Credit transfers a headache for some

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated the number of transfer credits UNC accepts from two-year institutions. The University actually accepts 64 hours. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

Signing up for classes is stressful for many students, but the process can be even more difficult for transfer students who have not received credit at UNC for all the courses they took at their previous schools.

Administrators from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions say they try to make the credit transfer process as convenient as possible for students entering UNC from a different university.
But some transfer students found that their registration time was later than the rest of their class — possibly because their credits didn’t transfer.

“Meeting their needs is a priority,” said Ashley Memory, an assistant director of admissions.
Kyle Brazile, senior assistant director of admissions for enrollment, said transfer students are notified of the transfer credit they will be awarded before they even decide to enroll at the University.

Brazile said the department has awarded credit for 82 percent of the courses transfer students present to the admissions office.

Professional school courses, upper-level courses or specific courses UNC does not offer are usually the ones students will not receive credit for.

If students feel they should be awarded credit for a course they took, they can go through a process of re-evaluation of transfer credits by faculty.

Administrators might not award credit because they want to ensure they do not put students in a class without the appropriate prerequisite, Brazile said.

The administrators said 82 percent of transfer students graduate within two to three years of coming to UNC.

Transfer students cannot bring more than 75 credit hours from a four-year institution or 64 hours from a two-year institution, so students may lose hours that surpass those limits.

If transfer students do not get credit for all their courses, it might delay their registration times.
Memory said the department encourages incoming transfer students to register for classes as soon as possible, even before orientation.

Christopher Derickson, assistant provost and University registrar, said terms in residence determine students’ registration times. Fifteen credit hours from a university is equal to one term in residence.

Anthony Tedesco, a sophomore transfer student, said only 27 of his credit hours transferred in because he took courses in a specialized sports management program at his previous university, which UNC does not provide.

Tedesco said he did not attempt to go through the transfer credit re-evaluation process because he assumed he would not be awarded credit for his courses.

“In comparison to applying as a first-year, you’re more on your own,” he said. “There’s not as much direction.”

While most sophomores registered for classes on Monday, Tedesco said his registration time was at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Tedesco said he plans on graduating in three years, provided that he is able to bulk up on classes in order to catch up.

He said he thought the amount of guidance UNC provides transfer students for class enrollment was typical for most universities.

“The resources were there,” he said. “Just not as structured as (for) first-years.”

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