The dual-enrollment program I took in high school with a local community college was a great experience for two reasons. I took an automotive repair course, and if you know me, that kind of thing makes my heart want to explode with joy. Also, the courses I took were at a college level and were going to transfer as credit toward my education at NIU.

Then I had a similar experience to what many of you may have faced. Expecting a certain course to transfer as credit for the same here, I was surprised to discover it did not. Annoyed, I thought to myself about the course in question, COMS 100, and two previous classes I’d taken in the same area – Speech in high school and COMS 100 at Blackhawk College. Between the two, I’d studied verbal and non-verbal communication, and had performed at least one of every speech taught at NIU. Sure I had received sufficient training in basic communication, I channeled my quiet rage into, well, nothing. This inaction was my mistake, and a mistake made by many.

I later discovered a proficiency exam for COMS 100 and decided to do this, but two weeks ago as I took the written portion of the test, questions returned to my mind as to how and who decides what credit transfers for which curriculum. After a discussion with Jill Boersma, an adviser in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, things are much clearer.

If you live in Illinois, basically all transfers of curriculum fall under the jurisdiction of something called the Illinois Articulation Initiative. This decides what basic curriculum is required for each course statewide. Then, faculty from each department and university get together and decide which of their courses meet these requirements for transfer, and specifically, which class it becomes at the other university. A list of these articulations is available online through the Office of Registration and Records. Out-of-state transfers become a little more complicated, and go through more specific reviews by the transfer center in Williston Hall.

But if it is not enough for you to know that there are brains knowledgeable in the course’s area deciding whether it transfers, there is another option. If you still believe a transfer is justified, present your case to the director of that specific program, along with a syllabus from the previous course. If you can show sufficient evidence that you have completed a similar curriculum, they might be able to help you out.

Unfortunately, I failed to do this. I could have done everything possible to make my case. On account of the competency exam, though, I let it go. But not every course has such an exam.

In fact, most don’t. What that means for you other dissatisfied transfer students is that if you really care enough to save some money and time by not taking a course you feel is superfluous, a little effort needs to be put forth. It is important to realize that while knowledgeable authorities are making these transfer decisions, there is always the possibility they overlooked something or that your case may be unique, allowing a transfer to be justified. No one will keep them accountable if we don’t.