A journey in higher education doesn’t always start and end with the same college or university. Transferring to a new school can be your path to earning the degree that’s the right fit for your personal and professional goals.
Let’s define the term “transfer student.” Specific qualifications vary, but generally schools set a threshold at which a student is considered a transfer. At Arizona State University, any learner who has previously attended a different college or university and completed at least 12 credits qualifies as a transfer student.
Students may choose to transfer for a variety of reasons, including:
- A certain school might offer a unique program or learning opportunities more in line with your goals.
- The educational environment at your current school may not feel like the best fit for you.
- Students who’ve earned an associate degree at a community college may want to transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
If you’re considering or already committed to transferring to a new school to finish your degree online, there are support services you can use to help ensure a smooth transition, but they’re not the same everywhere.
The transfer process can vary significantly between schools, so it’s in your best interest to carefully review requirements and workflows. It’s important to understand how transfer credits work so you can select the best online degree for your needs and make a plan around attending a new school. Your prior learning should be recognized and rewarded, so consider the tools and services a new school may provide that can help make the transfer process easier.
Keep your online degree on track: The value of transfer credits
As a transfer student, you have a valuable resource on your side: the college credit you’ve already earned.
Each course you previously completed has the potential to be recognized by the institution you transfer to. Why is that important?
- You can follow a clearer path toward a college degree, focusing on classes that introduce new concepts and knowledge.
- You won’t need to retake a course and study familiar material when you've already demonstrated competency related to it.
- You can reduce the total number of credit hours you need to earn, cutting down on both the time needed to earn a degree and the related costs, such as tuition and textbooks.
Flexibility is another key benefit to earning an online degree. You can learn from wherever you’re currently located instead of having to live close to or at a college or university. Flexibility also means pacing your courses around your schedule so you can better balance your obligations as a student with your job and the rest of your life. When you start a program offered by ASU Online, you can count on getting the same curriculum and receiving instruction from the same faculty as on-campus programs.
To get the most out of your online academic experience, you’ll have to assess how your new university differs from the previous one. Transferring to a new school often requires some adjusting, but paying attention to deadlines and requirements can help you stay on track to graduate on the timeline you have in mind.