Deciding where to continue your education can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re a transfer student starting at a community college. You may be wondering which credits can transfer, what to expect as you explore a four-year degree program, and what exactly the transfer process is like.
Fortunately, Athens State specializes in helping transfer students like you transition from community college to a four-year institution, making the process as seamless as possible with plenty of benefits and opportunities to make the most of your extended academic journey.
Here, we’ll break down what it’s like to go from community college to Athens State and the benefits of attending both.
The Advantages of Starting at a Community College
If you’re a transfer student starting out at a community college, you’re in good company. According to Alabama’s Community College System (ACCS), over 168,000 Alabama residents attend community college in preparation for their next phase in life, whether it’s taking the next step in their career or continuing their education.
And community college is a sensible option for starting your educational career, particularly at an ACCS school. Some of the benefits include:
- Flexibility: Community college students are often balancing work, family life, and school. With night, weekend, and online class options, you can select courses that best fit with your schedule and timeline.
- Affordability: ACCS states that its community college courses cost half of what you would normally pay at a four-year university; so you get the same quality education for a fraction of the price.
- Small Class Sizes: Classes at community colleges tend to be smaller, meaning you get more personalized attention and one-on-one time with your professors.
- Transferability: Due to the partnerships and collaborations already in place, the core classes at the ACCS schools are easily transferable to any of Alabama’s public four-year universities, including Athens State.
Once you’ve completed a program at an ACCS community college or decide that you’re ready to transition to a four-year institution, you’ll have multiple opportunities to expand your educational experience as a transfer student at Athens State.
Benefits for Transfer Students at Athens State University
As a transfer student, you may have a better idea of what you want to do next in your career or education than when you first graduated high school. At Athens State, we make it our mission to help you achieve your goals on your timeline so you get the most out of your time here and graduate ready for the next phase of your career.
Some of the ways we support our transfer students coming from community colleges include:
- Making a high quality education accessible and affordable
At this stage of your academic journey, you’re most likely balancing a heavy workload with a tight budget. That’s why we offer multiple financial assistance options for transfer students, including scholarships, grants, student employment opportunities, and loans.
We’ve also implemented a Tuition Payment Plan that allows you to break down your tuition into easy monthly payments, making the cost of an Athens State education more attainable for the working transfer student.
And like many Alabama community colleges, we offer classes on nights, weekends, and online to accommodate your hectic schedule and support your work-life balance.
- Producing the kind of graduates that employers actively seek
As an upper-division university, we specialize in helping junior-level, senior-level, and graduate students earn their degree to advance their careers and increase their earning potential.
That’s why we provide customized, flexible courses that align with your career goals, so you can gain the skills and experience that employers in your field are specifically looking for; therefore increasing your chances of being hired in your desired industry shortly after graduation.
- Supporting transfer students in achieving their academic and career goals
We want our transfer students to succeed no matter what. That’s why we provide resources and services to help them make the most of their education and degree.
For example, our Student Success Center acts as a central hub of resources and services to advise transfer students on their academics, degree, and general student-related matters. We also have a Career Development Center that guides and supports students in developing their interview and career-seeking skills as they enter the job market after graduation.
Transferring to Athens State University
We pride ourselves on making the transfer process from a community college seamless for students. With our helpful credit transfer guide, you’ll be able to easily understand the transfer process as well as the different credits that we accept and how they apply to your chosen program.
Once you’re ready to apply, you just follow these simple steps:
- Start your application.
- Submit your application fee.
- Submit your transcripts from your previously attended colleges and universities.
After we receive your documents, an enrollment officer will reach out to walk you through any additional steps you need to complete. So no matter where you are in the process, you’ll have our support and guidance every step of the way.
As you can see, transferring from a community college to Athens State University is a natural choice for transfer students who are looking for an affordable, supportive, and interactive environment to continue their education. We provide resources and services to make everything from the application process to your customized course load as straightforward and easy as possible so you can focus on your goals and next steps after graduation.
