Students save significant sums when deciding to fulfill the first couple of years at Bellevue College before transferring to a four-year college or university to complete their bachelor degrees. Five different Associate degree programs are offered as part of the State of Washington’s Intercollege Relations Commissions (ICRC) transfer. The direct transfer agreement (DTA) ensures that students’ education at BC will complete the lower division education requirements at the various participating baccalaureate institutions.
Associate degrees include Arts and Sciences, Business, Elementary Education, Math Education and Associates in Science (AS). While each of these programs have specific course requirements, students are expected to have at least five credits in communications, 5 credits in Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (Courses MATH&107 and above), 10 credits in Humanities, 10 credits in Social Sciences and 10 credits in Natural Sciences.
Students are expected to uphold certain academic standards in order to qualify for the transfer degree programs, including 90 college level credits, the minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in all coursework and the completion of 30 credits applicable toward the degree in residence at Bellevue College.
Completion of a transfer degree does not however, guarantee admission to any baccalaureate university. With careful planning on the intended major, it is possible to fulfill admissions and major program requirements with a transfer degree. Students should be aware that “some colleges operate on a different curriculum length basis, so some equivalencies don’t compute the way they would at a Washington state college. I have transferred credits from BC to Arizona State University. One of the huge problems that I had is that BC goes by quarters where ASU is semesters so a BC five credit only counts for three or two credits at ASU,” said Stacy Carbone, a Running Start Student at Bellevue College in spring quarter.
There are plenty of Academic Advising opportunities for students to take advantage of on campus. Advisors are dedicated to assisting students with selecting the coursework that will fulfill degree and certificate requirements. It is important to know how to navigate the college while having access to support programs and services. Advisors will connect students with program faculty for assistance in major and career goals.
Students are recommended to complete transfer degrees at Bellevue College prior to transferring. Most Washington state four-year colleges accept all 90 credits from associate degrees for transfer, and students may be able to transfer with junior status, depending on whether they have also met prerequisites for their intended major. Some colleges and universities will also consider most or all of their general education requirements to be met if they complete a DTA degree.
Bellevue College hosts transfer fairs every fall, winter, and spring quarters. Events include major-specific group advising sessions, personal statement writing workshops, and a fair including admissions representatives from over 30 local and national universities. There are also a variety of colleges that send representatives to BC every quarter. To see who will be visiting and when, students are encouraged to check out the calendar on the Bellevue College website.
When applying as a transfer student, students are required to pay an application fee and provide their official transcripts, financial aid application, a personal essay and GPA within the application deadline of the specific university that they are applying to. For some schools, it is important to also provide a portfolio or projects they have worked on pertaining to their intended profession or major. Cornish College of the Arts requires applicants to audition and provide a portfolio.
“I am writing music for my portfolio to get into a conservatory. I’m making sure that I have a lot of different genres and styles for it. I am trying to show my talents and stretch my ambition,” said Carly Worden, a composition student at Bellevue College, looking to transfer to the Royal College of Music in London.
General office hours for the Academic advising center are Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Summer hours vary, so students are recommended to find a counselor specialized in their specific department of interest. Students are encouraged to check out the BC website for more information pertaining to academic advising or to arrange an appointment.