Student Rights in the Transfer Process
The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has published a Policy on InterCollege Transfer and Articulation Among Washington Public Colleges and Universities. This policy spells out student rights in the transfer process.
This policy states, in part, “Students have the right to expect fair and equitable treatment from the public colleges and universities in Washington, both sending and receiving institutions. They have, in turn, the responsibility of seeking out current information pertaining to their educational objectives and for acquiring appropriate information when they change their academic plans. When a student changes a major or degree program, the student shall assume full responsibility for meeting the new requirements. Colleges shall make every effort to help students make transitions as smoothly as is feasible.”
Centralia College has transfer agreements with most of the four-year colleges and universities in Washington. Only the Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) degrees are designed specifically to transfer. These degrees are covered by Statewide Transfer Agreements.
Depending on the college to which a student transfers and their major, they may need to select specific courses within a degree to ensure full transferability. These transfer degrees assure the transfer of unit, but not automatic or guaranteed admission, since each institution has separate admission criteria based on grades, test scores, and other considerations.
Students are encouraged to meet frequently with their advisor, review the catalog and transfer guide of the institution to which they are planning to transfer, and consult with representatives of the baccalaureate institution. They should do this planning very early.
Students who successfully complete either degree will have met most, if not all, of the lower-division science and mathematics major requirements at many baccalaureate colleges in Washington. This is the first step in preparing for entry with junior standing. The second step is including courses required by the student’s major.
The Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree is designed for transfer to specific four-year colleges and universities for students pursuing specific professional/ technical programs. The AAS-T degree is not designed for general transfer.
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) is NOT generally designed for transfer. There are a few very specific exceptions to this. The AAS degree can sometimes be used to transfer, but only to a few colleges under very special circumstances. These circumstances are called Alternatives for Transfer of Occupational Programs (ATOPS) degrees. The most common are “Upside Down Degree Programs” or “Articulation Agreement Programs.” Unless a student has absolutely confirmed that one of these special and very limited exceptions applies to their plans, they are advised not to use the AAS degree for transfer purposes.
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