Transfer Policies and Prior Learning Assessment for Advanced Standing

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Advanced standing will be awarded in the following hierarchy and sequence:

  1. transfer  course work from other institutions of higher education
  2. credit from national exams (CLEP, DSST, AP, IB)
  3. C-GCC challenge exams
  4. credit for life experience

A student who has attended another college or post-secondary school may be admitted to Columbia-Greene Community College with advanced standing. Up to half of the required credit hours in the C-GCC program can be earned at another college or through advanced placement; but to earn credit, courses completed elsewhere must fulfill the requirements of the C-GCC degree or certificate program in which the student is enrolled. For information about the transfer of credit, contact the Office of Records and Registration.

a.) Transfer Credit from Previous College Work

To have a course accepted as transfer for an equivalent to an existing C-GCC course, the course content, learning outcomes, and length/time of instruction of the course will be the primary determining factors to its transferability. While credits earned at an institution either accredited for post- secondary by one of the six regional accrediting agencies (e.g., Middle States Commission on Higher Education) or by the New York State Board of Regents more readily transfer than others, C-GCC does not determine transferability exclusively on the basis of the sending institution’s accreditation.

However, the institution must be accredited for post-secondary by an agency the U.S. Department of Education recognizes and if the institution is not accredited by one of the above regional or state agencies, a complete course syllabus may be required to determine transferability rather than the usual brief catalog course description. This will result in slower turnarounds of such evaluations.

All transfer credit evaluations will be completed by the Records & Registration Office. All re-evaluations of any eligible transfer credit must be approved by the Registrar.

  1. Students must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended directly to the Admissions Office in order to be evaluated.
  2. Only courses completed with a grade of C or better will be considered for transfer credit.
  3. Grades and quality points for courses transferred into C-GCC will not be used in calculating the grade point average at the college. Only credits transferred will be added to the cumulative credits earned.
  4. A minimum of 24 semester hours of classroom instruction must be completed at C-GCC for a degree to be granted. The following chart illustrates the minimum number of semester hours of classroom instruction that must be completed at C- GCC for a certificate to be granted.
    30 credit hours certificate:15 credits required
    24     credit hours certificate:12 credits required
    15     credit hours certificate: 9 credits required
  5. Students transferring into Nursing will not receive credit for science courses completed more than ten years prior to their entry into NU 101. Additionally, student requesting to transfer in Anatomy & Physiology 1, Anatomy & Physiology 2, and Microbiology from other institutions may need to submit a syllabus for review by the Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences before a direct equivalency can be established.
  6. Students who change their curriculum while attending C-GCC will have their credits re-evaluated to determine applicability to the new curriculum governed by the catalog that is current at the time of the curriculum change.
  7. Students who do not agree with the College’s decision on the granting or placement of credit earned at a prior institution have the right to submit an appeal to the Registrar’s Office. Students requesting an appeal should be prepared to provide reasonable material to support their case, such as the course description or syllabus in question. See specific procedure below.
  8. Students who lose their matriculation and re-admit will have their credits re- evaluated to determine applicability according to the catalog current at the time of readmission. If the student attends another college or university between the time of loss of matriculation and readmission, an official transcript from that college must be submitted at the time of readmission and prior to re-evaluation. If more than 7 years has elapsed between the time of loss of matriculation and readmission, the student is required to submit new official transcripts from all colleges attended

Transfer Evaluation Procedure

  1. Students are to send official transcript from all previous colleges attended to the Office of Admissions.
  2. Admissions provided copies of official transcript to the Office of Records and Registration.
  3. Official transcripts are evaluated by the Registrar or designee.  While all courses with a grade of C or better will be evaluated upon admission, only courses applicable to the student’s current program will be transferred in for credit.  A transfer evaluation sheet will be created and uploaded to the student’s permanent record.
  4. If a transfer equivalency is unclear or cannot be determined, the Registrar or designee will send the transfer course description and any potential equivalency to the Chair of the appropriate Academic Division, who will make the final determination.  In such cases, additional information (i.e. the syllabus) may be needed to determine the most appropriate equivalency.
  5. Following the submission of a Change of Curriculum, the student will need to complete a Transfer Re-Evaluation Request form.  These forms can be obtained from the Advisement Office or the Office of Records and Registration.
  6. Transfer equivalency databases will be maintained in both Banner and TES for future reference and application.

