Whats better to transfer with a general studies certificate or an associates that isn't in my major

Transfer Students
1

Hi,

I have an issue and any advice is welcome.

So, I currently go to a community college in VA but I am moving to NC in August due to family issues. I haven’t applied to NC state yet but it’s my dream school and I want to start Fall of 2016.

Moving is causing some issues with my degree program at my current college I was aiming for a liberal arts associate degree because I want to major in communications but they aren’t offering the classes I need to graduate in August and my adviser gave me two options leave with a certificate in general education or an associate of science with a concentration in social sciences.

Which so you think is better and would help my chances of getting into state next year, a general education certificate or an associates that doesn’t really pertain to my major?

2

Contact transfer admissions at NC State, and ask about how they handle transfers with AA or AS degrees from the CCs in VA. Many colleges and universities will accept a full Associates degree in anything as fulfilling their own general education requirements, so it probably is best to complete an Associates degree even if the major isn’t quite what you’d hoped for. If your AS fulfills the gen eds (or at least most of them) at your new university, then you can just take courses in your major during your last two years.

You also should read through the requirements for different majors in your CC’s catalogue, and see if you have more options than just social science.

3

From what I’ve heard through my community college, Associate degrees don’t mean very much as far as transferring, but it’s nice to complete something so I would go for the social science. I’m a communications major too and before I realized I would complete all of the requirements for the transfer-AA communication studies degree I was only getting a in social sciences, which my counselors recommended. (Since comm falls under social science in most areas)

4

onmyway8 has an excellent point. Once you have your Associates degree, you can put that on a resume or a job application. XX college level credits in Y, or a “Certificate” in Z aren’t as valuable.