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How Do I Know if My Credits Will Transfer

Young woman with long braided hair and glasses smiles while looking off. The words "your credits apply" are embedded on the image.

Yes. Your credits will transfer.

But it’s never quite as easy as anyone would like it to be. To get the most out of your existing college credits when entering a bachelor’s program you need to look for:

  • Transfer pathways that show how your credits apply and what classes you will need to take moving forward
  • Enrollment specialists and advisors who are skilled at reviewing your transcripts
  • Programs designed to remove barriers and improve the transfer process
  • Universities that prioritize transfer students

Credit transfer is a tedious and seemingly fickle game. Too often, students transfer with the expectation that the classes they have already taken will apply to their degree plan only to find out that the “Intro to Communications” class they took as a freshman has no bearing on the chemistry degree they are pursuing as a junior.

Credits get set aside while necessary additional class requirements start to add up, prolonging the time to graduation and increasing the cost.

Avoid Losing Credits

There are several steps you can take, however, to know for sure if your credits will transfer.

  • Start the transfer process early
  • Connect with transfer programs offering resources that remove barriers
  • Request a credit review
  • Take lower-level classes that apply directly to your intended degree
  • Find a university that offers transfer pathways showing you exactly how credits from one institution will apply at another

Credit Transfer Pathways

Finding a university with applicable transfer pathways can be difficult. If you are seriously considering transfer, look at what Texas A&M University–Central Texas offers. A&M–Central Texas works directly with nine community college partners (listed below) throughout the state to develop specific pathways that show how credits from the community college will feed into the university’s bachelor’s degrees. A&M–Central Texas also has general pathways for those transferring from a college or university that is not a partner school. The general pathways give you a basic idea of how your credits will transfer, but you need a review to know for sure.

A&M–Central Texas provides more than 2,600 credit transfer pathways for:

  • Central Texas College
  • Temple College
  • Austin Community College
  • McLennan Community College
  • San Antonio Colleges
  • Blinn Community College
  • Dallas College
  • Alamo Colleges
  • Lone Star College
  • Texas State Technical College

How Pathways Work

A typical degree pathway shows the class students take at community college, the name of the course, number of credit hours, and its core equivalent at A&M–Central Texas. The pathway will also show any additional lower-level requirements that need to be taken, along with the upper-level classes needed to complete the bachelor’s degree.

Start the Transfer Process Early

Starting the transfer process early helps ensure you take only the classes you need. A&M–Central Texas offers the Transfer Central program designed to keep you on track at the community college level, making at the transition to the university easier. You can join at any time. Transfer Central provides resources and assistance designed to help you graduate on time with less debt than what you might have at other universities.

Count the Savings

Knowing what classes to take helps keep out-of-pocket expenses lower. While tuition and fee structure varies depending on courses, some degrees cost less than $25,000 total. That’s four years, 120 credit hours, and two institutions. The cost savings alone make this education model valuable. And as a member of The Texas A&M University System, academic programs are held to a high standard of excellence.

Ask for a Credit Review

Still, the most accurate way to determine if your credits will transfer is to request a credit review with an enrollment specialist. Contact the university or fill out a request form and a specialist will connect with you and show you the pathway to a bachelor’s degree.

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