Would you like to know a transfer agreements impact on accreditation? If you are in the process of comparing different higher education institutions, it is important to check each institution that you are considering to verify that it is accredited by a regional agency or a national body. As you start to construct a list of the pros and cons of attending a specific school, you may identify a combination of accredited schools in a given area that have transfer agreements in place. These transfer agreements, which are more commonly referred to as articulation agreements, can benefit students, but it is important for students to be familiar with the advantages and drawbacks of the agreements before making any decisions. Read on, and learn how articulation agreements can affect accreditation and ultimately the student.
What is a Transfer/Articulation Agreement?
Typically, a transfer agreement is placed between a 2-year community college and a regionally-accredited 4-year college. The agreement is placed not only to do benefit the university by sending them student applicants, but also to benefit students by ensuring a simplified transfer process for transfer students coming from the 2-year school. This makes transferring a much more enjoyable experience than it was in the past or between schools that have no articulation agreement in place.
In the agreement, the schools that are joining a partnership will outline a specific combination of courses students must take and letter grades that students must earn to transfer. This requirement is set to ensure that students are on-track and taking a defined set of curriculum during their first two years of study. These transfer agreements do not guarantee a student’s acceptance, but they do strengthen the student’s chances of being accepted.
How Accreditation Can Impact a Student’s Transfer
Most students have learned about their importance of attending a school that is accredited either regionally or nationally. By taking classes at an accredited school, you have peace of mind in knowing that these credits can be applied to a different program at another accredited school. While it is possible to transfer your credits to any accredited school, you may be wondering how transfer agreements can impact accreditation. This is a good question, and the answer depends on the nature of the agreement.
Schools draft their own agreements with each other, and virtually all schools require that the schools they are partnering with possess and maintain accreditation. This helps the community college avoid sending their transfer students to diploma mills. When the college partnership is formed, both schools must be accredited. During the life of the partnership, schools must renew their accreditation by keeping up with the agency’s standards. If either party loses their accreditation, in most cases the agreement will be cancelled. There may be a grace period for each school that is on probation with accreditation agencies, but in most cases students are protected.
If you are sure you would like to attend a school that has formed a transfer agreement with the 2-year school you are attending, find out about the accreditation requirements. Every agreement that is formal will detail this information and this website includes information regarding transfer agreements as well. Once you know the transfer agreements impact on accreditation, you can make an informed admissions or transfer decision.
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