The strategic partnership between AcademyOne and Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE) began in 2008. In accordance with Pennsylvania’s Perkins Five Year State Plan, as mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV), Career and Technical Programs of Study (POS) aligning with statewide articulation agreements were being developed. Agreements were designed to ensure a non-duplicative, seamless transition for students from secondary level to postsecondary level based on achievement of competencies. This effort in Pennsylvania became known as Students Occupationally and Academically Ready (SOAR).

Starting in the Fall of 2008, students have been able to use the Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System to make the transfer of college credits easier. And since then, Pennsylvania has seen a 13% increase in the number of students transferring from Pennsylvania community colleges to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities and a 9% increase in the total number of credits transferred. With an average cost of $231 per credit hour, the credits transferred in 2009 alone have saved students nearly $34.5 million in "credit transfer taxes," i.e. the cost of having to repeat a course not accepted for transfer by the student's new college.

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The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has awarded a multi-year contract to AcademyOne, Inc. to improve college transfer and articulation in South Carolina. AcademyOne will develop a South Carolina electronic web portal to assist students and support college and university staff with tools that make it easier to transfer credit and evaluate how prior coursework will transfer among public South Carolina colleges and universities.

Unfortunately for students seeking to transfer their previous work, the culture of credit transfer at some traditional colleges and universities has not kept pace with the rapid changes with today’s mobile students. Many universities still insist that they will accept academic credits or degrees only from institutions that are regionally accredited. The culture of “regionally accredited only” can lead to frustration for students who choose to earn their credits at nationally accredited institutions, such as those accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the DETC. Until the traditional higher education community comes into compliance with the national calls for a more open system, we have developed this Student’s Guide to Transfer of Credit as a helpful road map through the transfer maze.

The Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) is an automated transcripting system designed to help registrars, admissions officers, counselors, and deans award Soldiers and Veterans credit for learning experiences gained while in the Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve.