AACC’s transfer studies program has more students than any other field of study, according to college statistics.

About 2,062 transfer studies students enrolled here in fall 2019, said Dr. Marjorie Rawhouser, assistant dean of liberal arts.

That’s 16.3% of all students at AACC.

Rawhouser said the program is popular because it “is really flexible in what you can take.”

Transfer studies students enroll in classes based on what they intend to study at a four-year university. They must have completed 12 credits in a specific concentration and 14 electives to meet the requirements for an associate degree in transfer studies, she said.

Students may choose how to customize their degrees.

Rawhouser pointed to a custom transfer studies page on the Nest that features links to application deadlines for four-year schools and information about upcoming activities. “I really encourage students to use that page,” Rawhouser said.

Still, Rawhouser said students can transfer to their four-year schools without the transfer studies degree.

“Some students think you have to be a transfer studies student to transfer,” Rawhouser said. “If you want to major in engineering, math, physics, English, communications, business [or] psychology [you can]. You don’t necessarily have to do transfer studies.”

She added, “You can make sure you take … the courses that you need that will give you the best transfer and would give you the most credits that transfer towards your major.”
Transfer studies students said they see the benefit of the degree.

“You are taking courses here that are saving a lot more money versus going to a university,” first-year transfer-studies student John Lorenzana said.

Third-year transfer studies student Owen Keys said the degree satisfied his needs.

“I have this constant quench for knowledge and satisfaction for my own personal needs and feel like [a transfer studies degree] can really help me,” Keys said.