Frequently Asked Questions about Transferring to Northland

What credits will transfer in?

Any college credit earned by taking a class at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning will transfer as long as it is not technical in nature. This includes classes taken while in high school.

How do I know if a college is regionally accredited?

Check in their official catalog or on the college web site. All colleges should have a prominent “Accreditation Statement” in both of these places. Regional accreditation is indicated by affiliation one of the following associations, each named after the region in which it operates: Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, Southern, and Western. If you’re still not sure call them and ask. We can also help you find out.

Can I earn credit by exam?

Sure. We award transfer credit based on acceptable scores earned on AP, IB, and CLEP exams. We do not accept credits earned by taking placement or proficiency exams offered by another college. We must receive official score reports directly from those agencies in order for us to consider the scores for credit. Credit is not awarded off of notation on a high school transcript that you took AP or IB course work.

How do I transfer credit to Northland?

As part of the admission process you will be asked for official transcripts from all college work ever attempted. Please arrange for all transcripts to be sent to the admission office. You may encounter registration problems if official transcripts from all colleges ever attended are not received before you begin classes at Northland. We do not grant college credit based on notation from a high school transcript. We need official transcripts from each college attended.

How many credits can I transfer in?

A student may transfer in up to 65 credits from any two-year college (junior college) or combination of two-year colleges attended. There is no limit on the number of transferable credits from a 4 year college. It is important to remember that at least 30 semester hours must be completed at Northland, including 20 semester hours in your major, to earn a Northland College degree. We have a maximum of 30 transferable credits earned by taking any combination of AP, IB, or CLEP exams.

What if I have questions about whether a class will transfer before I take it?

Ask your admission counselor. He or she will be able to help you figure it out equivalencies.

How do I know what the classes will count for?

A course-by-course transfer evaluation will be sent to you after you have applied for admission and submitted college transcripts or official AP, IB, or CLEP exam score reports. It will list what you took at the other institution and its equivalent at Northland.

What if Northland does not have an exact equivalent of what I took?

We will award elective credit for any classes you took for which we do not have a close equivalent.

What if I have questions about my transfer evaluation?

You can call your admission counselor or the registrar’s office with questions once you receive your official transfer evaluation.