Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need an associate degree to transfer?
Are the 100 and 200 level courses that students take at Tri-C the same as those at the 4-year universities?
Are there advantages to starting your college career at Tri-C rather than a four year school?
Are Tri-C transfer students as successful at the university as students who started the university as a first year student?
What are some tips that I can follow to avoid making costly mistakes in the transfer process?
How do I decide which college or university will be the best for me?
What questions should I ask during my meeting with the four-year college transfer counselor?
What is an "Articulation Agreement"?
When is the best time to transfer?
What grade point average do I need to transfer to a four-year college or university?
I’m still undecided about my major. Which courses should I take at Tri-C?
Are there scholarships available at 4-year schools specifically for transfer students?
I am an incoming freshman who has earned PSEOP/College Credit Plus credits. What should I do to get my transfer credit evaluated at Tri-C?
Can I meet my major requirements using my transfer credits?
How do credits from a quarter system transfer?
What is the maximum number of credits that can be transferred to Tri-C?
What grade must I have achieved in order for work to transfer to Tri-C?
Can I receive transfer credit for courses taken as pass/fail?

Do you need an associate degree to transfer?
While an associate degree is recommended prior to transfer, you just need to meet the admissions eligibility requirements of the college/university to which you are transferring. You are never automatically admitted to another institution regardless of how well you perform at Tri-C. For course-by-course evaluations, a grade of "C" or better is generally necessary for transferability. There are bachelor's degree completion programs that require completion of the associate degree prior to enrolling in the completion program.  

Are the 100 and 200 level courses that students take at Tri-C the same as those at the 4-year universities?
As part of the Ohio public college/university system, Tri-C along with all Ohio public colleges/universities participates in the Transfer To Degree Guarantees allowing approved courses to transfer within the Ohio public college/university system. Courses taken above the developmental level and passed with a "D" or above must transfer to a receiving Ohio public college/university; however, many private schools require a "C" or better. It is ultimately up to the school to which you transfer to decide how your credits will be accepted and applied.

Are there advantages to starting your college career at Tri-C rather than a four year school?
Yes, there are several important advantages. Tri-C tuition is much more affordable, offers convenient locations, and often has smaller classes at the freshman and sophomore levels than the four-year schools. Also, it is often easier to get into the college of your choice at the junior level than it is to get in at the freshman level directly out of high school.

Are Tri-C transfer students as successful at the university as students who started at the university as first year students?
Yes, our transfer students, on average, do as well as and in some cases better than, students who started at the four-year schools.

What are some tips that I can follow to avoid making costly mistakes in the transfer process?

• Check to see if your destination school is a partner school and offers a Transfer Pathway in your desired
• Check the transferability of your courses BEFORE you take them.
• Understand how your Tri-C courses apply to your four-year program to avoid taking the wrong courses or excessive electives.
• Choose a college to which you want to transfer as soon as possible. Some colleges accept transfer credit more than others. It will save you time and money to know if the school in which you plan to enroll will accept your credit from Tri-C.
• Pay attention to admission requirements and deadlines and be prepared to meet them.
• Make scholarship search an ongoing process.
• Visit the schools that you are interested in and meet with a transfer advisor or counselor.

How do I decide which college or university will be the best for me?
There are many factors to consider when choosing a four-year college. Listed below are some of the many questions you may want to ask yourself:

• Does the institution offer the major I am considering?
• What is the geographic location I prefer?
• What are the admission requirements?
• What is the cost of tuition and fees?
• Are financial aid opportunities and scholarships available?
• Do I prefer a large or small campus?
• Is the college accredited?
• What is the reputation of the institution?
• What is the student to faculty ratio?
• Is special help available if needed?
• What size student body am I looking for?
• Do I want to live on or off campus?
• Am I interested in fraternity or sorority life?
• Do I prefer a private, public or religious college?
• Are there particular sports or activities I wish to participate in?

What questions should I ask during my meeting with the four-year college transfer counselor?
Here are some questions you might want to ask the counselor from the four-year school you are considering. You may also want to bring copies of your class schedule, transcript and test scores if applicable. 

• How many credits are likely to transfer?
• How many additional credits are required to earn the four-year degree?
• What grade point average is required?
• Is there job placement assistance after graduation?
• What are the admission requirements?
• Are applications accepted at any time (rolling admissions) or only before a fixed deadline?
• Are high school grades and SAT scores required or preferred? Are they used in making the admissions decision?
• What support services and student activities are available?
• Is credit granted for CLEP, life experience, or cooperative education?
• Are D grades accepted in transfer?
• How many transfer students are accepted each year?
• Are there special programs or registration dates for transfer students? Are there any programs not open to transfer students?
• What are the costs for tuition and room and board?
• What are the procedures to file for financial aid?
• Is faculty available to meet with students?
• What tutoring assistance is available?

