Below are selected findings from a recent study by ACE and AACRAO, A National Snapshot: How Students Experience and Perceive Transferring Earned Credit on students’ perceptions about how transfer credit was applied and the potential accumulation of excess credits at graduation. The national study included 1,003 survey completers, with 65 percent of respondents currently enrolled at a public institution and 35 percent at a private institution; 78 percent transferred from a public institution and 22 percent from a private institution. Students were enrolled at institutions in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Ninety percent were enrolled full time, 95 percent were between 18 and 24 years old, and three percent had military experience. Seventy percent graduated from high school as opposed to others who earned a GED® or were homeschooled. Most respondents earned college credit from two academic institutions, 16 percent earned credit from three, and 14 percent earned credit from more than three academic institutions. More than two-thirds completed at least one advanced placement course exam, and more than half completed a dual enrollment course while in high school.
Under half (47 percent) of students in the study who lost credit in the transfer process knew why credit had been lost. Reasons for losing credit in transfer can be rooted in institutional policy and practice or student choices or student academic outcomes.
Known Reasons for Losing Credit in Transfer Reported by students who lost credit in transfer
| Reasons for Losing Credit in Transfer | % |
|---|---|
| Reasons for Losing Credit in Transfer | % |
| No course equivalency at current institution | 47% |
| Earned dual enrollment credit that did not apply to major | 28% |
| Changed majors | 26% |
| Grade earned would not transfer | 23% |
| Major exploration courses | 19% |
| Repeated at least one course to earn a better or passing grade | 15% |
| Felt misadvised | 15% |
| Courses were not offered when needed, took other courses to remain financial aid eligible | 11% |
| Earned more credits than will transfer | 10% |
| Other | 8% |
| Pursued a certificate that was not required | 8% |
| Self-advised | 8% |
| College preparatory credit for reading, math, or writing | 7% |
| Degree checklist was hard to understand | 6% |
| Changed my academic catalog of record | 6% |
| Pursued at least one minor that wasn’t required | 5% |
| Repeated at least one course for personal interest | 5% |
| Pursued more than one major | 4% |
| Did not send transcript | 4% |
| Military credit did not apply to major | 2% |
| Military credit not accepted | 2% |
| ESL credit | 1% |
Source: A National Snapshot: How Students Experience and Perceive Transferring Earned Credit
American Council on Education National task Force on Transfer of Credit, in collaboration with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2020, p. 15. (https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/National-Snapshot-Transferring-Earned-Credit.pdf)
Resources that Could Have Helped Reduce Lost Credit By Level of Displeasure with Lost Credit
Students unable to transfer all their earned credit, n =167
| Resource | Somewhat displeased | Extremely displeased |
|---|---|---|
| Better advising at the institution(s) where I completed courses prior to transferring | 39% | 57% |
| Better advising at the institution where I transferred courses to (my current institution) | 40% | 55% |
| Better course scheduling (more times and/or days or ways to earn credit) | 13% | 41% |
| Better advising in high school about dual enrollment courses or AP courses | 26% | 31% |
| Better degree checklist | 24% | 27% |
| More engagement with faculty | 19% | 20% |
| More flexible financial aid | 18% | 16% |
| Better tutoring | 7% | 10% |
| None of the above: losing credits during transfer was unavoidable (exclusive choice) | 25% | 10% |
| Other | 2% | 6% |
Source: A National Snapshot: How Students Experience and Perceive Transferring Earned Credit
American Council on Education National task Force on Transfer of Credit, in collaboration with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2020, p. 17.
Resources Identified as Most Useful in the Transfer Credit Process
By students who transferred all of their credit
| Resource | % |
|---|---|
| Academic advising at my current institution | 41% |
| Academic advising in high school | 28% |
| Academic advising at the institution(s) from which I transferred | 27% |
| My current institution’s website | 26% |
| At least one faculty member at my current institution | 23% |
| A family member | 20% |
| Member of the current institution’s recruitment/admissions staff | 20% |
| At least one faculty member at the institution(s) from which I transferred | 16% |
| My previous institution’s website | 14% |
| Another student | 10% |
| None of the above | 5% |
| A co-worker | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
| Veteran’s educational benefits representative | 0% |
American Council on Education National task Force on Transfer of Credit, in collaboration with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2020, p. 18