ACC Transfer Services is your first stop!  I'm here to help, too!

If you have questions about a specific school, don't be afraid to reach out to that school's admissions team!  Every 4-year institution has an admissions department.  Some of the larger schools even have admissions counselors dedicated to specific areas of study and some have counselors dedicated just to transfer students.  BEFORE you reach out to a transfer school, check out the school's admissions website to see if your question is already answered!

Admissions websites for some schools:

• The University of Texas at Austin

• Texas A&M University

• Texas State University

ASAP.  The earlier you identify useful transfer planning guides, the faster you can complete classes that will apply to your degree (and the less likely you are to “waste” credits).  ACC Transfer Services has a guide here. 

Yes!  This list is NOT exhaustive, but here are some transfer pathways available to biology and chemistry majors:

• Bats to Cats  |  Texas State:  Continue your college journey at Texas State University. No more worrying if credits will transfer or if you have to retake classes. Bats to Cats lets Riverbats start at ACC and seamlessly complete their degree as Texas State Bobcats. With Bats to Cats, you can start to build your Texas State community while still taking classes at ACC. Using the Bats to Cats program pathways, you can ensure all the classes you take at ACC will count toward your Texas State bachelor’s degree. Stay at ACC for an associate degree or transfer earlier, whatever works best for your educational goals! 

• Program for Transfer Admission  |  Texas A&M:  The Program for Transfer Admission (PTA) offers prospective transfer students a unique opportunity to be automatically admitted to Texas A&M University. PTA is designed for students attending Texas community colleges and offers more than 65 degree plans. Upon successful completion of the coursework outlined by the degree plan and additional requirements of the program, participants are eligible for automatic admission to Texas A&M.

• UTeach Access  |  UT-Austin:  UTeach Access is a coordinated transfer pathway between UT Austin and ACC, designed to support future STEM educators in earning a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics from UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences—alongside teacher certification for middle or high school in science or math.

No!  You do NOT have to complete an Associate's Degree prior to transferring.  For transfer to competitive schools, it may even be beneficial to apply for transfer earlier than the 60 credits required for an AS degree.  If you transfer before completing your AS, you might still be able to earn it...even AFTER you have left ACC!  Check out this information about reverse transfer.

No!  If you want to transfer to a competitive school, you should prioritize math and science classes.  You can definitely take some general education classes at ACC (and save yourself some money!)...but take them alongside math and science courses.  If you check out 4-year schools' STEM degree plans, you'll even notice that some general education courses are saved for students' 3rd and 4th years.

It can be complicated.  Transferability of courses varies by institution.  Your course selections are also very unique to you and your goals!  However, a good place to start is by seeing if your transfer institution(s) have a transfer planning guide here.  The degree plans for your major can also be helpful, but be sure to prioritize math and science courses!

Work with your assigned advisor or me to plan classes.  Don't forget to continue the conversation with an advisor throughout your time at ACC!

ASAP!   Completing a math course in your first 15 credits at ACC is a key indicator of success!  Math courses are often prerequisites for other math and science courses, too.  Most competitive transfer institutions require successful completion of at least Calculus I for students wanting to enter STEM programs.  

If you are unsure what math class is right for you, check out placement information provided to students by ACC's Math Department.

No, but...it is considered best practice to take an entire sequence at the same institution.  If you are reaching the end of your time at ACC, you may want to work with an advisor (or me) to strategize how to wrap up course sequences and not start others you can't finish.  

Let's talk math...finishing Calculus I at ACC is a great way to save money.  However, whether or not to proceed on to Calculus II (and even III) depends a lot on your major and destination school!  Please consult with your advisor or me before committing to Calculus II.

Note, some schools have very strict rules about transfer of Anatomy & Physiology I and II.  If you want to take A&P at ACC for transfer, make sure that you consult with your destination school about transferability.

Yep!  If you are transferring into a STEM program, many institutions will recalculate your GPA based on just your math and science courses.  Some schools will take into account any W's on your transcript.  Others will ignore grade-replacements from course re-takes. 

While your GPA at ACC is a good gauge of your progress and ability to compete for transfer positions, it is not everything!

Maybe?  The general education core curriculum consists of 42 credits spread out over 9 different areas.  While many of ACC's Associate's degrees complete the core curriculum, some do not!  Consult your degree's program map to see if your degree completes the core curriculum.

First things first:  Do they offer your specific desired major?  Not every institution offers every major.

Once you have narrowed your search to schools offering the major that you want, you may want to consider:

• cost

• location

• size

• prestige

• accreditation

If you can, VISIT the institution!  When you walk around campus, can you see yourself THRIVING there?

