| Everyone knows that college success for working | | | | don't mix. Example: Regionally accredited schools will |
| adults often hinges on transferring as many credits | | | | only accept credits from other regionally accredited |
| as possible from one university to another. That's | | | | schools. |
| why it's necessary to understand how transfer credit | | | | 3. All courses are not created equal. Don't assume |
| works; unfortunately, most adult students are too | | | | that English 101 at Podunk U will be equivalent to First |
| busy to read the pages and pages of fine print in the | | | | Year English at Columbia University. |
| back of the typical college catalog. | | | | 4. Degree audit. Get one as soon as you transfer to |
| Here are five universal laws that usually apply to any | | | | a new school. It'll tell you which courses have -- and |
| transfer credit situation: | | | | haven't -- been officially accepted. A degree audit |
| | | | also shows your remaining courses to earn your |
| 1. Limits. Imagine walking up to a Marine Corps | | | | degree. |
| recruiter and demanding to skip boot camp because | | | | 5. Disagreements. Inevitably, you'll want to challenge |
| you were a track star in high school... Fat chance, | | | | the placement of a particular transfer course. Be |
| right? Just as you have to earn the title of United | | | | ready to provide the course description and even a |
| States Marine, every university wants you to earn | | | | syllabus from your original institution; make sure the |
| the right to their name on your diploma. Don't expect | | | | information is from the year you actually took the |
| to get a degree based entirely on another university's | | | | course. Switching colleges is stressful enough without |
| credits -- there will be limits to how many you can | | | | also losing many of your hard earned credits in the |
| use. | | | | process. Do your homework upfront to avoid losing |
| 2. Accreditation. National and Regional accreditation | | | | time (and money) later. |