What is Dual Admissions?

Dual admissions is a type of transfer agreement between Community College of Philadelphia and local area colleges and universities. In dual admissions, each partner institution guarantees admission into the institution on the condition that students meet the specified requirements. Admission into a particular major is not guaranteed. Upon transfer, students receive junior standing for majors for which a Community College of Philadelphia associate degree is considered a suitable match. Scholarships for qualified students are available.

Dual admissions is for first time degree holders. Students do not qualify for dual admissions if they have already attended the dual admissions institution of their choosing.

How do I get started on dual admissions?

Students interested in dual admissions must submit an online Dual Admissions Intent Form before earning no more than 30 or 45 college level credits (depending on institution). To submit an Intent Form, find “Transfer/Dual Admissions” on the top right side of the MyGPS tab after logging into MyCCP.

The system will determine qualifications based upon the number of credits the student has completed (as noted above) and Community College of Philadelphia major. Assuming the dual admissions partner institution has the matching major (not every institution has every major) students are allowed to submit an intent form for as many institutions for which they qualify.

What are the conditions for dual admissions?

Upon submission of the Intent Form(s), students are admitted to the dual admissions partner institution on the condition they do the following:

1) Graduate from CCP with an appropriate matching associate degree (not every dual admissions institution offers every major).
2) Graduate with a minimum cumulative GPA as required by the dual admissions institution.
3) If appropriate complete the required courses as requested by the dual admissions institution (visit with an Academic Advisor or Counselor for further details).
4) Complete the admission/enrollment process as required by the dual admissions institution.
5) Enroll at the dual admissions institution within the time frame stated on the institution’s Dual Admission Transfer Partnership page. Typically this is one year from graduation.

Can I submit more than one Dual Admissions Intent Form?

Yes, students are eligible to submit intent forms for more than one institution. In fact, assuming students have not reached the credit limit and the dual admissions partner institution has a matching major, students are welcome to submit an intent form for as many institutions as they wish. (Not every institution has every major and not every major qualifies for dual admissions.)

Note: once an intent form has been submitted for a particular institution, students can not submit another intent form for that institution.

Do I have to attend an institution for which I have submitted a dual admissions intent form? What if I change my mind after signing the Dual Admissions Intent Form?

Students are not under contractual obligation to attend any dual admissions institutions even after they submit an Intent Form.

Am I limited in transfer to only dual admissions institutions? Can I transfer to another (non-dual admissions) college/university?

While dual admissions offers students conditional admission and financial incentives for those who qualify, students are not limited to these institutions. Students may transfer to any college/university as long as the student meets the college/university admissions requirements. Questions about whether their Community College of Philadelphia courses transfer should be directed to a Community College of Philadelphia Counselor or Program Advisor, or the Admissions office for the transfer institution. Transfer credit decisions are ultimately determined by the transfer institution.

What if my graduation date has changed from when I submitted my intent form? Do I still qualify for dual admissions?

While we ask students for their anticipated graduation and enrollment date at the time of Dual Admissions Intent Form submission, there is no penalty if these dates change. As long as the student meets the conditions for dual admissions, they still qualify.

Do I have to attend the dual admissions institution immediately after earning my associate degree?

Students planning to transfer through dual admissions must enroll at most institutions within one academic year of earning the Community College of Philadelphia degree and not attend another institution between graduation and enrollment at the dual admissions institution.

What if I do not complete my associate degree but I still want to transfer?

Students interested in transferring before earning their associate degree must apply directly to the transfer institution and admission will be based on the general university admissions criteria. Students who do not earn an appropriate associate degree before transfer forfeit the benefits of core-to-core or dual admissions, including the dual admission scholarship. All students should consult the transfer institution in regard to financing their education.

I attended another school before coming to the community college. Am I still eligible to participate in dual admissions?

Students must submit a Dual Admissions Intent Form before earning no more than 30 or 45 college-level credits from any college/university including CCP. This means that if the student attended another college/university (including abroad) prior to attending CCP, those credits count towards this total (whether CCP accepted the credits or not). This rule has nothing to do with whether the student transfers credits to CCP or whether the courses count for their degree (either at CCP or in transfer). It simply asks if the students have earned more than the limit noted in the agreement (30 or 45 credits). This is true even if CCP is not aware of the credits. After more than 30 or 45 credits (as determined by the institution) are earned, students are ineligible to enroll in dual admissions.

(Note, some partner institutions have rescinded a student’s dual admissions status after it is revealed that a student has earned more than the limited number of credits upon submitting an Intent Form.)

I attended another college/university prior to CCP but that was many years ago and I’ve changed my major. Do I need to get that transcript?

While students are able to enroll at CCP without disclosing prior academic history (prior college/university transcript), all 4 year college/universities require that students show full academic history before they can enroll at their institution. This is true even if the credits don’t transfer or if the students don’t intend to use any of those credits for their bachelor’s degree. Transfer admissions decisions are usually based upon the most recent institution attended. With dual admissions, the institutions are looking at the cumulative CCP GPA for admissions decisions.

What if I took classes outside of the United States? Do I still qualify for dual admissions?

