Must I Complete an AA Degree to Transfer?

It’s not always necessary to complete an AA before you go, although completion of an Associates degree can be helpful if:

• Your overall GPA at MC is less than a 2.5 – Some Maryland public schools will accept students who have completed either an AA or 56 credits if their overall GPA is a 2.0 or higher. See the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s Guide to Transfer or ask a counselor. Of course, your chances of surviving at the next school are better with a higher GPA, so aim high. Here is the Maryland State Transfer Policy: www.mhec.state.md.us/preparing/stuguide.asp
  
  
• You started at another college where your overall GPA was below a 2.5 GPA - finishing an AA degree at MC will help you improve your chances of admission to a Maryland public school.
  
  
• Your native language is not English – UMCP requests that students whose native language is not English either submit TOEFL scores or complete an AA degree to demonstrate their proficiency of English.
  
  
• You want to transfer with junior status – it’s economical to earn as many credits as you can before you go, as long as the courses you’re taking fit your major at your four-year destination. Why not wrap those 60 credits into an AA degree along the way? Remember that the key to course transferability is getting advised each semester for help in choosing courses. Just presenting a completed AA degree does NOT mean that all courses taken will transfer to a four-year school. Check to see how close you are to earning an AA degree here.
  
  
• You want to be considered for transfer scholarships. Most transfer scholarships require an AA degree or at least 56 credits completed. See the MC Scholarship Page for possibilities: http://mctransferscholarships.blogspot.com/

How close are you to an AA? Use the "Degree Evaluation" link in MyMC, left column below "Register/Add/Drop Classes" to run a degree audit to see what classes you need to finish a degree. Or, use a Degree Audit Worksheet to calculate where you stand. Applications for Spring Graduation are due by March 1 at the latest: www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions/StudentForms/grad.pdf