The Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) is a 35-credit block of foundational courses offered at Arizona community colleges that streamlines your transfer to the state's public universities. Successfully completing the AGEC with at least a 2.5 GPA grants you guaranteed admission to Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU), or the University of Arizona (UArizona) while satisfying your lower-division general education requirements. However, because every major has unique requirements, you will need to tailor your specific course selections to line up with your intended university degree program.

An Associate degree is a two-year college program (min 60 credits) offered by community colleges that serves as a launchpad for your future, whether you want to jump straight into a career or transfer to a four-year university. The main difference between the two primary options comes down to your goals: the Associate in Arts (AA) focuses on the liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences, making it the perfect fit for future communications, business, or history majors. On the flip side, the Associate in Science (AS) is specially tailored for STEM pathways, requiring advanced math and lab sciences to prepare students for degrees in fields like engineering, biology, or computer science.