Transfer Evaluation Appeal Process

  1. If a student wishes to appeal the College’s decision regarding transfer credit or placement, they should coordinate with their advisor to complete a Transfer Evaluation Appeal Form and submit to Records and Registration along with relevant course syllabus and/other supporting evidence.
  2. Once received, the Registrar will re-evaluate the initial decision in light of the newly provided supporting documentation and, if needed, consult with the appropriate faculty or Division Chair.  If approved, the change will be made in the student’s educational record and the student will notified in writing.  If denied, the Registrar will notify the student in writing providing a rationale for the decision. 
  3. If the student wishes to appeal the denial, they will have ten (10) business days from the date of the denial notification to submit a written appeal to the Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. This written appeal should include the original appeal request, all substantive documentation provided earlier in the process, and a copy of the Registrar’s denial letter.  The Dean will then make the final determination regarding the transfer. This final determination will be provided to the student in writing within 15 business days from the submission date of the second appeal.
  4. If the student does not agree with the Academic Dean’s final decision, or has not received a response from in 15 business days, the student pay appeal to the SUNY Provost.  Details on this process my be found HERE.

b.) College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

  1. Columbia-Greene Community College recognizes credit earned through testing by the College Level Examination Program of the College Board and awards credit for successful completion of CLEP tests in the same manner that transfer credits are awarded. For further information, inquire at the Admissions Office or visit www.collegeboard.com/CLEP.
  2. The student must be matriculated and the CLEP test equivalent course must be applicable to the student’s current matriculated curriculum.
  3. Successful completion of CLEP exams is generally the equivalent of a C level score.
  4. Credits awarded from CLEP exams will meet institutional degree requirements in their appropriate academic area and can be used for elective courses. However, they cannot be substituted for a required course unless the CLEP exam is considered to be that particular course, or a course substitution is granted by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
  5. Credits awarded from a science CLEP exam may not be used to meet a lab science requirement.
  6. Credits awarded from CLEP exams do not always meet SUNY general education requirements.
  7. Credit granted through this means at C- GCC may count toward graduation, but it is not guaranteed to be accepted as transfer credit at another college.

DSST (DSST Subject Standardized Tests)

  1. Columbia-Greene Community College recognizes credit earned through testing by the DSST program and awards credit for successful completion of DSST tests in the same manner that transfer credits are awarded. For further information or dates of exams, inquire in the Admissions Office.
  2. The student must be matriculated, and the DSST test equivalent course must be applicable to the student’s matriculated curriculum.
  3. Successful completion of DSST tests is generally recognized to be the equivalent of a C level score.
  4. Credits awarded from DSST tests will meet institutional degree requirements in their appropriate academic area and can be used for elective courses. They cannot be substituted for a required course unless the DSST test is considered to be that particular course, or a course substitution is granted by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
  5. Credits awarded from DSST tests do not always meet SUNY general education requirements.
  6. Credit granted through this means at Columbia-Greene Community College may count toward graduation, but it is not guaranteed to be accepted as transfer credit at another college.

The College Board Advanced Placement Exam

  1. The college recognizes the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams and awards credit for successful completion of AP exams in the same manner that transfer credits are awarded.
  2. Successful completion of AP exams is indicated by a grade of 3, 4, or 5. Credits awarded from AP exams will meet institutional degree requirements in their appropriate academic area and can be used for elective courses.
  3. The student must be matriculated, and the College Board Advanced Placement Exam equivalent course must be applicable to the student’s matriculated curriculum.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students seeking to transfer IB credits must be matriculated and an official IB transcript must be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration for evaluation. 

Students with IB Diploma:
CGCC may award up to 30 credits to students who have earned an IB diploma with a cumulative score of at least 30 – including both SL and HL exams – and no score less than a

  • 12 to 24 credits, with assigned course equivalents, on a course-by-course basis for Higher Level courses completed with a score from 4 to 7. 

  • 6 to 18 credits, assigned as elective credit, for completing the remaining Standard Level courses and extended Essay requirement. 

Students without IB Diploma:
Credits are awarded on a course-by-course basis for HL exams with a score of 4 or higher. (See IB Transfer Equivalency Table for additional details.) 

