I’m currently in the Running Start program (which allows high school students to earn college credit at a local community college while also fulfilling high school graduation requirements) and I’m going to be entering my senior year this September which means applying to colleges…yikes! I am planning on graduating high school with my AA (Associates) degree in Integrated Studies which is a DTA (Direct Transfer Agreement) for colleges in state (Washington). However, I also want to apply to schools out-of-state, specifically in California and I was just wondering if my degree/credits would transfer out of state?
would having an AA improve or worsen my chances? And with Washington schools most college’s specific whether running start students should apply as freshman or transfers but with out of state schools I’m not quite sure!
Searching through college board’s big future website there are a few colleges in Cali that I am interested in that have “2 year credits transfer” so would that imply that they would accept my degree?
In most cases, college credit earned while in high school does not make you a transfer student.
Credit may transfer, but subject credit may not be known until later if there us no articulation agreement.
Those are likely considered dual enrollment credits. Note than it may or may not accepted by some schools particularly from OOS.
Hi! I was a running start student (now in a 4-year college) as well and can definitively answer this.
If you earn your associate’s degree at the time of HS graduation, you will apply as a transfer student and be eligible to complete the remaining upper-division courses at a 4-year institution.
HOWEVER. Many institutions have a specific set of core distribution requirements for the first 2 years, and depending on the school, the courses you completed in your AA may not perfectly align with those requirements. In that case, you would need to take supplementary lower-division courses. Other schools will simply accept your AA as being equivalent to freshman and sophomore years at their college, and let you declare a major immediately and go directly into those courses.
If you only earn credit and do not complete a degree, the above posters are correct. Your credits will be considered dual enrollment and may or may not be accepted at the college you want to attend. Most colleges consider a transfer student to be anyone who has either:
- completed a two-year degree, or
- taken college classes anytime after high school completion.
I have a LOT of experience with this (more than any person needs), so feel free to PM me if you have other questions!
That will vary by school. You’ll have to check with each one.
Once again, you’ll need to check with each school. As @ucbalumnus stated, most schools will NOT make you apply as a transfer student (that would put you at a disadvantage). They allow you to apply as a freshman which would allow you to compete for more scholarship options. A single person’s experience will not apply across all cases or schools.
You will apply as a freshman and when admitted will be granted advanced standing (although all your credits may not transfer).
Applying as a freshman allows you to be eligible for maximum financial aid and merit scholarships.
However, UC’s no longer provide any financial aid to OOS applicants so unless your parent ls have agreed to pay 60k a year out of pocket, you’re out of luck for those.