Navigating Your Future: A Guide to the Green River College Transfer Center

For students at Green River College aspiring to continue their education at a four-year university, the Transfer Center serves as a vital resource. Whether you're just starting your college journey and feeling undecided about your major, or you have a clear academic path in mind, the Transfer Center provides the tools and guidance needed to navigate the transfer process successfully.

Exploring Your Options: Discovering Majors, Programs, and Careers

Many students begin college without a firm grasp of their career aspirations or academic interests. The Transfer Center recognizes this and offers resources to help students explore different paths.

Career Planning Services: Connect with Career Planning Services to begin the process of exploring potential careers and majors.
Career Planning Tools: Utilize the Career Planning Tools provided to research majors, programs, and careers. These tools can help you gather information about various fields of study and the career opportunities they offer, leading to greater success and career satisfaction.
Career Assessments: Take advantage of several free and small, fee-based career assessments to gain further insights into your interests and aptitudes.

The Transfer Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Transferring to a university involves several key steps. The Transfer Center provides assistance and information throughout the entire process:

Application

Availability: Applications are generally available online or in hard copy.
Time Management: University applications can be lengthy, so it's crucial to give yourself plenty of time to work on them.

Application Fee

Non-Refundable Fee: Be aware that there will be a non-refundable application fee.
Fee Waivers: Check with the universities regarding fee waiver options, which may be available based on different conditions.

Official Transcripts

Requesting Transcripts: Request official transcripts from all colleges you have attended.
High School Transcripts: Some universities may also require an official high school transcript, although this is optional for those who earn a Green River degree.

Personal Essay

Requirement: Most universities require a personal essay as part of the application.
Tailoring Essays: It's important to tailor your personal essay for each school you are applying to.
Assistance: The staff in the Career and Advising Center can assist you with this process.

Financial Aid Application

Early Application: Apply for financial aid and scholarships early in the year (January or February) if you plan to start that fall quarter.

Letters of Recommendation

Requirements: Some universities or majors may require letters of recommendation.
Building Relationships: Cultivate relationships with faculty and teaching staff, who can write strong letters of recommendation for you.

Connecting with Advisors and University Representatives

Faculty Advisor: It's important to meet with your faculty advisor to create an educational plan that keeps you on track to complete your degree.
Academic Advisor: Connect with a general academic advisor or departmental advisor for your major.
University Representatives: During the school year, representatives from various colleges and universities visit the campus to meet with students about transfer requirements. Attend these rep visits to gather information and ask questions.

Understanding Transfer Agreements and Policies

Green River College has established agreements with numerous universities to facilitate the transfer process. Understanding these agreements and the transfer policies of your target universities is crucial.

Accreditation: Green River College is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), as well as by several discipline-related bodies. This accreditation is important for students who plan to transfer credits to other colleges.
Transfer Policies: Each institution has its own transfer policy, and transferability should never be assumed.
"Pass" Grades: Be aware that courses with “Pass” grades may not satisfy the requirements in your major field.
Major Ready: Many transfer institutions expect students to be “major ready” by the time they transfer. This means declaring your major early and carefully planning your coursework.
Inter-College Relations Commission (ICRC): Green River is a member of the Inter-College Relations Commission (ICRC). Green River’s Associate in Arts Degree, AA-DTA, Associate in Business, AB-DTA/MRP, Associate in Math Education, AM-DTA/MRP, Associate in Pre-Nursing, APreN-DTA/MRP, Associate in Computer Science, ACS-DTA/MRP and Associate in Science-Transfer-AS-T degrees comply with ICRC recommendations for transfer degrees within Washington.
Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA): ICRC has developed a direct transfer agreement (DTA) with Washington community colleges, ensuring that students who complete a designated direct transfer degree at a community college will have satisfied all or most of the general education (or core) requirements at the various universities in the state.

Direct Transfer Agreements (DTA) and Major Related Programs (MRP)

Green River College offers several transfer degrees designed to streamline the transfer process to specific universities and programs.

Associate in Arts (AA-DTA)

The Associate in Arts is a Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) degree designed for students who plan to transfer to a university after completing the first two years of study at Green River.
The degree is recommended for students who have not yet decided the field they will enter or the university they will attend.

Major Related Programs (MRP)

Major Related Programs (MRP) help students prepare to transfer into high demand bachelor’s degree programs that require specific courses in the first two years.
Institutions that accept the DTA Associate degree also accept any Major Related Program (MRP) course plan based on the DTA Associate degree.
Business, computer science, and nursing are a few examples.

Associate in Business Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program (AB-DTA/MRP)

The Associate in Business Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program degree is generally pursued by students who plan to transfer to a four-year university as a business or accounting major after completing their first two years at Green River.
It is designed to meet the distribution requirements at universities in Washington State by fulfilling the general requirements taken by freshman and sophomores.

Associate in Math Education Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program (AM-DTA/MRP)

The Associate in Math Education Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program degree was created to aid students interested in careers as secondary math teachers.
Future secondary teachers must pursue a major in their field, as well as entrance into a school of education.
This degree is intended to ensure that graduates of Green River are as well prepared as their counterparts at four-year colleges.
The transferability of these degrees is backed by a statewide articulation agreement with teacher-training universities.
In addition, this degree is accepted by baccalaureate institutions in the state of Washington under the Direct Transfer Agreement.

Associate in Pre-Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program (APreN-DTA/MRP)

The Associate in Pre-Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program degree is generally pursued by students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university at the junior level to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (BSN).

