What Classes Do I Need to Transfer from a Community College to a University?

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If you’re about to graduate with your associate’s degree from a community college and want to continue your education, you may be wondering, “Should I transfer colleges?”

Transfer from a community college to a university

You want to make sure your credits transfer to your new school. If they don’t, you could wind up having to take certain classes again, which could delay your graduation and add unnecessary fees to the cost of your education.

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You’ll need to determine how many credits to transfer from a community college so you can be prepared for your next journey. Graduating from community college may be the best time to transfer colleges, so it’s a good idea to make the most of it!

How Many Credits Can You Transfer to a University?

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Unfortunately, there’s a limit to how many credits you can transfer from one school to the next. Typically, you can take up to 60 credits with you to your new school, but this varies by institution. Some allow more, and some allow less.

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What Classes Should I Take at Community College?

If you want to earn a bachelor’s degree and you’re currently in community college, it’s important to be thinking ahead about transferring to a university.

The following are some of the classes that may be taken at community colleges and potentially transferred to the next college or university you attend. It’s important to remember that the classes that transfer will ultimately be up to the discretion of each university.

Social Sciences

Classes like sociology, psychology, and anthropology may transfer from a community college to your university. Most schools have one or more departments for social sciences.

Hard Sciences

community college students studying together

Hard sciences, such as physics, biology, chemistry, and geology, are offered at most colleges. It’s often a good idea to take some of these classes before you transfer because your next college might require them as general education courses.

The Arts

Art classes are likely to be offered at your next college, especially if you’re transferring to a liberal arts school. You may want to get an art class out of the way before you transfer so you can focus on your degree program once you’re at your new school.

While dance and theater classes might also be offered, these programs aren’t available at as many schools, so these credits might not transfer, though they may be able to be used to fulfill an elective requirement.

Foreign Languages

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By taking a foreign language class before you transfer, you might reduce the chances of having to take one when you’re at your new college.

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It’s important to be mindful of which languages are offered at the school you wish to transfer to so you can ensure that the foreign language credits will transfer.

Classes Offered Specifically to Be Transferred

Many community colleges partner with local 4 year schools to offer classes that are designed to be transferred. The schools already have agreements in place that make sure those credits will be accepted.

In Summary

student studying in a community college

Strategically choosing community college courses that will transfer to your next school is a great way to plan for your future.

If you haven’t chosen your 4 year school yet, My College Guide can help. We offer expert guidance to help you compare bachelor’s degree programs in a variety of fields!

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Isaac Scott
WRITTEN BY Isaac Scott

Isaac has a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. His primary focus is accredited schools offering degrees online or in a hybrid format.