Transfer Process 

  1. Upon receipt of official IB transcript the Registrar will provide an initial review of the student’s educational experience. If IB transfer equivalencies already exist and all eligibility requirements are satisfied, the Registrar will approve the transfer. If an equivalency does not exist, the Registrar will then complete a IB Transfer Credit Recommendation form and submit along with supporting evidence to the appropriate Division Chair1 or faculty for review.
  2. The Chair will review the Registrar’s recommendation and approve, suggest amendments, or deny the recommendation.  If the recommendation is denied, the Chair will provide the Registrar with a written explanation for the denial, who will then notify the student of the decision and provide a rationale for the denial.  
  3. Once a final determination has been made, the appropriate changes will be made to the student education record and the student will be notified in writing.
  4. ​​​​​​​The approved credit equivalency will then be recorded in the IB Transfer Equivalency Table for future application. 

Transfer Evaluation Appeal Process

  1. If a student wishes to appeal the College’s decision regarding transfer credit or placement, they should coordinate with their advisor to complete a Transfer Evaluation Appeal Form and submit to Records and Registration along with relevant course syllabus and/other supporting evidence.
  2. ​​​​​​​Once received, the Registrar will re-evaluate the initial decision in light of the newly provided supporting documentation and, if needed, consult with the appropriate faculty or Division Chair.  If approved, the change will be made in the student’s educational record and the student will be notified in writing.  If denied, the Registrar will notify the student in writing providing a rational for the decision.
  3. If the student wishes to appeal the denial, they will have ten (10) business days from the date of the denial notification to submit a written appeal to the Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. This written appeal should include the original appeal request, all substantive documentation provided earlier in the process, and a copy of the Registrar’s denial letter.  The Dean will then make the final determination regarding the transfer. This final determination will be provided to the student in writing within 15 business days from the submission date of the second appeal.

  4. If the student does not agree with the Academic Dean’s final decision, or has not received a response from in 15 business days, the student pay appeal to the SUNY Provost.  Details on this process my be found HERE. 

c.) Internal (C-GCC) Challenge Examinations

  1. Permission to challenge a course by internal examination must be obtained from the appropriate division chairperson. The student must be matriculated with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, and the course challenged must be applicable to the student’s matriculated curriculum. Under no circumstances can the student challenge a physical education, business/career experience internship, or Automotive Technology courses. The student will be required to furnish some evidence of the reasonableness of the request. A student is allowed only one challenge attempt.
  2. Credit for internal challenge exams will be evaluated but will not appear on transcripts until after completion of 6 credits with a GPA of 2.0.
  3. Internal challenge exams will be prepared, administered, and graded by the college faculty or designee in the Student Success Center and will only be provided when it is apparent to the division chairperson that the student is adequately prepared to sit for the exam and a CLEP or DSST exam does not exist for that course. Arrangements for the date, time and place for the challenge exam will be made with the faculty member or Student Success Center proxy administering the exam.
  4. The decision of the division chairperson as to who will be allowed to challenge college courses through internal examination will be final. The scheduling of the examination is at the discretion of the division chairperson. No challenge will be administered after Late Registration for the upcoming semester.
  5. A minimum of 30 semester hours of formal classroom instruction must be earned at Columbia-Greene for a degree to be awarded (15 semester hours for a certificate).
  6. The fee for taking an internal challenge exam will be $25 per examination (non-refundable), payable prior to sitting for the exam.
  7. LPNs may challenge NU 101 and NU 102 courses. The challenge exam fee is $135 per examination (non-refundable). See the Nursing section of this catalog for more information.

Excelsior External Degree Examinations

  1. Columbia-Greene Community College recognizes credit earned through testing by Excelsior College and awards credit for successful completion of Excelsior College External Degree Examinations in the same manner that transfer credits or CLEP test credits are awarded.
  2. The student must be matriculated, and the Excelsior External Degree Exam equivalent course must be applicable to the student’s matriculated curriculum.
  3. Credit granted through this means at Columbia-Greene Community College may count toward graduation, but it is not guaranteed to be accepted as transfer credit at another college.

d.) Credit for Life Experience

Formal education is only one type of learning experience. If you are entering or returning to college after several years and have been working, volunteering in the community, serving in the military, or studying independently, you may have acquired some college-level learning from these experiences.

  1. Credit for life experience will be evaluated upon admission but will not appear on the student’s transcript until after completion of 6 credits at C-GCC with a GPA of 2.0.
  2. Credit is awarded only to matriculated students and only where applicable to the student’s program.
  3. Interested students must apply and be accepted to C-GCC. Once matriculated, the student should contact the Admissions Office.
  4. A maximum of 30 semester hours may be awarded toward the degree through life experience; at least 30 semester hours for a degree (15 for a certificate) must be completed at Columbia-Greene Community College.
  5. Evaluation may be by a variety of methods including, but not limited to, CLEP exams, DSST tests, and certificates attesting to successful completion of military, corrections, or police training. Evaluation may also be obtained by preparing a comprehensive portfolio detailing learning experiences and providing appropriate documentation.

