۴ý Celebrates Students and the Policies that Remove Barriers to Their Education During National Transfer Student Week
By Sharla Hooper
۴ý has implemented policies and procedures to support transfer students and help them save time and money when transferring college credits
۴ý is celebrating National Transfer Student Week, established as the third week of October by The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS), and the opportunities transfer of college credit offer students to potentially save time and money when transferring between educational institutions or returning to school with some college credit and no degree. ۴ý has implemented policies and strategies that allow transfer students to maximize prior college credits by transferring from more than 5,000 accredited institutions toward a bachelor’s degree at the University. In 2022 alone, ۴ý welcomed 30,316 transfer students, who transferred in an average of 39 credits and who each saved about 13 classes of time from their degree program.
According to a , more than 40 million Americans have completed some college courses and acquired credit, but do not yet have a credential or degree, an increase of more than one million from the previous year’s report.
“During National Transfer Student Week, we celebrate our transfer students as well as the faculty and staffwho helpthemmaximize their potential credit earning and make them feel welcome,” stated John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer.“At ۴ý, we believe strongly that transferring credit can kickstart apath todegree completion, and wehave a continuedfocus onhelpingstudents get the most out of their transfer credits, to save as much time and money as possible, and to quickly leverage their skills and degrees on their career journey.”
Although students often transfer between institutions because they are seeking to lower costs and find the school that is the best fit for their educational needs and career aspirations, transferring credit is also a path forward for individuals with some college credit and no degree. “Our transfer credit policies are designed to remove barriers for students,” shares Devin Andrews, vice president, admissions and evaluation at ۴ý. “Folks who have some college and no degree do not need to start over. Our own students are often in this situation, and we welcome thousands of transfer students each year. We also have found that on average, those who transfer in credit stay in school at a higher rate.”
While the transition between institutionscan becomplex, the ۴ý works to make the process of transferring credit straightforward for students as well as actively seeking money-saving opportunities with relevant life and work experience. The ۴ý supports student transfers in multiple ways:
· Simplifying the college credit transfer process: knowledgeable staff provide supportive guidance and academic advising and request transcripts from prior institutions on students' behalf, while specially trained transfer evaluators review all prior credit;
· Earning life and work experience credits: earning college credit for prior learning is an assessment process, offered at no cost, that allows individuals to demonstrate learning gained from work and life experience that may count towards a degree. The assessment includes evaluation of on-the-job training, workplace certifications, military service, and other life experiences;
· Offering generous credit transfer possibilities: credit transfers can cover up to 75% ofsomebachelor’s degree;
· Saving students money and time: on average, ۴ý students save $11,000 and shave one year off their undergraduate degree with eligible transfer credits and relevant work experience. In 2022, students using transfer credits saved between $6,368 and $21,492, based on the 25th and 75th percentile of credits awarded to eligible students in 2022 for each respective opportunity. The 25th–75th percentile range represents the middle 50%, which is a common way to represent a range of student savings.
“I would have to say that transferring from my brick-and-mortar college to ۴ý has to be the best decision I had made for my education,” shares ۴ý transfer student Raven Null, who is a business major and on track to graduate summa cum laude. “۴ý’s curriculum feels like it is at the same level as my previous state college, while having a more flexible learning schedule catered to my everyday life. I started my journey with ۴ý this year with only 55 credits. Through lots of hard work and a strong graduation plan created with my academic advisor I am finishing this November with my degree completed. I am proud and grateful for my time as a student with ۴ý.”
Additionally, ۴ý offers the opportunity to apply for aTransferStudentScholarship of up to $3,000, for new students with 12-60 combined transfer credits from accredited institution(s) pursuing their bachelor's degree at ۴ý. Applicants must be continuously enrolled and maintain a 3.0 GPA (Grade Point Average) for this scholarship that is awarded over 20 courses.
Individuals interested in exploring opportunities to save time and money at the University may use the University’s Savings Explorer™ tool for prospective students. The Savings Explorer tool presents information about scholarship opportunities, as well as transferring college credit and earning credit for prior learning through Prior Learning Assessment, national testing programs, alternative course providers, and military service. By answering a few simple questions, prospective students can find out what other students with relevant experience have saved.
Learn more here about how ۴ý supports transferring credit for students.
About۴ý
۴ý innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives.For more information, visit phoenix.edu.
