4 Ways to Maximize Your Transfer Credit

You can save time and money when you apply what you already know to your college education. Makes sense, right? The truth is that many students underestimate the value of their own life experience and prior knowledge as they consider their degree program.

More students are entering college with a wealth of relevant skills already at their fingertips. Wondering if that’s you? Take a second to answer these simple questions:

• Have you taken a class at an accredited post-secondary institution?
• Have you taken advanced placement testing?
• Have you completed formal on-the-job training?
• Have you served in the military?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you might be eligible for transfer credit. Here are four tips to maximize the number of credits you transfer into Herzing University.

1) Submit all of your transcripts.

Send in all of your transcripts from previous coursework at any accredited post-secondary institution, no matter your cumulative GPA. You never know what will be accepted! In fact, Herzing University accepts transfer credits into any degree or diploma program. Check out Herzing’s complete credit transfer checklist to learn more.

2) Submit your advanced placement testing results.

Advanced placement testing is a great way to earn credit for what you already know. Herzing accepts credit for nationally recognized tests including:

• Advanced Placement (AP) from the College Board
• DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) from Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) from the College Board

3) Don’t forget about military courses or on-the-job training.

Many military courses in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have been evaluated for college credit by ACE, as documented on a Joint Service Transcript (JST). For more information on credit recommendations for military courses, see the ACE Military Guide. Also, Herzing University is one of two institutions in the U.S. to offer military medics credit toward becoming a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse.

Some private companies have also had their training courses or certification tests evaluated for award of college credit by ACE. For more information on credit recommendations for industry courses and tests, see the ACE National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training.

4) Think outside of the box.

Not all college-level learning takes place in the classroom. Herzing University works with organizations like Learning Counts and the National College Credit Recommendation Service to recognize expertise gained from career, military, or volunteer service.

To discuss how your own life experience could maximize your transfer credit, talk to an admissions advisor today. Good luck!

Christy Juul Nyemeck is the Associate Director of Admissions at Herzing University’s Brookfield Campus. She has a BA in Communication with an emphasis in Peace Studies from UW-Milwaukee and an MBA from Herzing University. Favorite part about what she does? Seeing graduates update their LinkedIn Profile with a shiny new job that they got as a result of their education. When she’s not busy being a “closet nerd,” you can find Christy cheering on her favorite NBA team: OKC.