Choosing a School

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Many high school students are advised to begin their college careers at a community college for cost or academic reasons. However, the transfer process from a two-year college to a four-year university can be confusing at best, with conflicting requirements that may make a degree that much more elusive. The result is that many students never end up graduating at all, and some don't even make it into the hallowed ivy walls of a university in the first place.

This video offers some tips on how to transfer from a community college to a four-year university.

California Higher Education Bill

The state of California is hoping to change all the confusion, thanks to legislation intended to make the transfer process much easier and more streamlined. A report at the Chronicle of Higher Education explains the legislation, which was slated to go into effect during the fall of 2011. The bill was approved in the state senate, and Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in September 2010.

The California bill requires community colleges to offer a redesigned associate's degree. Students who complete the degree would be guaranteed admission into the California State University system, where they could complete a bachelor's degree in 60 additional semester units or less. The purpose of the bill is to increase the number of

Earning a bachelor’s business degree can pay off in dividends, with staff accountants generating $40,000 annually to financial controllers earning a median salary of $70,000. If you are a community college student considering a business career, there’s good news on the horizon! Some of America’s best business programs have partnered with local community colleges, offering transfer students guaranteed admissions into business schools at four-year universities.

This video explains how to transfer from a community college to a four year college.

Building Bridges Between Community Colleges and Business Schools

Across the country, more community colleges and business schools are signing articulation agreements, guaranteeing admissions for transfer students who meet the requirements.

For example, in Westminster, Maryland, Carroll Community College (CCC) signed a transfer agreement with Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School in November of 2009. The agreement “assures that qualified community college students can enter Johns Hopkins without the loss of credit and work on a four-year degree while entering with junior status.” With this agreement, community college students at Carroll have a specific outline regarding which courses to take and how they will transfer toward a B.S. Business.

In addition, through this agreement, students of Carroll Community College who intend to pursue a degree with the Carey Business School can access joint programs, resources, and advisors.

According to CCC’s dean of Mathematics, Business, and Sciences, Judy Coen, “The new agreement indicates a trend

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

As community colleges struggle with over-crowding and a lack of funding, for-profit colleges have offered to help, giving community college students the opportunity to earn transferable credits at low tuition rates.

Kaplan’s Online Courses Can Count Towards Community College Degrees

The Wall Street Journal reports that Kaplan University, a for-profit college owned by the Washington Post Co., offered California community college students the option of taking courses at its online schools. These credits could be applied towards a degree at their home campuses.

In addition, the newly created Community College Connections program allowed students to take Kaplan’s online courses at a 42% discount, which made the cost of courses similar to that of a community college course.

Kaplan also allowed graduates of California’s community colleges to transfer to one of its degree programs and complete their bachelor’s degrees at a 10% discount, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kaplan University became Purdue University Global in 2018. The original discounts and Community College Connections arrangements are historical and should not be assumed to remain available in 2026.

This video gives an overview of Kaplan education.

Community College Credits Count Towards B.A. Degrees at Bridgepoint

Meanwhile, Ashford University, which was operated by Bridgepoint Education Inc., signed articulation agreements with a number of community colleges and public universities and colleges. The articulation

Years ago, community college students were most likely to transfer to state colleges or universities. But today, community college graduates are increasingly found at private and highly selective four-year colleges.

Experts say the change is likely a result of increased recognition of the value of a diverse student body, the pressure that some small colleges are feeling to bring in tuition-paying students during this economic downturn, and awareness from college administrators that community college transfer students often bring a special set of strengths with them to four-year institutions.

Why Private Colleges and Universities are Recruiting Community College Students

Increasing Diversity

University of Virginia sociology professor Josipa Roksa tells the USA Today that selective private colleges specifically recruit community college graduates because these transfer students can often help with their campus diversity “in terms of race and socioeconomic status."

Tatiana Melguizo, an education professor at the University of Southern California, says that her university has been working hard to increase its population of minority students and that USC has found that accepting transfer students is a good way to accomplish the goal. The university, Melguizo tells USA Today, has found that “Community college transfers [are] the best deals. They're motivated, they're more likely to graduate, and they're relatively cheap" for the college to educate.

Seeking Tuition Revenue

Financial considerations may also be driving the surge of private institutions that are courting community

In these times of tighter family budgets and increased competition for admission to four-year universities, community college students may worry about their prospects for transferring to a university after earning an associate’s degree.

However, many students can put their minds at ease, especially if they live in an area where local community colleges have entered into guaranteed admission agreements with four-year state universities. Students planning this route may also benefit from Community College Review’s guide to transferring from community college to a university in 2026.

What follows is an overview of some states that are leading the way in guaranteed admission and articulation agreements:

Abigal Endsley writes on Pearson.com, one of the leading providers of educational materials:

“So before contacting your local community college, first decide what degree you want and where you want to graduate from. This, admittedly, is a monster of a task in and of itself.

Then you’ll need to know what’s required to earn that specific degree from that specific school. What kinds of courses do you need? What subject? What specificity? What level? Check the college’s website for this information.

Once you understand what degree you want, where you want to earn it from, and your degree’s specific college credit requirements, only then can you begin researching which of those credits you can transfer from a community college.”

Hawaii

Students who earn an associate’s degree from one of the seven community colleges in the University of Hawaiʻi System may qualify