How to transition from a community college to a four-year institution | Opinion
Attending your local community college is a great way to affordably earn credits, credentials and degrees that will jump-start a successful career. For many people, this is the first step on a higher-education journey that includes plans to transfer to a four-year institution after completing their community college degree.
It can be challenging sometimes to navigate the transfer process and to know what four-year institutions are looking for in a transfer student. Here are five practical tips when you’re ready to make the switch.
Maintain a good GPA
This one seems obvious, but academic excellence should be in the forefront of your mind while attending community college. Typically, a 3.0 grade-point average qualifies a student for a wide range of four-year institutions, and it demonstrates that you are prepared for the ongoing rigors of postsecondary education. Study hard.
Research your school’s articulation agreements
An articulation agreement is an official agreement between colleges and universities that makes the transition from community college to a four-year institution easier and more rewarding. Community colleges often have articulation agreements with four-year institutions that make it clear how courses you’ve taken at the community college will transfer.
For example, as do all community colleges in Tennessee, Nashville State Community College has an articulation agreement with my alma mater, WGU Tennessee. WGU is an accredited, affordable, 100% online school offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It’s worth checking out all the articulation agreements your community college has established.
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Find the right college for you
Depending on your field of study and career goals, you’ll eventually need to narrow your search and ultimately identify the four-year college or university to which you want to transfer. Once you narrow down some programs of interest at various institutions, ask yourself some quality-of-program questions like: What’s my non-negotiable cost ceiling? Do I want to attend in person, online or a combination of both? The answers to these questions and many more can help you make a final decision on where to transfer.
Speak with counselors and advisers
You likely already have an academic adviser, admissions counselor or transfer adviser at your community college. These professionals have devoted their lives to understanding the process of higher education, both academically and logistically. They can help you. A transfer checklist is a helpful tool, and your advisers can help you create one, complete with reminders and deadlines. You can also contact transfer or admissions advisers at the institutions you’re considering.
Review financial aid options
Yes, advisers will help with this too, but it still deserves its own separate point. One of the great benefits of attending community college is the relatively low cost compared to other two- and four-year institutions. Sometimes the price tags for four-year degrees are high and transferring seems out of reach. But not only is there federal student aid available, there are scholarships and grants available through community organizations, faith-based groups and organizations committed to the educational success of veterans, BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ students, student-workers and so many more.
The school you’re considering might have financial assistance programs as well. The Tennessee legislature now requires all public colleges and universities in the state to provide students with a detailed college financing plan every year. The Tennessee Responsible Borrowing Initiative Act was modeled after WGU’s RBI and has reduced student borrowing by 30% since it was implemented at the school.
Transferring can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. There are resources available to streamline the process, and we all want more people to earn the degrees they need to succeed. Is this your year?
Dr. Johannah Williams is dean of STEM at Nashville State Community College.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: How to shift from community college to a 4-year institution
