Transfer to a Four-Year School

Completing an AA or AS degree has the benefit of program and/or course equivalency agreements which have been negotiated with four-year colleges and universities that allow you to transfer as a junior.

AA degree completion also fulfills the lower division general education requirements of many transfer schools.

The AS degree includes slightly more math and science requirements than the AA does. In most cases, students transferring to an Illinois four-year college or university will complete lower division general education courses after transfer (one additional course in Humanities or Fine Arts and one additional course in Social and Behavioral Sciences).  Some schools automatically evaluate an AS course-by-course (including Augustana College).  If you are unsure which degree is best for your plans, select the AA and then talk with your advisor.

The AAS degree prepares students for immediate employment following program completion. The AAS emphasizes field-specific training combined with about a semester of general education courses.  Students in AAS and career Certificate programs who think they may want to transfer should talk with their advisor about selecting general education courses.

Both degrees require 60 credits to complete, but there are slight differences. The AA includes the complete IAI General Education Core Curriculum. While the AS has a slightly higher math and science course requirement, students have the option to take a couple of additional courses at BHC or after transfer (to an Illinois institution) if they want to also complete the IAI GECC.

Check with a Black Hawk College advisor to see if the AA or AS best meets your transfer goals.

You can begin your education with Sample Transfer Plans and discuss your goals with a BHC advisor. Since major requirements vary from one transfer school to another, you should select a transfer school as soon as possible. We recommend having a short list of transfer schools by the time you complete 30 credits.

Most colleges and universities will allow you to transfer at least 60 community college semester hours and some BHC transfer partners will accept more credits. It’s important to learn not only how many credits will transfer but how many will be applied to your major requirements. All transfer schools have a “residency” requirement too, meaning minimum hours must be earned at their institution (many require 30 hours, some more and some even fewer). Discuss your transfer school ideas with your BHC advisor to decide when it’s best to transfer.

Apply up to one year in advance of the term you plan to transfer. Most colleges and universities have application deadlines by which the admission application and all supporting documents (transcripts, essay, etc.) must be submitted. The deadline is often two to five months prior to the start of the term you start, but some schools allow students to apply as late as a few weeks before classes begin. Waiting is not recommended though – apply early! Also check when your transfer school needs your financial aid information.

Most colleges and universities determine your eligibility for admission based on your college record once you’ve earned a specified number of college credit hours (usually 12-30 hours). If you transfer with fewer credits, you will be asked to follow freshman admission requirements including providing your high school transcript.

After you apply to your transfer school you should send any supporting documents required such as your college transcripts. Follow directions on the transfer school’s checklist. You should also complete financial aid and scholarship applications and begin making housing arrangements if you will be living away from home. Note when you are expected to attend orientation, register and pay for classes, and move to the campus.

Complete the FAFSA and any school-specific scholarship applications by the stated deadlines. Earning excellent grades will also improve your chances of earning a merit scholarship, which is automatically awarded based on your grade point average. The higher your GPA, the more money you are eligible to receive. Students who join the Phi Theta Kappa honor society while at BHC may be eligible for additional scholarships.

Look closely at your transfer school’s general financial aid webpage, as well as their transfer admissions page and the department pages for your major. Different scholarship opportunities may be shown in all these places. Also ask the admission staff about other sources of funds the college may offer transfer students such as campus visit awards, early FAFSA filer, out-of-state-student award, etc.

Most colleges and universities offer course transfer tables for equivalencies between institutions. Links for applicable schools with articulation agreements are available on each college’s landing page. Additional guidance is also available for certain schools on the Transferology website.

As a career student thinking of transferring, meet with your current BHC advisor and program faculty as early as possible during your studies at Black Hawk College.

You’ll make the best use of your time and financial resources with advance planning to streamline course selection and prepare for a smoother transfer.

See how credit requirements differ between career and transfer programs in our Educational Paths Guide (PDF) . Notice that the “AAS Transfer Path” typically has more general education courses than those required in your career program.

Your advisor may recommend course substitutions in your career program to meet a transfer program requirement in communication, English, speech, accounting, math or computer science. You will need permission from your BHC faculty chairperson before substituting a course in your career program.

 Get ready to transfer from Black Hawk College. Coordinate the timing of these steps with your BHC advisor.

1. Apply to the transfer school. This can be done up to a year before the semester you transfer.
2. Confirm that approved course substitutions are recorded on your BHC transcript.
3. Submit unofficial transcripts to the transfer school for an early evaluation.
4. If advisable, register for additional BHC courses that will be applied to the transfer program. Determine if you’re eligible for financial aid from BHC for courses beyond those required for your career program. Completing a Change of Major/Program (PDF)  form may be recommended.

 Apply for BHC Graduation from your career program.

Search for AAS/Certificate Transfers

How BHC evaluates courses from other institutions.

Advising

College transfer evaluators requesting BHC syllabi for review.

Enrollment Services

Students with questions about how your transfer school evaluated your BHC course or
College personnel inquiring about transfer guides or agreements.

Cathryn Lass, Transfer/Articulation Coordinator

• College Scorecard – U.S. Department of Education search and compare tool
• Campus Visit Score Card from the College Board (PDF) – Prepare for in-person or virtual visits
• Campus Visit Score Card from the College Board (PDF)  – Rate your campus visits
• Online Degree Guide (PDF) – What to know about online bachelor’s degrees
• Honors Program (PDF) – Explore programs at BHC’s top transfer schools
• Transfer Planning Tips (PDF)

• Black Hawk College Career Services
• O*NET OnLine – Research careers and where to study
• Occupational Outlook Handbook – Skills, pay and demand for jobs

• Illinois state universities at a glance
• Illinois institutional profiles – Where and what to study
• Illinois AIM HIGH – Grant funds at public 4-year universities
• Private Illinois Colleges and Universities (PICU)
• Advanced Placement (AP) in Illinois – How AP tests scores are accepted
• TransferREADY.org – Prepare to transfer to an Illinois four-year school
• Iowa colleges and universities

For teaching:

• Directory of Approved Illinois Educator Licensure Programs
• Professional Educator License (PEL) – Requirements to teach in Illinois

• CampusTours – Take virtual campus and walking tours
• College Navigator – Full college profiles from the U.S. Department of Education/National Center for Education Statistics
• Peterson’s.com – Search for colleges and scholarships
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) – 100+ institutions established for the education of Black Americans and open to students of all races
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) – 500+ colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success
• The Campus Pride Index – LGBTQ-friendly campuses that aim to improve the academic experience and quality of campus life
• CLEP Testing – How your score is accepted

Find accredited institutions:

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation
• U.S. Department of Education