According to the National Education Center for Statistics (NCES), "A majority of states have instituted policies to facilitate transfers: 30 states have written transfer and articulation policy into legislation, and 40 states have established statewide cooperative agreements among institutions or departments. To monitor success, 33 states require institutions to report transfer data. To encourage transfers, 18 states provide incentives and rewards such as special financial aid, guaranteed credit transfer or priority admission."
NCES statistics reveal that in 2000, five states held the enrollment for 48 percent of all community college students: California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas. "Thus, policies adopted in these and other states with large numbers of community college students have a relatively large impact. In fall 2000, most community college students attended institutions in states with legislation on transfer and articulation cooperative agreements and requirements for reporting transfer data." Agreements on the transfer of credits between colleges can have a strong impact on students in these states.
Each school has its own standards for credit transfers while abiding by state rules. Inter-college agreements allow similar coursework credits to be transferred from one institution to another. Similar core-requirement courses are agreed upon by 23 states. However, not all colleges are on a 15-week semester or quarterly term, and former credits earned will be judged accordingly. Past-earned credits are evaluated and all, some or perhaps no transfer of credits will be awarded depending on how they line up with the current course catalog, the common core-requirements or academic achievement grade standards. Basic admission requirements must also be met before former credit transfers will be awarded. Many colleges have a minimum number of credit hours a student must successfully complete--often with a minimum grade point average (GPA) in order to attain admission.
Criteria for successful admission and credit transfer may be extensive and strictly regulated at individual colleges. For example, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, lists a number of requirements, such as, the former college must be accredited and offer courses similar to those of Stanford. A C- or better grade, courses that are not duplicated or overlapped and were applied toward credit for an undergraduate degree are expected. Stanford stipulates that no more than 90 quarter units be counted toward a Stanford degree program.
Kansas State University requires transcripts from all colleges previously attended whether you received credit or not, passed or failed or withdrew from the course or college. Students wishing to transfer credits must find and follow the regulations as specifically instructed by the individual institution.
Reasons for transfer from one four-year school to another are many and range from moving to a new area, preference for the academic programs offered, tuition costs, sports programs or other reasons. Transfer credits are frequently submitted from students at community colleges in order to attain a baccalaureate degree. According to NCES, "One-quarter of students who started at a public two-year institution in 1995-96 intended to transfer to a four-year institution and earn a bachelor's degree; by 2001, 51 percent of these students had transferred. The overall transfer rate was 29 percent." As students aspire to higher education, the transfer of college credits is a valuable tool to reach academic goals.