In addition to considering whether other institutions will accept the FYS course credits as part of students’ transfer package, there are other points related to transferability that should be discussed as benefits of the FYS course requirement.
Data from 2014 shows that students who completed FYS (CSS at the time) had higher overall GPAs than their peers who did not take the course, regardless of whether they completed at least one college-level course that semester.
| Average Term GPA | Fall 2010 | Spring 2011 | Fall 2011 | Spring 2012 | Fall 2012 | Spring 2013 | Fall 2013 | Spring 2014 | Fall 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSS completers | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Assessed but did not take | 2.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Assessed but did not take and completed at least 1 course | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
The difference between a 2.9 and 3.1 is significant; it is a major threshold for students planning to take advantage of the A2B Mass Transfer program.
From the Mass Transfer Website:
Students who complete an A2B Degree with a 3.00 or greater GPA will receive the MassTransfer Tuition Credit for two years at the state university or University of Massachusetts campus, provided they (1) matriculate within one year of receiving an associate degree; (2) enroll continuously (full-time or part-time) in day program; and (3) achieve 3.00 GPA after the first two semesters.
A GPA of 3.0 is also required for many of the transfer scholarships that NECC students apply for, and which are essential for allowing our students to continue their studies at 4-year colleges. In general, students who complete FYS may be more likely to apply for and receive scholarships, regardless of their overall GPA, simply because of the course’s inclusion of financial literacy as a topic of study. Not only does the course include direct instruction about financial aid options, such as scholarships and loans, but in many sections of FYS, instructors use a scholarship application essay as a required writing assignment. Students then have a well-crafted essay to use for applications when appropriate.
These two factors – GPA above 3.0 and greater knowledge about applying for scholarships – are important to consider when asking how FYS is related to student transfer to 4-year institutions. Although the course credits themselves may only transfer as Free Elective credit, there are other substantial benefits from the course which may make it significantly more likely that students are able to transfer the college of their choice.