Some students confused over new transfer policy

University of Connecticut transfer students reacted to the transfer credit process at the university, with some students finding the process more confusing than others.  

According to the Undergraduate Admissions website, transfer credits coming from a “regionally accredited, degree granting college or university,” where the courses are comparable to those at UConn and were passed with a ‘C’ minimum are accepted. 

Some examples of courses deemed ineligible include online or hybrid laboratory science or foreign language courses, pass or fail courses and internships or co-ops. 

Katelynn Dawson Lalvay, a third-semester pharmacy and environmental double major, transferred to UConn this semester and found submitting her transcripts easy. However, she had confusion over the 91000-type classes listed on her transfer report and her community college used a different system of course labeling. Dawson Lalvay’s basic classes, such as English and biology, easily transferred but many classes she took had no equivalency at UConn.  

“I wish it was easier to know which classes the credits you’re bringing in may transfer to. The names of my classes were much different than UConn’s, and when you’re first applying or getting settled in, it’s very difficult to figure it out or challenge a decision on one of your classes,” Dawson Lalvay said. “It would also be helpful if you could have a meeting to discuss how and why they transferred your credits the way they did (prior to your advising appointment).” 

Dawson Lalvay also expressed how advocating for yourself and your work is important, especially as a transfer student coming into a new environment. 

“If I had to go through this process again, I would tell myself that transferring to any school is very overwhelming. It can feel like going to a community college first means the credits you have aren’t as important or good as the ones you’ll earn here, but that is absolutely not true,” Dawson Lalvay said. “If you think a class is equivalent and they deem it isn’t, you should definitely challenge that decision and advocate for yourself.” 

Credit is awarded in semester hours and courses are considered either equivalent or generic. Equivalence means that it comes from the same department and number as in the UConn catalog. Generic refers to courses listed with a 9, followed by a 5-digit number, meaning it comes from the same department as it does at UConn, but there is no directly matching course. 

Maria Luca, a fifth-semester secondary English education major, had confusion over her general education requirements and whether or not they counted at UConn. She’s had to repeat some classes, such as her first-year writing requirements.  

She also had to contact Admissions to waive the online course disqualification, as she spent the last year taking mandatory online courses due to the pandemic. 

“One thing I learned is no question is a silly question. I was often way too afraid to reach out to people at UConn to ask for help, but transferring is a very stressful process, especially if you’re going through it alone,” Luca said. “I would say the people at these schools really want you to have a great experience. They want to help you, so I suggest you reach out to them with any questions or concerns.”  

Students seeking credit after the fact should consult the transfer course equivalencies page. Those planning on taking courses at other institutions are advised to fill out a Prior Course Approval before enrolling. The form can be found in the Student Administration System (SAS) by going to the ‘manage classes’ tab and clicking on ‘prior course approval.’ 

Transfer credit is posted three times a year, according to the website. Fall and Winter terms have a transcript deadline of Jan. 15; Spring is June 15 and Summer is Sept. 6.  

For additional information, students should consult the Undergraduate Admissions website.