Because the credit limit to submit a Dual Admissions Intent Form (ie: 30 or 45 college level credits) also includes any post-secondary study outside of the United States, students must take this into account when submitting a Dual Admissions Intent Form. Students who have taken classes outside of the United States can still submit a Dual Admissions Intent Form as long as the student has not earned more than 30 or 45 college level credits before submission of the form. Students are expected to show full academic history when applying for transfer from CCP.

Students who have earned a degree from an institution outside of the United States no longer qualify for dual admissions. Also ineligible are students for whom an evaluation determines the number of U.S. equivalent credits exceeds the limit to enroll in dual admissions.

Note: Temple University requires full academic history including transcripts from abroad. Students unable to get an official transcript from the international institution, must request a special exception from Temple (this is rarely given).

My transfer institution requires an evaluation for the classes I took outside of the United States… how do I do this?

Usually American colleges/universities (including CCP) require an evaluation of a foreign transcript because the transcript is in a language other than English and/or due to differences in the educational system outside of the U.S. While there are several evaluation services, World Education Services (WES) is the one most students use. https://www.wes.org

How do I know if my major qualifies for dual admissions?

Use the search feature on the Dual Admissions Transfer Partnerships page to see if the CCP degree/major has a match to the dual admissions institution of interest. Some students may need to change their CCP major to satisfy the requirements for the transfer institution.

Dual admissions is for non-select majors at the transfer institution. It is possible that the intended major is offered at the dual admissions institution but does not qualify for dual admissions. Students are asked to visit with a CCP Counselor for assistance.

I submitted my Dual Admissions Intent Form and received my confirmation email that I’m in dual admissions, now what?

Students who successfully submit a Dual Admissions Intent Form are conditionally admitted into the dual admissions institution. The primary conditions are to graduate from CCP with the appropriate CCP major, with the appropriate courses and the minimum cumulative CCP GPA.

It is recommended that students meet with a CCP Counselor to explore their transfer options and discuss the classes they should take for the most effective transfer process. To schedule an appointment with a Counselor, call 215-751-8169, email , stop by BG-7 on Main Campus or contact a Regional Center.

I have almost completed my associate degree, now what do I do?

While submitting a Dual Admissions Intent Form notifies the partner institution of a student’s interest, students still need to go through the Admissions and Enrollment process for the dual admissions institution of choice.

Once a student earns 45 college level credits or the semester before he/she enrolls in the final courses, the student should begin the Admissions and Enrollment process to the transfer institution of interest. Most students will submit an Undergraduate Admissions Application found through their dual admissions transfer institution’s webpage; the application fee should be waived. Also, dual admissions students interested in non-select programs should not have to submit an essay or letter(s) of recommendation; a few select majors may require an early application because of the competitive nature of the admissions process.

Upon submission of the admission application, students should begin requesting their academic transcripts from high school (or GED scores) and all college/universities attended to be sent directly to the transfer institution of interest.

When will I get my dual admissions scholarship?

To qualify for a dual admissions scholarship students must typically have a higher GPA than the minimum cumulative GPA required for admissions. Scholarship money is disbursed once the dual admissions partner institution receives a final transcript from CCP indicating the degree has been earned. This means there might be a lag time between when the student completes their final class and their degree is officially posted on the computer system (ie: when the degree is awarded).

Note: Drexel will require that students have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA from any non-CCP institution in order to award the students their dual admissions merit scholarship.

What is Core-to-Core?

Core-to-Core (also known as: Community Bridge or Gen Ed-to-Gen Ed) is a type of transfer agreement between Community College of Philadelphia and local area colleges and universities. By earning an appropriate associate degree, usually an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science, the core/general education requirements of the transfer institution are satisfied except for any courses required by the intended major (and in some cases the requirements that reflect the specific values of the transfer institution, for example, religion or foreign language courses).

The College has core-to-core agreements with the following: Arcadia University, Cabrini University, Chestnut Hill College, Holy Family University, La Salle University, Rosemont College, Rutgers University - Camden, and Temple University. West Chester University offers students a similar benefit that they call Academic Passport.

Will my classes transfer?

Typically, a course will transfer if it is a college-level course offered by the transfer institution, has a grade of “C” or higher and fulfills major, general education or free/general elective requirements for the degree at the transfer institution. It’s important to understand how your courses fit into these primary components of a bachelor’s degree.

While in most cases grades of "D" may count towards the associate degree, most transfer institutions will only give transfer credit for courses with a grade of “C” or higher. Some transfer institutions will accept grades lower than a "C" but only to count for general education or elective credit.

Students should visit with an Academic Advisor or Counselor for assistance in course selection. Many transfer institutions offer unofficial transfer credit evaluations while your degree is in progress. A formal evaluation of credits by the transfer institution will be conducted as part of the transfer admissions and enrollment process.

Is my associate degree accepted in its entirety or is each course evaluated individually?

While completion of the associate degree will be used to determine eligibility for dual admissions and core-to-core, each course is evaluated individually. In order for credit to transfer, the student must typically earn a grade of C or higher in a college-level course.

