Community College Transfers

Colleges are distinct in their own culture and practices; certain courses offered in a specific college may not be available in other institutions. This makes it difficult to give full credit to transfer students, particularly to senior college transfer students from CUNY community colleges.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, one half of undergraduates attending a community college and one-fourth of those with an associate's degree who wants to pursue a bachelor's degree, transfer to a four year institution within six years.

With such a high percentage of students transferring from two-year colleges into four-year colleges, how can the process for them be easier?

Many transfer students graduate with excess credits. These credits are the result of disparities in requirements between colleges. The credits they received at one school may not count at all at another. This problem is prominent among transfers from the six CUNY community colleges. Many transfer students must re-take courses they've already completed because their new schools won't accept the credits they earned at their old ones.

A transfer student coming into Baruch College must obtain 60 credits in order to be accepted. However, many transfers think that the number is too high. According to CUNY's report "Improving Student Transfers at CUNY," the core requirement may be lowered 42. If the requirement policy is changed, it will decrease general credit requirements at many CUNY senior colleges.

Transfer students are required to pass all three of the basic skills tests: reading, writing, and mathematics. These tests should be taken prior to applying.

Transfers could be helped by student advisors and faculty and possibly avoid the challenges of the somewhat difficult system and patterns for transfers at CUNY.

Lin Xing Mei, a second semester transfer student from Queens Community College, said that of her 65 credits obtained in QCC, only 60 credits were accepted by Baruch College. "I took two accounting classes at QCC, but Baruch combined these two courses as ACC 2100 (basic accounting), giving me just three credits", Xing said, "but thankfully I didn't need to retake any classes."

CUNY colleges usually offer transfer credit based on a college course match that is similar to their own. However, differences in the various courses offered within CUNY mean that many courses may not be transferrable.

Most introductory course credits for classes such as psychology, history, and mathematics, are usually accepted within CUNY senior colleges. However, these credits may be transferred in different ways. For example, some core class credits may be reduced to elective credits.

Students with an Associates degree usually receive full credits for the courses they take prior to transferring.

"I didn't have any of those problem that I heard transfer students faced because I graduated with an Associates degree," said Carlos Perlata, a second-semester transfer from Kingsborough Community College.

Here at Baruch College, prospective transfers can take advantage of the Transfer Student Organization, which offers a support network for incoming transfer students.

Transfer students are highly likely to obtain excess credits. CUNY has struggled with many challenges with the transfer of credits when students move from community college to senior colleges. However, going through the CUNY course equality website and checking which courses are accepted at specific senior colleges would make the transfer process much easier.