Transfer Frequently Asked Questions

This is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for transfer related topics.

• I want to transfer to Great Basin College. What should I do?
• What does "Transfer Articulation" mean?
• How long does it take to process an application for admission?
• How long will it take for my transcripts to be evaluated?
• How will my credits transfer?
• What does it mean if my courses are evaluated as MATH LELC or MATH UELC?
• Why didn’t my credits transfer?
• What is meant by accreditation status?
• What are the benefits of transferring to GBC with an associate of arts, associate of science, or associate of business degree from an NSHE (Nevada System of Higher Education) community college?
• What if I already have a bachelor’s degree when I begin at GBC?
• What is the Student Substitution/Waiver Form?
• Why can’t I enroll online when another course has been approved as a substitute for the prerequisite course?
• I attended college decades ago. Will the credits transfer?
• What is reverse transfer?
• What is the due date for transfer applications for admission?
• Does GBC award college credit for the Advanced Placement and CLEP exams? and/or International Baccalaureate courses I took in high school?
• If I begin my college career at an NSHE community college and plan to later transfer to another NSHE institution for my bachelor’s degree, how can I be sure that I take the right classes at the community college?

I want to transfer to Great Basin College. What should I do?

• Apply to Great Basin College: www.gbcnv.edu/admissions
• When you apply, be sure to declare a major so that we can appropriately evaluate your transcript.
• After you have applied to GBC, contact your previous institutions and have official transcripts sent to the Admissions & Records Office, Great Basin College, 1500 College Parkway, Elko, Nevada 89801.
• If you are currently attending a community college in Nevada and plan on transferring to GBC in the future in order to obtain a bachelor’s degree, be sure to look at our Transfer Agreements.

What does “Transfer Articulation” mean?

“Transfer Articulation” is the process in Admissions & Records to determine how the courses you took at other institution(s) transfer to GBC.

How long does it take to process an application for admission?

In most cases, the online application for admission is processed within 24-48 hours. You will receive both email and written confirmation. When you apply, please make sure that you enter your email address correctly, as all future communication will be via e-mail.

How long will it take for my transcripts to be evaluated?

Transcript evaluation times vary. Please take into account that the month preceding each semester, and the months when degrees are posted, are particularly busy. We strive to do the evaluation within two to four weeks, but appreciate receiving transcripts as early as possible. If you completed a degree at your previous institution, please ask that the transcript be sent after your degree has been posted on the transcript.

How will my credits transfer?

Applicants from regionally accredited institutions are granted credit for completed courses that are applicable to your declared major. The Nevada System of Higher Education mandates that we charge an Excess Credit Fee for students who have taken over 150% of the credits necessary to complete their declared degree, so we try to limit the articulations to relevant courses.

What does it mean if my courses are evaluated as MATH LELC or MATH UELC?

If the transfer course does not have a direct equivalency to a GBC course, it will receive the LELC (lower-division elective) or UELC (upper-division elective) designation with the appropriate departmental prefix.

Why didn’t my credits transfer?

You Credits are generally awarded for courses that are applicable to the declared GBC degree and are completed at regionally accredited institutions. If you completed work at an institution that was not regionally accredited (see below), you may not receive credit for that work. If you took a course elsewhere that was remedial/developmental, it will not be articulated unless it will be helpful as a prerequisite for a college-level course.

What is meant by accreditation status?

Accreditation is an evaluation process for colleges and universities. The Nevada System of Higher Education institutions all have regional accreditation, considered by most as the ‘gold standard’ of accreditation. As a result, GBC can generally only articulate courses taken at another regionally accredited institution.

Following are the regional accrediting associations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA):

• Middle States Association of College and Schools (MSA), Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE), Commission on Institutions of Higher Education;
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CTCI), Commission on Technical and Career Institutions;
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC), The Higher Learning Commission;
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU);
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges;
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASCACCJC), Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges;
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASCACSCU), Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.

What are the benefits of transferring to GBC with an associate of arts, associate of science, or associate of business degree from an NSHE (Nevada System of Higher Education) community college?

We will waive the lower division general education requirements for your GBC bachelor’s degree (or a second associate’s degree). There may be, however, some specific lower division program and prerequisite requirements that you will still need to complete. These can be minimized by closely following our Transfer Articulation Agreements while attending your original NSHE community college.

What if I already have a bachelor’s degree when I begin at GBC?

If you transfer to GBC with a bachelor’s degree from another institution, we will waive both lower and upper division general education requirements, unless they are also program requirements.

What is the Student Substitution/Waiver Form?

There are cases in which we may be able to do course substitutions or waivers based on your transfer classes, even if they are not exact equivalents of the GBC courses. This process can be initiated by your advisor, a department chair, or the Admissions & Records Office, depending upon the situation. Please feel free to raise the question and be prepared to provide additional documentation (such as a course syllabus) if you feel that your transfer credits should be applied differently. This most frequently occurs with courses brought in as LELC or UELC (see What does it mean if my courses are evaluated as MATH LELC or MATH UELC?).

Why can’t I enroll online when another course has been approved as a substitute for the prerequisite course?

The approved substitute course must be evaluated as a direct equivalent of the prerequisite course to allow online registration. When that is not the case, and you are trying to enroll through your MyGBC Student Center, the system will not recognize that you have essentially completed the prerequisite. In this situation, you can contact the Admissions & Records Office for help.

I attended college decades ago. Will the credits transfer?

Yes, the credits can transfer at least as general elective credit. However, in areas of study in which the subject matter changes rapidly, such as Computer Technology and Education, material in courses taken long before graduation may become obsolete and thus the courses may not be applicable to the desired degree. Contact the relevant academic department for further explanation.

What is reverse transfer?

Reverse transfer is a process that allows a student to receive a degree from Great Basin College even after leaving GBC to attend another institution. This is most likely to occur if you are close to a GBC degree, but before finishing those final classes, transfer to another college. By working with a GBC advisor, you can carefully select courses at your second institution that will meet the requirements of your GBC degree. Even if you feel you are no longer interested in your original degree, you may later wish you had taken advantage of a reverse transfer. Once you have completed the final requirements, just send your latest transcript to GBC and apply for graduation.

What is the due date for transfer applications for admission?

We do not have a transfer application deadline. However, we recommend planning as far ahead as possible so that there are no last minute problems with financial aid, transcript evaluations, admission to courses, etc.

Does GBC award college credit for the Advanced Placement and CLEP exams? and/or International Baccalaureate courses I took in high school?

Yes. You will find specifics on test credit awarded on the basis of these exams in the GBC Catalog and on our website. Test credits will be posted on your record only after official scores have been received directly from the testing agency.

If I begin my college career at an NSHE community college and plan to later transfer to another NSHE institution for my bachelor’s degree, how can I be sure that I take the right classes at the community college?

Great Basin College, the University of Nevada at Reno, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and Nevada State College all have transfer agreements for each of their bachelor’s degrees. These agreements will help you select the courses at your community college that will also meet the requirements of your intended bachelor’s degree. Be sure to take advantage of these transfer agreements while simultaneously working with an advisor.

For More Information Contact

Admissions Advising & Career Center
Great Basin College
Phone: 775-753-2180
admissions@gbcnv.edu

Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College wants to be your choice for higher education. GBC offers associate and baccalaureate level instruction in career and technical education and academic areas. About 3,800 students are enrolled online from across the country and on campuses and centers across 86,500 square miles, two time zones, and ten of Nevada’s largest counties. We border Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and California. We are GBC!