As you compare institutions, I recommend using this tool from ACC Transfer Services:  Research Worksheet

Maybe?  Transfer acceptance times can vary not only from institution to institution...but also among specific colleges/divisions within institutions!  When you research transfer institutions, pay close attention to whether transfer students with your desired major can be admitted in spring and/or summer.

Assembling your transfer application takes time!  You will also want help with editing and polishing your work since you want to put your best foot forward.  Remember, that many schools will request multiple recommendation letters, and you’ll want to give your letter writers several weeks to prepare their letters.

Schedule in time to work on your applications.  If you can only work on applications for a few hours a week, then you'll need to start very early. 

It is important to apply for your first choice(s) of major.  At competitive institutions, changing your major is like transferring again.  At these competitive institutions, it can be incredibly difficult to change your major once accepted.  

Probably not.  As you research your transfer options, pay close attention to application fees and whether or not they offer fee waivers.  If you want to explore a fee waiver, start the process early.  Some in-state schools' application fees are as high as $75.

That depends on where you want to go, how much time you have to prepare applications, your risk tolerance, and finances (ask about application fee waivers!).  

Some institutions are very competitive for transfer.  Depending on your risk-tolerance, you may want to apply to multiple schools so that you have a back-up plan if you don't get accepted by your first choice.  You can look up institutions' acceptance rates at Big Future.

Other institutions have assured admissions.  If you meet that school's requirements, you will be accepted and back-up plans may not be necessary.  

Having multiple transfer options can be helpful in case of life changes, but preparing applications costs time and money.

ACC Transfer Services has compiled a list of Texas schools and sorted them by schools with assured admissions vs. holistic review (competitive).  You can see the list here.

If you graduated in the top 10% of your high school class, Senate Bill 175 allows for automatic transfer admission if you...

• attend a community college immediately after high school

• complete the core curriculum at the community college

• maintain a 2.5 GPA

• apply to transfer to the university within 4 years of graduating high school

• want to pursue certain majors at a four year institution to attend (research your future institution to see if your chosen major qualifies).
  Note, these "certain majors" are often NOT STEM majors, but this option is worth researching.

That all depends on the institution.  For the institutions using holistic review (the competitive schools), you will likely have to submit the following:

• transcripts (from ALL higher education institutions attended)

• academic resume

• essays  (if they are listed as "optional," still do them!)

• recommendation letters (if they are listed as "optional," still do them!!!...and don't just have the minimum sent!)

For institutions with assured admissions, the required components will likely be less.

If you would like to watch a recording of the Application Workshop that we did in Spring 2024, please go here:  AppWkshpRecording.  The presentation (with links) is here:  DoApplicationsHavetobesoHard

It's like resumes you may use for applying to a job, but it is more about what you have done during your education.  

An academic resume is your chance to showcase what you have done that may not appear on your transcript.  Generally, you would include items/activities from the last 5-ish years.  

I've made a list below of items you can include.  If you don't have information for a particular section, that is ok!  Leave it off!  You can't do ALL these things, and this list is for brainstorming:

• Educational Background.  (If you don't already have a post-secondary degree, you can include your high school.  If you do already have a post-secondary degree, you can leave your high school off.)  This section is where you can indicate whether you graduated with honors, in the top X% of your class, etc.  If your GPA was above a 3.0, you may even want to bring that to your reader's attention.

• Credentials and/or Certificates you have earned.

• Honors and Awards.  You can also mention if you were a member of the ACC Honors Program or a member of an honor's society like ACC's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.  (While the ACC Honors program is free to join, many honor's societies cost money.  Before you invest a lot of money in an honor's society, make sure that they are credible and ask yourself how you are going to contribute to the society)

• Relevant work Experience.  Have you done an internship or done scientific research?   Have you worked as a tutor, supplemental instruction leader, etc?

• Special Projects you completed (Capstone, honors class project, portfolio, website, etc).  

• Organizations in which you have participated.  Such organizations could be clubs you've joined via ACC inStudent Life, extracurricular sports, church organizations, etc. (If you have taken on a leadership role, make sure that you mention it!)

• Volunteer Work.  Have you donated time and energy to programs and projects to improve your community?  

• Professional Societies to which you have joined.  (Note, membership in professional societies can get expensive, and I only recommend joining them if you are completely sure of your career path.  Many of these professional societies offer student discounts.)  I have listed some professional societies in the Careers section of my website.  

• Work experience that is not academically related.  (you can use this section to highlight responsibilities you've managed and skills you have attained like supervising, teamwork, communication, etc).

• Other special skills you have developed (languages, Microsoft Office, Adobe, etc)

Do you want help drafting your academic resume?  

