If you’re looking for a way to make the jump from community college to a four-year university, look no further than the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). ADT degrees are offered at all California Community Colleges and provide a clear pathway to various four-year universities. In this blog post, we’ll explain an ADT degree and highlight some of the benefits of earning one. We’ll also examine how ADTs can help you save money on your higher education expenses.

Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) Explained

What is an ADT Degree?

An Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is a degree program designed to allow community college students to seamlessly transfer credits from their associate’s degree into a four-year university. ADTs are designed to save time and money by allowing students to graduate with an associate’s degree in two years or less, then transfer all of their credits to an accredited four-year university and earn a bachelor’s degree in another two years.

What is an Associate Degree?

An associate degree is an academic program that prepares transfer students for various employment opportunities or to enter into a more advanced degree program.

Qualified applicants can receive an AS T Degree (Associate Science Degree for Transfer) and enter the workforce. They can also elect to continue with the college admission process and submit an application for spring or fall admission.

Prospective students should decide if pursuing an approved associate degree pathway is the correct or most expedient way of transferring to a specific CSU campus.

Transfer applicants Reach out to your community college transfer center if you are a transfer applicant looking to confirm admission requirements or confirm applicant eligibility in the ADT transfer program.

Common associate degrees include:

• Associate of Arts (A.A.)
• Associate of Science (A.S.)
• Associate’s Degree in Applied Science (AAS)

These associate-level degrees typically require two years of full-time study and generally increase one’s skill set and earning potential. They are an excellent option for those looking to enter the workforce quickly and can provide considerable benefits if further pursued at a four-year university afterward.

How Does it Differ from Other Associate Degrees?

An Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), on the other hand, is specifically designed to make transferring to a four-year college or university easier. AS T Degree and AA T Degree types are in conjunction with the ADT Transfer program.

This type of associate degree is developed with course requirements that may satisfy major requirements at many universities and colleges, thereby significantly reducing your time spent on completing the bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution.

Despite having educations of similar lengths, associate degrees and associate degrees for transfer differ significantly in terms of focused education, graduation requirements, and college transfer process.

Who Offers an Associate Degree for Transfer?

ADTs are offered by most California Community Colleges, and the requirements for each California community college vary. Generally, students must complete coursework in Math and English, as well as general education classes that fulfill transferable requirements for majoring at a four-year university.

Part of the enrollment at community colleges is the ability to choose different transfer pathways. The California State University (CSU) system and every CSU campus are the primary benefactors of Associate Degrees for Transfer students.

Integration/Partnership between:

California State University (CSU Campuses)

California Community Colleges

What are the Benefits of an ADT

a. Guaranteed Admission or Priority Consideration in Major Choice

An Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) offers numerous benefits for undergraduate students. Participating universities grant priority admission to those who complete their Associate Degree for Transfer and priority consideration for impacted majors.

This provides students with the chance to fulfill their goals of obtaining priority admission eligibility or priority selection into a major, while streamlining and simplifying the transferring process.

Furthermore, applicants who complete an ADT degree are guaranteed to be accepted at a participating four-year university, allowing them to secure their educational pathway more easily.

b. Reducing the amount of time needed to complete a bachelor’s degree

An Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) from any California Community College is an excellent way to transfer to the California State University System with benefits.

ADTs provide students with the assurance of completing general education requirements and grant them advanced standing within the CSU system, preparing them for their major course of study.

Furthermore, students with an ADT will benefit from a seamless transition and priority registration in the CSU system.

An ADT provides the ultimate flexibility in planning and pursuing one’s educational goals while providing lower tuition costs, allowing those who may not have considered a four-year university due to financial barriers access the same opportunities as their peers.

c. Having a specific academic path to follow at community college

One of the hallmarks of the ADT is the organization and simplicity it provides for students. Prospective California Community College students can meet with a counselor, select their major, and create a personalized course plan that will guarantee they meet all the requirements to submit an application.

With a transfer associate degree, students can streamline the admission process by following a designed path that guarantees the fulfillment of corresponding major program admission requirements.

For example, if you are pursuing an approved associate degree in business administration, then you have to follow the classes laid out in the general education catalog for the business major program you selected.

You will take your accounting, general business, communications, and other classes that align with the corresponding major program at a four-year university.

How to Get an Associate Degree for Transfer

a. Requirements Needed to Earn an ADT

To get an ADT, it’s essential to plan ahead and understand what transferable classes are required for the degree. It’s also important to make sure that the classes being taken will be accepted by a four-year university, which is something community college advisors can assist with.

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Additionally, community college advisors can provide guidance on what courses must be taken to fulfill the requirements for an ADT.

It’s important to remember that an ADT is intended for students who wish to transfer to a four-year university and complete a bachelor’s degree.

With this in mind, the total requirement for a Bachelor’s Degree is 120 units, with 60 of those being completed at the California Community College level. The 60 remaining credit units will be finished at the university the student transfers to and subsequently receives a Bachelor’s Degree.

Please Note: ADTs are major-specific, meaning students must commit to their major as they will create their schedule and courses based on their chosen major.

It is essential to recognize that not all California Community Colleges offer ART programs in specific majors. This is especially true in majors that are deemed impacted.

b. Select Courses That are Part of the ADT Program

Course selection is paramount if you are going down the ADT pathway. Firstly, you need to ensure that all the classes you enroll in are transferable to a CSU. You will need 60 CSU-transferable semester units to receive an ADT.

Moreover, students need to maintain a 2.0 minimum grade point average (GPA) in all CSU-transferable coursework in order to successfully complete the ADT pathway.

Similarly, students must complete a general education pathway (GE) which consists, in the California Community College system, of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum Pattern (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Pattern (CSU GE).

c. Verification of Associate Degree for Transfer Pathway

Pursuing an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is a great pathway to prepare yourself for admission consideration into a four-year university.

Students seeking admission priority consideration at California Community Colleges should pay close attention to the eligibility requirements and deadlines associated with their program of study.

Related: UC TAG Program: Guaranteed Admission for Transfer Students

Related: How to Transfer from Community College in One Year | Step-By-Step Guide

To ensure that you are eligible for admission priority consideration, you must submit verification that all of the remaining requirements have been completed or are in progress toward completion by the stated ADT completion deadline.

This can be done either by submitting your “petition to graduate” with an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) at the community college you are attending or by sending a copy of the evaluation form to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment at the CSU campus.

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Additionally, you will also need to submit a final transcript showing completion of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) by the stated official transcript deadline. By adhering to these steps and other specific instructions from your prospective institution, you will be well on your way toward a successful transfer!

Why Getting an ADT may be the Right Choice for You

In conclusion, earning an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is a great way to achieve your educational goals and make the transition from community college to a four-year university.

Earning an ADT makes it easy to transfer credits towards your bachelor’s degree and offers students flexibility in their choice of universities.

Additionally, ADT students can save money on tuition and fees by taking advantage of the many discounts offered at participating institutions.

All in all, earning an ADT degree provides many benefits and opportunities that make it easier to reach your academic goals.