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1. Identify Your Goal

Which College?

Most students at TTC can find transferable courses that will match the general education requirements at most four-year colleges, but you need to know which college you will be transferring to if you are going to make every credit count. Your chosen four-year college will determine which history courses you should take, how much foreign language, which math courses, how many credit hours of lab science, and a number of other decisions.

Which Major?

Even at a single university, the requirements for freshmen and sophomores can be different for different majors.  For example, a business major usually takes different math courses than an engineering major; a psychology major takes different social sciences than an accounting major. If you are undecided which major you will pursue, you can usually find a list of general education requirements to pick from, but the choices within that list may be determined by major.

2. Find Out General Education Requirements

Use a catalog from the college/university you have selected to find out the distribution of hours that institution requires. This information is usually under a heading of General Education Requirements, Core Curriculum or Graduation Requirements. This list will not include the courses in your intended major, just the college's requirements in humanities, mathematics, English, social science, lab science, etc.

Then check the section of the catalog that describes requirements for your intended major. There you will probably find more information about which courses are best to take in your first two years. For example, if the general education requirement calls for six hours of social science, the section on the accounting major will tell you that those six hours should be in economics.

3. Use Articulation Lists

If you are transferring to a college in South Carolina, you will probably be able to find a list of courses that transfer from the technical colleges in South Carolina on the college's website or at www.sctrac.org. Be careful when using transfer lists: just because a course transfers does not mean that it is the appropriate course for you to take. You do not want to transfer and then find out that you have not met any requirements but instead have only elective credit. These lists are to help you find which courses at TTC correspond to courses or other credit categories at the four-year college, not to be used without knowing the general education requirements.

If you are transferring to a college not in South Carolina, you will need to use a catalog from the four-year college/university and find out from that school which courses they will accept from TTC. Because TTC is a regionally accredited college, most transfer-level courses will be accepted, but you should make sure.

4. Look Up Transfer Policies

Every college has policies on admission and transfer of credit that you should learn about as soon as possible. Using a catalog or transfer brochure from the four-year college, you should be able to find the answers to the following questions:

  • What GPA do you need at TTC?
  • What grades do you need for a course to transfer?
  • How many hours do you need to take before you can be admitted as a transfer student?
  • Is there a maximum number of hours that you can transfer?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which schools accept transfer credit from TTC?

Most colleges and universities accept transfer credit from TTC. Check the four-year college's website for information on specific transfer policies. TTC maintains general transfer agreements with many South Carolina colleges and universities, as well as some specialty transfer, or 2+2 agreements. For information about South Carolina colleges and how your TTC credits will transfer, you can look on each college's website or access information at the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center website www.sctrac.org.

What are the advantages of taking transfer courses at TTC?

TTC's transfer program has numerous benefits. First, earning transfer credit at TTC enables many students to be admitted to four-year colleges and universities who might not be admitted as freshmen. Second, the cost of TTC tuition is one-half to one-third the cost of tuition at most four-year colleges, so students who complete the first two years of a baccalaureate degree can potentially save thousands of dollars. Third, with small classes, helpful instructors, and high standards, TTC transfer courses effectively prepare students for higher levels of coursework.

What should I major in at TTC?

Most of TTC's transfer students major in Associate in Arts or Associate in Science because those majors are designed to prepare students to transfer. Most other majors, while not designed to transfer, also include some transferable courses. Some students who wish to take only a few transfer courses attend TTC as non-degree-seeking students.

How should I select courses?

Careful course selection is important because requirements vary from college to college and from major to major within a college. Work closely with your assigned academic advisor, get information from the four-year college, and use TTC's transfer tips.

How do I get my credits to transfer?

You'll need to request your official transcript to be sent to your new college or university so they can evaluate it for possible transfer credit. Click here for information and directions on how to request your official Trident Technical College transcript.

What GPA do I need at TTC?

Sometimes the GPA required for transfer to a college is different than the GPA required for admission to a particular program at that college. Sometimes the four-year college or university will calculate GPA in a different way than TTC does. Find out if the GPA on your TTC transcript is the same as the one the four-year college will be using for admissions. (Some schools average in every attempt at a course; others only average together certain courses.)

What grades do I need for a course to transfer?

Most colleges/universities require a C- or better to award transfer credit for a course.

How many hours do I need to take before I can be admitted as a transfer student?

You can transfer credit to most colleges even if you have only taken one course, but you will likely have to meet freshman admission standards. Most colleges will waive some freshman admission standards if you have earned a minimum number of transferable credit hours, usually 30. Find out how the number of credit hours you earn at TTC will affect your admission requirements.

Is there a maximum number of hours that I can transfer?

Most college catalogs and admissions websites specify a maximum number of credit hours that students can transfer from other colleges or universities.

Transfer Resources

Palmetto Calculator

The Palmetto Calculator is a web-based tool developed by the S.C. Commission on Higher Education to calculate an estimate of the cost of attendance to S.C. public four-year colleges and universities.

Transfer Student Success Guide

The SC Commission of Higher Education created this online resources to assist students transferring between colleges.