• ACC Transfer Services also has a guide to an academic resume here that includes a sample.  

• You can also work with an ACC Transfer Services Specialist 

• Work with a a writing tutor in an ACC Learning Lab 

• Make an appointment with me!

That depends on where you want to go!  For competitive schools with holistic review (like UT and TAMU), your essays matter very much!  For other schools, essays are not even needed.  As you research transfer institutions, pay close attention to whether a school requires/recommends essays, how many, and if they require response to specific prompt(s).

If you are applying to a school requiring essay(s), take them seriously.  Your essays can be your chance to express your interest and dedication to your chosen field, describe how you have overcome challenges, and explain how that institution will help you reach your goals and why you are will be an asset to that institution.  You need to stand out from the crowd!  

Do NOT...

• simply restate information already on your transcript and academic resume.
  (They already have your transcript and resume, so don't waste their time with the same stuff!)

• disregard the the prompt
  (Reading directions is important!  You need to pay attention to word/character limits and actually address the prompt given)

• be generic
  (Be specific about your challenges and goals.  Describe them thoroughly.  You must be explicit.  The essay evaluators are not allowed to "read between the lines" and guess what you mean.)

• whine/complain
  (If you choose to discuss how you have overcome a challenge, discuss how you OVERCAME it!  You don't want essay readers to feel like you are asking for pity.  You want your essay readers to see you for the strong person that you are!)

Intimidated?!?  You aren't alone!...and you have help:

• ACC Transfer Services offers Transfer Essay Workshops as part of their Transfer Essentials Workshop Series.

• Make an appointment with an ACC Transfer Specialist to go over your essays.

• Work with writing tutors in any ACC Learning Lab.  

In order to make the best use resources, it is important to start your essays early.  You will likely need several drafts!

Recommendation letters should come from someone with whom you have interacted professionally.  Letter writers can be professors, employers, leaders in your volunteer organization, etc.

Not sure HOW to ask?  My colleague, Meredith Denton-Hedrick, has written some fabulous etiquette guidelines here:  RecEtiquette

ACC Admissions and Enrollment has provided instructions here.  

Check deadlines early!  Some schools have deadlines as early as March 1 for Summer/Fall and September 1 for Spring.  

Many schools also have priority deadlines on top of normal deadlines.  If you missed the priority deadline, but your institution is still taking applications, you can still apply...your application will just be considered after the applicants who applied earlier.  

If you completely miss the deadline, you will have to wait until the next application cycle.

Unless you have emergency/extenuating circumstances warranting a deferral, no.  

When you apply for transfer, you are not just applying to the school, you are applying for a specific term.  Admissions decisions for each term are based on the projected needs of different departments, which vary from semester to semester.  If you decide to not enroll for the term in which you were admitted, your admission to the university will be cancelled, and you will need to reapply for the semester when you want to begin your studies.

In extenuating cases, accepted students may apply to their destination school for a deferral, but it is up to their destination school whether the deferral is granted and for how long.  

Courses required for AAS degrees and certificates apply as workforce credits.  These courses can often apply to BAT, BAS, and BAAS degrees.  It is less likely that workforce credits will apply to traditional BA and BS degrees.  

Transfer Resources has compiled a list of transfer options for students with an AAS degree here.  

Yes.  In Texas, there is a program called Academic Fresh Start.  However, Academic Fresh Start is an all-or-nothing option that you can only use once in your higher-education career in Texas.  Consult your ACC advisor to strategize when and how to utilize this tool.

Maybe?  You will need to check with your destination institution once your have been accepted.  4-year schools have limits on the number of transferrable credits and some schools also have limits on when you can take classes at community college.

Certainly!  

As you prepare to apply to schools, look into fee waivers.  Some schools will offer fee waivers based on income, some offer fee waivers based on participation in events, and some even offer fee waivers if you apply before a priority deadline.  The availability and amount of a waiver is school-dependent, so you will need to look into waivers for each school you are interested in.

Many schools offer scholarships specifically for transfer students.  Some even have assured scholarships based on GPA!  For example, Texas State University offers generous assured scholarships for transfer students, and they are described here:  TXStateTransferSchol.  

Some schools offer reduced (or even free) tuition based on family income.  Here is a document from Port Isabel ISD (2022) listing schools offering free tuition based on family income:  FreeTuition.  (Read carefully.  While most of the schools on this list offer reduced tuition for transfer students, some offers are only for incoming freshmen.)

ACC students transfer to both public and private institutions both in Texas, out of state and even internationally.  ACC has articulation agreements with over 60 universities that can be found here.

ACC really is the place to "Start Here. Go There!"