What is an "Articulation Agreement"?
An articulation agreement is a formal agreement between Tri-C and a four-year college or university. These agreements ensure that, if you successfully follow a prescribed program of study at Tri-C, you will be able to transfer with junior status. Agreements often include: Minimum GPA requirements for admission, minimum number of credit hours that will transfer and transferable courses for specific degrees or majors.

When is the best time to transfer?
With good planning and information gathering, most students should be able to transfer 60 – 64 credits, not including developmental, technical or other nontransferable credits. We hope you will stay with Tri-C, receive your degree and realize the recognition that is attached to such an accomplishment. Many colleges prefer that you transfer with an associate degree and some colleges require it. Students taking advantage of one of the many articulation agreements will be required to complete a degree. Many programs even offer generous transfer scholarships to students transferring with a degree.

Although staying at Tri-C may be financially wise for many, there are situations that require individual assessment and might result in the recommendation to transfer early. Transfer timing depends greatly on your intended major at the transfer institution. Discuss your plans with an advisor to build a timetable that makes sense for you.

What grade point average do I need to transfer to a four-year college or university?
Most colleges require a minimum 2.0 GPA or a "C" average for transfer. Usually, a 2.5 GPA or higher is preferable. Competitive programs such as accounting, business administration, computer science, education, engineering, and nursing may require a 3.0 or higher.

In order to transfer, you must be in good standing at Tri-C and must have earned the minimum number of credits specified by your transfer college. To be considered a transfer student at most schools, you must have earned between 12 and 30 credits at Tri-C.

I’m still undecided about my major. Which courses should I take at Tri-C?
If you are undecided about your major but fairly certain that you will transfer to pursue a bachelor’s degree, it’s best to take courses that will satisfy the general education requirements of your transfer institution. Consider completing the Ohio Transfer 36 (OT36), which ensures transferability and applicability of courses between public Ohio colleges and universities, see Tri-C OT36 approved courses. Another useful tool is Transferology which allows you to check course-by-course equivalencies between colleges and universities and the Ohio Department of Higher Education's Transfer College Credit system that allows you to check equivalencies among Ohio Public schools.

Are there scholarships available at 4-year schools specifically for transfer students?
Yes. Many institutions offer scholarships specifically for transfer students. Most are "merit" based, meaning that they require a specific GPA along with a minimum number of credits earned to apply. Many of these scholarships are for more than one semester and will require that students maintain a certain level GPA to maintain their eligibility. Some institutions have a scholarship application and deadline separate from that of admissions, while other institutions review all transfer students for scholarship eligibility based on their admission application. Many scholarship deadlines are in the spring, regardless of the semester of transfer. Contact the school early to find out about any deadline and applications you need to submit. Visit Tri-C's transfer scholarship page for more information.

I am an incoming freshman who has earned PSEOP/College Credit Plus credits. What should I do to get my transfer credit evaluated at Tri-C?

Students who have earned PSEOP credits should submit an official copy of their transcript to the Office of the Registrar to be evaluated.

Can I meet my major requirements using my transfer credits?

Yes, but you must also check with your major department for approval.

How do credits from a quarter system transfer?

Quarter versus semester is taken into consideration when reviewing transcripts for transfer credit acceptance and application. There is a conversion rate for courses coming from colleges or universities with quarter-based systems.  (FYI: 3 quarter hours equates to 2 semester hours.) Please refer to the counseling center for more information. 

What is the maximum number of credits that can be transferred to Tri-C?

There is no limit. However, not all transfer credits will necessarily count towards your degree, and you have to earn 20 credit hours from Tri-C to graduate from Tri-C check with a counselor for further information.

What grade must I have achieved in order for work to transfer to Tri-C?

Students must have received a passing grade for course work to transfer to Tri-C. Coursework completed with a D grade attained prior to Fall 2005 are not accepted for transfer credit unless they were part of an Associate Degree completed at an Ohio public institution.

Can I receive transfer credit for courses taken as pass/fail?
Yes, if a pass grade was achieved. However, if the pass is considered equivalent to a D grade at the other institution, acceptance will depend on when the course was completed.