What is Wyoming Reverse Transfer?
Many students transfer each year from Wyoming’s community colleges to the University of Wyoming with at least 15 credits towards their associate degrees. Many of those are eligible for an associate degree by reverse transfer while they are completing their bachelor’s degree. Wyoming Reverse Transfer allows transfer students who are current UW students to combine their UW college credits with community college credits to receive an associate degree.
What are the benefits of earning an associate degree after transferring to the University of Wyoming?
You may have plans to complete a bachelor’s degree, and we certainly hope you do! By earning an associate degree, you become more marketable to potential employers, and can earn more money as a result of earning the degree as you work toward completing a bachelor’s degree.
Unfortunately, challenges arise that can disrupt your progress toward completing a bachelor’s degree. By completing an associate degree, you ensure that those credits don’t go to waste! If you earn an associate degree, you guarantee that all of your coursework transfers to a four-year institution in the event that you begin working toward a bachelor’s degree again.
Will receiving an associate degree affect my progress toward a bachelor’s degree?
As you fulfill requirements at UW that qualify you for an associate degree by Reverse Transfer, you are simultaneously making progress toward completing your bachelor’s degree! Obtaining an associate degree does not change the courses or path you are currently on toward completing your bachelor’s degree. If you have questions about this, contact your current UW advisor.
How do I know if I’m eligible to participate in Reverse Transfer
To be eligible to participate in the Wyoming Reverse Transfer Program, you must meet the following requirements:
Be a transfer student currently enrolled at the University of Wyoming Have a minimum of 15 Wyoming community college credits
Have a minimum of 60 combined college credits
If you meet these requirements, you will receive an email from the University of Wyoming with an invitation to opt-in.
How do I opt-in to Reverse Transfer?
If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements to participate in Reverse Transfer, you will receive an email from UW with an invitation to opt-in. By opting-in, you provide consent to allow UW to share your courses, grades and transcript with your former community college so that they can evaluate your combined credits.
Embedded in the content of the email is a place to “Opt-In.” If you click there, you will be directed to a page where you provide some basic demographic information and grant consent. Opting-in is simple–a click and 2 minutes of your time is all we need!
If I opt-in, does that mean I will be awarded an associate degree?
Not necessarily. If you receive the invitation to opt-in, that means you meet the minimum requirements to participate. By opting-in, you grant permission for your former community college to perform a degree audit where they evaluate your coursework.
If you maintained at least a 2.0 GPA at your community college, and meet other requirements, you will be awarded an associate degree by Reverse Transfer, and will be contacted by your former community college’s Registrar’s Office.
If you did not complete all the necessary coursework to receive an associate degree at this time, a representative from the Registrar’s Office at your community college will notify you of which courses you are missing in order to complete the requirements.
If you take those courses in future semesters, you will still have an opportunity to receive an associate degree by Reverse Transfer while at the same time making progress toward completing your bachelor’s degree.
Once I opt-in, when do I find out if I get the degree?
Once you opt-in, it takes community colleges most of the semester to perform a degree audit. If you meet all of the requirements for an associate degree by Reverse Transfer, the degree will be awarded at the end of the semester.
Your former community college will contact you once the degree is posted.
How much does it cost to opt-in to Reverse Transfer?
The associate degree you started at a Wyoming community college can be awarded to you at no cost while you continue to work toward completing your bachelor’s degree.
If I get an associate degree by Reverse Transfer, what happens to my financial aid?
If you receive a Pell Grant, Hathaway Scholarship, or a federal loan, your financial aid will not be impacted. However, if you receive aid from a private scholarship, you will need to review the conditions of the scholarship–there may be a clause that impacts the financial award if you receive an associate degree. While this is very rare, you can discuss your financial aid with someone in the UW Financial Aid Office if you have concerns.
Which associate degree will I receive if I meet the requirements?
Degree audits will compare your coursework to all of the transfer pathways available at your former community college. If you meet the degree requirements for one of those, that is the degree you will be awarded. If you do not meet the requirements for one of these content-specific programs, the community college will also check to see if you meet the requirements for an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science General degree.
Can I participate in Reverse Transfer if I already have an associate degree?
Students that have already earned an associate degree are not eligible to participate in Reverse Transfer. If you receive an invitation to opt-in, and already have an associate degree, please contact your former community college’s Registrar’s office so that they can remove you from the list of eligible students.