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You’ve Earned Those Credits – Let's Make Them Count!

Student on laptop with additional students in the background.

Many students come to AACC already having earned college credit from other institutions. Others have demonstrated their mastery of skills through years of military service, on-the-job experience, standardized tests and more. You’ve worked hard to gain that knowledge, so we do everything possible to count those credits toward your AACC degree or certificate.


How Many Credits Transfer to AACC and How?

At AACC, you can allocate up to 45 transfer credits toward an associate degree or half the credits required for a certificate. Up to 30 of those transfer credits can come from nontraditional sources (military experience, CLEP, AP, IB, credit by examination and portfolio assessment). Of those nontraditional credits, a maximum of 15 may be earned through a combination of credit by examination and portfolio assessment.

Transferring Credits from Other U.S. Colleges

Credits from other colleges don’t automatically transfer to AACC. In conjunction with content matter experts in the academic departments, our records and registration team reviews every course and credit individually to determine which ones count toward your program at AACC. Check out our Transfer Credit Equivalency Database that shows how courses from other institutions may transfer to AACC. Knowing which may transfer and which may not will help you understand our final decisions about transfer credit.

  1. Before you meet with an advisor, submit official, sealed transcripts from each institution you’ve attended. The certified e-transcript is the preferred method of receiving transcripts. Most institutions offer official electronic PDF transcripts. In that case, have your previous institution indicate that the official transcript be sent to records@aacc.edu through a third party transcript delivery service.  
    Note: Documents submitted as email attachments are considered unofficial. AACC must receive your transcript within one year of the date they are printed and sealed.
  2. That’s it! After your transcript has been reviewed, you will be able to view your transfer credit summary in your MyAACC account under Self Services > Academics (the little graduation hat icon) > Institutions Attended. Click "Expand all" to see specific coursework from each institution. This will be completed within 20 business days from the time we receive your official transcript.

Transferring Coursework from Institutions Outside of U.S.

Before considering transfer credits from institutions outside the U.S., AACC requires students to have their transcripts reviewed on a course-by-course basis by one of our approved professional transcript evaluation services: 

Credit from AP, Cambridge, CLEP, IB, and Departmental Exams

  • Advanced Placement (AP) scores of 3 in most subjects are accepted at AACC.
  • Cambridge International Assessment Examinations (Cambridge AICE) scores of C (40 points) are accepted in the five AS level exams recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE)
  • College Level Examination Programs (CLEP)
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) scores are accepted by AACC. Generally scores of 5 and higher are accepted at AACC. Go to the Transfer Credit Equivalency Database and select International Baccalaureate as the institution to learn more.
  • Credit by Examination may be possible in subjects for which College-Level Examinations (CLEP) are not available. The exam is graded on a pass/fail basis and does not affect the student’s GPA at AACC. Passing grades will be listed on the student’s academic record as transfer of credit. Students may not take a challenge exam for a course they have failed.

Articulation Agreements with Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Articulation agreements are a type of educational partnership where an institution agrees to accept certain credits that were earned at a different educational institution. Below you will find our agreements with Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Prior Learning Portfolios

In cases where national standardized exams or challenge exams are not available, a student may be able to complete a portfolio that demonstrates his/her experience and college-level learning. In some cases, AACC will consider a portfolio, if that experience demonstrates mastery of skills or concepts taught within an AACC degree or certificate program.

Military Training

If you completed training through the U.S. military, submit your official Joint Services transcript (Army, Navy, Coast Guard or Marines), Community College of the Air Force transcript or a photocopy of your DD-214. We count your basic training as AACC’s general education health/fitness/wellness requirement, and we award credit for other military training and occupations using the American Council on Education credit recommendations when a similar discipline is offered at AACC.

Proficiency Credit

AACC partners with Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) to align high school coursework with AACC college courses that leads to proficiency credit.


Transfer Agreements

Transferring to AACC

Transfer agreements (or “articulation agreements,” as they’re officially called) are formal arrangements between institutions that allow certain credits to transfer seamlessly from one school to the other.

AACC has established transfer agreements with schools in and outside Maryland for a variety of majors. This gives you lots of options for a smooth transfer.

The following agreements can assist you in transferring from an outside institution to an AACC program.

INSTITUTIONAACC PROGRAMDETAILS

American Culinary Federation

A.A.S. - Hotel/Restaurant Management

Agreement

Course Map

American Health Information Management Association

A.A.S. - Health Information Technology

Agreement

Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities

A.A.S. Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Agreement

Course Map

Letter of Certification

Anne Arundel County Police Department

A.A.S. - Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Agreement

Course Map

Letter of Certification

City of Glasgow College

A.A.S. - Hotel/Restaurant Management

Agreement

Course Map

DoD Cyber Crime Center

A.A.S. - Information Assurance and Cybersecurity

Agreement

Course Map

Letter of Certification

Holistic Massage Training Institute

A.A.S. - Massage Therapy

Agreement

Course Map

The International Coach Federation

Engagement Coaching

Agreement 

 

Learn more about the transfer agreements we have for those transferring from AACC.


Common Questions

Information on AACC's Transfer Credit Criteria can be found in the AACC Catalog. This criteria aligns with the Maryland Higher Education Commission's mandates on transfer credit. Check out a few of our frequently asked questions below.

Can I register for classes prior to the completion of my credit evaluation?

Yes, but we recommend starting early and completing the credit transfer process before registering for courses. If that’s not possible, meet with an advisor to develop an educational plan, and provide an unofficial copy of your transcripts to help your advisor develop your schedule.

Do my previous grades transfer to Anne Arundel Community College?

No. Credit will be awarded for the successfully completed courses as appropriate. The grades you earned at other institutions will not transfer and will not affect your AACC grade point average.

Will courses in which I have earned a "D" transfer to Anne Arundel Community College?

Some Ds will transfer in some cases.

Will I need to take placement tests at Anne Arundel Community College?

Assessment tests are mandatory for all students (not just transfer students) unless you have transferable credits that are equivalent to Academic and Writing Research 1 (ENG-101) and general education math courses.

I am transferring from an institution that operates on a quarter-hour system. How will my courses be evaluated?

In general, you should assume that about two-thirds of your total quarter-hours earned will transfer as term hours.