Transfer FAQs

Be mindful of the fact that just because a course will transfer to a four-year school, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is applicable to the degree program you are seeking. This is where planning and understanding the four-year school's requirements comes into play. By knowing the requirements of the school to which you are transferring, you can virtually guarantee that the college level courses you select at North Central State College will transfer and mean something in terms of meeting requirements.

• Do you need an Associate's Degree to transfer?
• Are the 100 and 200 level courses that students take at North Central State College the same as those at the four-year universities?
• Are there advantages to starting your college career at a community college like North Central StateCollege rather than a four year school?
• Are North Central State College transfer students as successful at the university as students who started the university as a freshman?
• What are some tips that I can follow to avoid making costly and timely 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 our 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 NCSC?
• Are there scholarships available at 4-year schools specifically for transfer students?
• Because NCSC shares a campus with OSU-Mansfield, does that mean that credit is automatically transferred and accepted at OSU?

Do you need an Associate's Degree to transfer?

No, 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 NCSC.)  For course-by-course evaluations, a grade of "C" or better is generally necessary for transferability.

There are Bachelor Degree completion programs that require completion of the Associate's Degree prior to enrolling in the completion program.

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Are the 100 and 200 level courses that students take at North Central State College the same as those at the four-year universities?

North Central State College is an accredited public two year school. It is ultimately up to the school to which you transfer to decide how your credits will be accepted and applied. For most colleges/universities, NCSC freshman composition (ENG 101) equates to their freshman composition. Quarter versus Semester is taken into consideration when reviewing transcripts for transfer credit acceptance and application. North Central State College operates under a Quarter system calendar. Many colleges/universities operate under a Semester system calendar. (FYI: 3 quarter hours equates to 2 semester hours.)

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 Are there advantages to starting your college career at a community college like North Central State College rather than a four year school?

Yes, there are several important advantages. The community colleges are much less expensive, more conveniently located, and often have 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. Finally, community college teachers' only task is to teach - they are not required to write articles or books or do research - and consequently they have more time for students.

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Are North Central State College transfer students as successful at the university as students who started the university as a freshman?

Yes, our transfer students, on average, do as well as and in some cases better than, students who started as freshman at the four-year schools.

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

• Check the transferability of your courses BEFORE you take them.
• Understand how your NCSC 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 you plan to enroll will transfer and apply your credit from NCSC.
• Pay attention to admissions 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/counselor.

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

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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:

• 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 admissions requirements?
• Are applications accepted at any time (rolling admissions) or only by 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?

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What is an "Articulation Agreement"?

Articulation agreements are formal agreements between North Central State College and other four-year colleges and universities. These agreements ensure that, if you successfully follow a prescribed program of study at NCSC, you will generally 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.

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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 us and receive your degree and realize the recognition that is attached to such an accomplishment. Many colleges prefer that you transfer with the degree and some colleges require that you do. Students taking advantage of the many articulation agreements we have will require the degree. In addition, many schools offer generous transfer scholarships to students transferring with a degree.

However, even though staying at NCSC may be financially wise, there are situations that deserve individual assessment that might result in the recommendation that you transfer early. This depends to a great extent on your major at your transfer institution. Discuss your plans with an advisor to build a timetable that makes sense for you.

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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, and engineering may require a 3.0 or higher.

In order to transfer, you must be in good standing at NCSC 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 North Central State College.

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I'm still undecided about my major. Which courses should I take at NCSC?

If you are undecided about your major but are fairly certain that you will eventually 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 State Transfer Module, which ensures transfer and applicability of courses between public Ohio colleges and universities. Another useful tool is u.select (formerly Course Applicability System) which allows you to check course by course equivalencies between public Ohio colleges and universities.

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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 continue their eligibility. Some institutions have a scholarship application and deadline separate from that of financial aid while other institutions review all transfer students for scholarship eligibility based on their admission application. Contact the school early to find out about any deadlines and applications you will need to submit. Many scholarship deadlines are in the spring semester, regardless of the semester in which the student transfers.

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Because NCSC shares a campus with OSU-Mansfield, does that mean that credit is automatically transferred and accepted at OSU?

No! North Central State College and OSU are completely separate entities. No credit is ever automatically accepted at another institution. Each institution develops their curriculum and courses internally. Evaluation of transfer credit is done to ensure that transfer students can smoothly integrate their previous learning to a new environment and not suffer from having an inadequate preparation.

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