Note: Please refer to the Schedule of Tuition and Fees on page 64 for information on fee structure.

Military Credit

C-GCC supports the personal and professional development of military veterans and their families. To that end, documented military experience can be accepted as a form of transfer credit and/or advanced placement upon matriculation into a degree program.  For prior military experience or training to be considered for transfer credit the student must submit one or more of the following forms of official documentation to the Office of Records and Registration: 

  • DD-214 
  • ACE Credit Recommendation or Joint Service Transcript (JST) 
  • Military Transcript (AARTS, SMART, Coast Huard Institution, etc.) 

Specific Stipulations 

  1. Barring programmatic restrictions, Armed Forces transfer credit awarded by another SUNY institution shall be guaranteed to transfer to C-GCC. Credit granted through this means may count toward graduation at C-GCC, but it is not guaranteed to be accepted when transferring to another institution.
  2. ​​​​​​​Documentation of prior military experience will be reviewed upon matriculation.  Accepted credit will be recorded on the student’s transcript as “MC.” It will not factor into the student’s GPA. 
  3. Credit will only be granted for training relevant to the student’s current degree program.
  4. ​​​​​​​Credit review must occur prior to registering for or completing the course for which the credit for prior learning is being requested. 
  5. When evaluating Joint Services Transcripts, only recommendations listed as Upper (U) or Lower (L) credit level will be eligible for transfer.  C-GCC does not consider Vocational (V) level credits for transfer at this time.
  6. ​​​​​​​Armed Forces credit that has no established transfer history or credit equivalency will be initially evaluated by the Office of Records and Registration and approved by the appropriate Division Chair or their designee prior to award of credits. 

DD-214 vs JST 
Veterans who present the Office of Records and Registration with an official DD-214 are eligible to receive 4 credits in transfer (1 GN ELE, 1 HE ELE, and 2 PE ELE) automatically.  However, this cannot be applied to the student record if presented with a JST, given the latter provides a more detailed educational assessment of the veteran’s military basic training.  The JST will thus supersede the DD-214 in the transfer process

Military Transfer Credit Review Process 

  1. Upon receipt of official documentation of military training (see list above), the Registrar will provide an initial review of the student’s previous military experience and any accompanying credit recommendations.  If military transfer credit equivalency already exists, the Registrar will approve the transfer and amend the student educational records. If an equivalency does not exist, the Registrar will then complete a Military Credit Recommendation form and submit along with supporting evidence to the appropriate Division Chair1 for review. 
  2. The Chair will review the Registrar’s recommendation and approve, suggest amendments, or deny the recommendation.  If the recommendation is denied, the Chair will provide the Registrar with a written explanation for the denial, who will then notify the student of the decision and provide a rationale for the denial.  
  3. Once a final determination has been made, the appropriate changes will be made to the student education record and the student will be notified in writing. 
  4. The approved credit equivalency will then be recorded in the transfer catalog for future application. 

Transfer Evaluation Appeal Process 

  1. If a student wishes to appeal the College’s decision regarding transfer credit or placement, they should coordinate with their advisor to complete a Transfer Evaluation Appeal Form and submit to Records and Registration along with relevant course syllabus and/other supporting evidence. 
  2. Once received, the Registrar will re-evaluate the initial decision in light of the newly provided supporting documentation and, if needed, consult with the appropriate faculty or Division Chair.  If approved, the change will be made in the student’s educational record and the student will be notified in writing.  If denied, the Registrar will notify the student in writing providing a rational for the decision.   
  3. If the student wishes to appeal the denial, they will have ten (10) business days from the date of the denial notification to submit a written appeal to the Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. This written appeal should include the original appeal request, all substantive documentation provided earlier in the process, and a copy of the Registrar’s denial letter.  The Dean will then make the final determination regarding the transfer. This final determination will be provided to the student in writing within 15 business days from the submission date of the second appeal. 
  4. If the student does not agree with the Academic Dean’s final decision, or has not received a response from in 15 business days, the student pay appeal to the SUNY Provost.  Details on this process my be found HERE.