Associate in Computer Science Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program (ACS-DTA/MRP)

This Associate in Computer Science Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program degree is designed to provide a pathway for students preparing for computer science and related majors at universities and colleges in the state of Washington.
Computer science programs are competitive and this pathway intends to provide students with the needed information and skills to optimize their coursework to meet the Direct Transfer Agreement and prepare for computer science and related majors at a participating baccalaureate institutions.

Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) Degree

The Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) Degree Track 1 is designed to prepare students for upper division study in the areas of biological sciences, environmental/resource sciences, chemistry, geology, and earth science.
The Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) Degree Track 2 is designed to prepare students for upper division study in the areas of engineering, computer science, physics, and atmospheric science.
The Associate in Science Transfer-Track 2/Major Related Program in Engineering degrees (Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, Computer and Electrical Engineering & Civil and Mechanical Engineering) encompasses some general education courses required of first- and second-year students and is intended to prepare students planning to transfer to a university in the science-related fields.
It will give students the broad background needed before beginning more specialized, upper-division courses.

Transferring to Specific Universities: Key Considerations

The Transfer Center can provide specific information about transferring to various universities. Here are some key considerations for several institutions:

City University of Seattle

Students who enter City University of Seattle as candidates for associate or bachelor’s degrees may already have completed courses at other educational institutions, as documented by official transcripts.
For any course to be transferred into an undergraduate program, a student must have achieved a cumulative college-level grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) or higher at each prior institution.
Bachelor of Arts Education programs have specific transfer requirements to meet Washington standards.
Additionally, undergraduate students seeking to transfer credits with a college-level cumulative GPA below 2.0 (C) at each institution will have transfer eligibility evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
Many CityU of Seattle bachelor’s degrees have specified required Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning courses designated for program completion.
All grade point average decimal references above are based on a 4-point scale with 4 being the highest grade attainable.
Transfer credit for major and college elective courses will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.

Northwest University

Northwest University accepts the DTA Associate degree from public community and technical colleges in Washington State.
Students earning these degrees are granted an automatic 60 semester credits and junior class standing.
For most degrees, the Core Curriculum Requirements, with the exception of the Biblical Literacy and Formation and Calling requirements, are satisfied.
Majors with program-specific Core Curriculum requirements do not have all General Education Requirements automatically satisfied by the DTA Associate degree.
Students must complete these specific courses either as part of the DTA Associate degree or at Northwest University.
Students who have completed the appropriate DTA Associate degree from any community college in Washington will be admitted with junior standing (60-64 semester hours) and will be regarded as having satisfied General University Requirements, except for one Religion course (Biblical Studies or Christian Thought, History, and Experience) and one Perspectives on Diversity course.

Saint Martin’s University

Saint Martin’s University recognizes the DTA Associate degree from Washington’s community and technical Colleges.
Students completing the DTA Associate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.0 will be granted junior standing upon transfer.

Seattle University

Students admitted to Seattle University for the first time with a completed DTA Associate degree will be granted 90 credits and junior standing.

University of Washington (UW) - Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma

The University of Washington awards transfer credit on a course-by-course basis.
Intermediate Algebra and World Languages are the core minimum admission requirements required for transfer applicants with 40+ college credits (UW Bothell).
These can be met through high school or college coursework.
All students must complete 3 quarter credits of coursework to satisfy the university diversity requirement.
Upper division course work may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Each of the University’s schools and colleges has graduation requirements that meet or exceed university-wide general education requirements.
Students entering the UW with a DTA Associate degree are not required to complete the additional graduation requirements prior to enrolling at the UW. Any unmet requirements may be satisfied at the upper division level upon enrolling at the UW.
Prospective students should be advised that all freshmen and transfer students must meet a set of minimum admission subject requirements which include qualifying high school or college coursework in a world language and in mathematics.
5 credits of English composition should be completed with a minimum grade of 2.0 (UW Tacoma).
Additionally, students must complete a minimum of 10 quarter credits of writing-intensive coursework at the University, if not completed as part of the transfer degree, for a total of 15 credits (UW Tacoma).
NOTE: Admission to the UW is competitive.

Whitworth University

Whitworth University grants junior standing to holders of the DTA Associate degree.
Effective Fall term 2012 we will accept in transfer only courses that have a grade of “C” or higher.

Important Considerations

International Students: International students must contact an advisor in the International Programs office to help create an educational plan specific to their needs.
Student Responsibilities: Students are responsible for knowing transfer requirements and policies, and they are urged to consult the catalog of the institution to which they plan to transfer.
Clarification and Reconsideration: Students have the right to seek clarification regarding their transfer evaluation and may request the reconsideration of any aspect of that evaluation.
Deadlines: Students have the responsibility to complete all materials required for admission and to submit the application on or before the published deadlines.
Course Rigor: Assignments may be more rigorous and many may be due close together.

Resources Available at the Transfer Center

Transfer Resource Center: The Transfer Resource Center features a library of catalogs from universities, transfer guides, and information about transfer policies and transfer requirements.
Career and Advising Center Staff: The Green River Career and Advising Center staff can assist you with your transfer questions.

Navigating Challenges and Seeking Resolution

Students who encounter transfer difficulties have the right to seek resolution. The Transfer Center staff can guide you through the process of addressing any issues that may arise.

Social Science Courses

Social Science (10 credits in two different subject areas or disciplines)-PSYC& 100, SOC& 101, POLS& 101, POLS& 202 , ECON& 201, ECON& 202, ANTH& 100.

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