worth it?

According to the BLS, the answer is yes. On average, those who have a bachelor’s degree earn about 29% more per week than those who have an associate’s degree.³

Unemployment Rates and Earnings by Educational Attainment, 2023

Educational Attainment	Median Usual Weekly Earnings	Unemployment Rate
Doctoral Degree	$2,109	1.6%
Professional Degree	$2,206	1.2%
Master’s Degree	$1,737	2.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	$1,493	2.2%
Associate’s Degree	$1,058	2.7%
Some College, No Degree	$992	3.3%
High School Diploma	$886	3.9%
Less than a high school diploma	$708	5.6%

So how can you make the most of your education and minimize the headache?

Here are 4 things to consider before you start the transfer process:

Know what program you want to enroll in

This step can be more challenging than you might expect. College is often a time to explore your interests and learn about what you want to do. Before committing to additional academic work, think about what elements of your community college experience you’ve enjoyed and which classes have been the most interesting. This will help you to determine what type of program that you would be interested in. Next, research what programs are available and which schools offer those programs. Also check to see if those schools accept transfer credits and how many credits.

Find out what credits are transferable

The easiest way to find out which credits will transfer is to send all your previous academic transcripts to the school you want to transfer to. You don’t always know what will transfer, but an enrollment advisor can help you with this process. Also, consider the maximum amount of transfer credits allowed at the school you’re looking at. Depending on the program, it is possible to transfer up to 135 credits of prior academic experience at CityU. That could be ¾ of your degree!

In addition to transfer credits, many schools also allow you to transfer real life experience into academic credit or to pass out of some classes through certified exams. Make sure you ask your enrollment advisor about these options and if they could apply to you.

Learn about transfer pathways

In addition to transferable credits, some community colleges have Direct Transfer Agreements (DTA) with 4-year universities. These agreements allow for students to streamline the transfer process and to earn their bachelor’s degree more quickly, which also helps students save money. However, most DTA associate programs have specific course requirements to ensure that the credits transfer. Talk to your community college academic advisor or a transfer specialist to see if this option might work for you.

Ask about scholarships

Another way students can save money is through financial aid, scholarships, and grants. Different schools have different options when it comes to financial aid packages. You never know what type of aid you might qualify for, so it is always a good idea to speak to a financial advisor in order to best understand your options. Some schools also offer specific scholarships for transfer students. For example, CityU offers a Washington State Community College and Technical College Transfer Scholarship.*

While many schools offer scholarships directly, don’t forget to look at options for external grants and scholarships as well. There are tons of options available depending on your background and what you are interested in. Here is a list with some options for external resources.

Business • Education • Health • Technology

FIND THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR YOU

Other things to consider when transferring colleges

Once you have made the decision to transfer from community college, it is important to consider how your new school and program might differ from your community college experience. Here are a few common differences to be aware of:

Program and class structure

Different schools offer different programs. Even if the subject/major is the same, there will most likely be different requirements and different expectations. Just because you took a similar class previously, do not expect the course content to be the same. You might also have different tracks within a program depending on specialization options.

Access to faculty

Community colleges are certainly full of very talented educators. However, often professors at the university level tend to be more experienced. At universities like CityU, there tends to be a focus on practitioner-faculty who have hands-on experience in the field that they are teaching. These practitioner-faculty members can also be great resources if you are looking for career advice or networking opportunities.

Research opportunities

To remain competitive, many four-year universities have research capabilities and actively encourage student participation in research projects. Often, this means you will need to complete an original project or a capstone project at the end of your program. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to focus their studies on an area of interest and can also help students to boost their resume by listing out projects that they have completed or participated in.

In Conclusion

Making the switch from a community college to a four-year college can be intimidating. Researching the options available to you, including universities, programs, and financial aid options can help. It is also important for students to consider their personal, professional, and academic goals throughout this process to understand what they want to achieve by earning their bachelor’s degree.

We advise reaching out to an enrollment advisor who can help you on your journey. They can keep you informed of what you need to do and what information you need to provide so that your transfer is simple and successful.