I thought this was a two-year degree, how come it will take me longer to earn my associate degree?

While full-time is defined as four classes (12 or 13 credits), students who enroll full-time with five classes (15 or 16 credits) during two cycles of “fall/spring” semesters can earn an associate degree in two years. Students taking four classes or less during any given fall or spring semester have the option to make up the difference by taking classes during the summers.

Many students are not able to take five classes during a fall or spring semester due to numerous reasons. These may include family responsibilities, job/work responsibilities and/or a student’s academic readiness. It is recommended that students enroll in as many classes as they can but still earn strong grades in their courses (especially because this leads to scholarship money at CCP and for transfer.)

It's taking me longer than two-years to earn my associate degree, how long will it take me to earn my four-year degree?

Students who earn an appropriate associate degree are expected to transfer into the transfer institution with junior standing into a matching major. Typically this means that a student enrolling full-time (five classes – 15 or 16 credits) at the transfer institution for a matching major should be able to earn their bachelor’s degree within an additional two years. Some programs may take up to three years to complete even as a full-time student.

Students not able to enroll full-time at the transfer institution should ask the Admissions office at the transfer institution about the part-time options they have available. Part-time enrollment will lengthen the time it will take to earn a bachelor’s degree.

I’m almost ready to graduate, what’s next? (For transfer to any college/university)

Once a student earns 45 college level credits or the semester before he/she enrolls in the final courses, the student should begin the Admissions and Enrollment process to the transfer institution of interest. Most students will submit an Undergraduate Admissions Application found through the transfer institution’s webpage. This is true for dual admissions students. Some (non-dual admissions) institutions may require an essay and letter(s) of recommendation and/or completion of the Common Application.

Upon submission of the Admissions application, students should begin requesting academic transcripts from high school (or GED scores) and all college/universities attended to be sent directly to the transfer institution of interest.

Students interested in transfer to select and/or competitive programs should visit a CCP Counselor and/or an admissions representative from the transfer institution for further details. (In some cases, early admissions deadlines and/or additional assessment such as a portfolio or audition may be required.)

What is the Common Application?

“The Common Application (informally known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of 693 member colleges and universities in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, and many European countries.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Application)

While completing the Common Application can take longer than many of the Undergraduate Admissions applications found on local institution’s sites, there are advantages to submitting a Common Application, including submitting one application for multiple institutions.

Do I have to send my high school transcripts to my transfer institution?

It’s up to the transfer institution but yes, most will require them. In general high school transcripts (or GED scores) are typically not required for admissions but are usually required for graduation from their institution. Given this, we recommend you send high school transcripts (or GED scores) as soon as possible.

What if I attended high school abroad and I can’t get my high school transcript?

Students unable to obtain their high school diploma from abroad but have earned at least 30 college level credits from CCP or any other regionally accredited college/university are eligible to request a high school equivalency from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students should log into MyCCP and complete the “Application for Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma 30 College Credit Option” under the Records and Registration section of the dynamic forms.

Do I have to take a placement exam before I can register for my first semester at my transfer institution?

An English and/or math placement test may be required by the transfer institution before you can register for courses. Since the placement exam will usually hold up the enrollment and registration process, students are advised to take the requested placement exam (and do the best that they can).

Course Delivery Formats:

Transfer Institutions offer courses in a variety of formats such as those listed below. Not all institutions offer all formats. And in some cases, the same institution will offer different programs in different formats. Make sure to ask the transfer institution.

• Traditional:  14 or 15-week semesters with possible accelerated summer sessions. Day or evening sessions. Most traditional full-time students attend in this in-person format (Drexel has 10 week quarters). Some evening programs use the same semester.
• Accelerated/Degree Completion:  Accelerated sessions year round; semesters typically run in 6, 7, or 8 weeks. Often taught online, evening, and/or weekend. Targeted to students with significant work schedules. Allows degree completion in a shorter period of time than traditional. 
• Degree Completion:  Refers to a format in which the associate degree is accepted or at minimum a significant number of credits are accepted as a ‘block’ of credit. An upper division (junior/senior) block is completed at the transfer institution to earn the bachelor degree.
• Online/Hybrid:  Most if not all learning is online. Hybrid includes at least intermittent in-person class meetings. Many of these academic programs are targeted to students who have significant work schedules. Most of these programs are also taught in an accelerated format.

It has been a while since I submitted a dual admissions intent form. Is it still valid? Do intent forms expire?

No, dual admissions intent forms do not expire. Once students submit a dual admissions intent form, they qualify for all dual admissions benefits as long as they meet the conditions of admissions. Please visit the “Dual Admissions Eligibility” section of each institution’s Dual Admission Transfer Partnership page for further details.

I don’t remember if I submitted a dual admissions intent form. How do find out if I submitted a dual admissions intent form?

Students who submit a dual admissions intent form will be sent an automated confirmation email to their CCP email address.

Additionally, students can see their “Previously Selected Dual Admissions Institutions” on the first page they receive once they select “Submit a Dual Admissions Intent form” on the Transfer/Dual Admissions box on the top right of the MyGPS tab after logging into MyCCP (see sample below).