Need Help Transferring to a Four-Year College?

Susan Norton (staff photo)

by Theo Legree and Elizabeth Hair

If you find the process of transferring to a four-year college or university confusing, overwhelming and frustrating, you are not alone. Many students looking to transfer have shared similar feelings and concerns. Many find that the language on applications and forms is confusing and feel that the rules keep changing. Add those challenges to the difficulty of fielding advice and recommendations from multiple sources and you may find a messy situation at hand. However, Trident Tech has a number or resources to help you so that the transferring process does not have to be a problem.


TTC’s Palmer Campus is holding a Transfer Fair on Tuesday, March 27^th from 11:30 am to 1:30pm outside of room 102. Admissions representatives from the following colleges and universities will be available to meet prospective students and answer questions about transfer admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and more:

Charleston Southern University

Coastal Carolina

College of Charleston

Limestone College

Park University

Saint Leo’s University

Southern Wesleyan University

Springfield College

The Art Institute of Charleston

The Citadel

Webster University

Susan Norton, Assistant Vice President of Academic Programs, helps to direct transfer advising at TTC. She offers sage advice stemming from over 25 years of experience overseeing the college's transfer system. Perhaps the single most important piece of advice she gives is to see your academic advisor. While many people on campus, including friends and fellow classmates, are willing to offer advice, you should get information directly from a well-informed source. For example, your program or academic advisor knows where to find the different transfer policies for different schools and can warn you that not all colleges calculate your GPA based on the same criteria.

Another tip that Norton offers is that “prior to transferring you need to be aware of what college you would like to attend and know the field of study you plan to major in.  Knowing this information is vital to transferring". The sooner you make these decisions and discuss them with your advisor, the better help you will receive. If you change your mind about your plans, let your advisor know immediately. There are few things quite as frustrating as realizing that you spent countless hours and dollars to complete a course to then find out that it will not transfer.  

Advisors may also be able to dispel common myths that create unnecessary challenges for many students. For example, many students assume that if they want to transfer to a four-year college to work on a bachelor’s in accounting then they need to major in accounting at TTC. However, because each university’s requirements and transfer policies are different, an associate in arts degree from TTC may be a better option. An academic advisor can help you navigate the tricky system.

Before falling victim to the challenges of the transfer process, seek advice. Choose a school to which you want to transfer. Consult TTC’s informational page on University Transfers. Explore the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center website. Make an appointment and meet with your advisor. And, you can also directly contact the school you wish to transfer to and set up a meeting to discuss your intent and to clarify expectations. To make the transfer process even more convenient, Trident Tech offers several opportunities to meet with other universities without having to travel. TTC schedules multiple transfer advising periods each semester. College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University, and The Citadel will each hold an advising session on March 27^th, 28^th, and 29^th respectively in Building 100, room 140. You don't need an appointment for these sessions. You may drop in.