ProjectAdvance

Students

Gaining Recognition FAQ

Requesting a transcript be sent to your college is the most important action you must take in seeking recognition for your Syracuse University coursework. Your transcript is the record of all of your SU courses. Your transcript will not be sent automatically to your college or university, as Syracuse University has no way of knowing where you are enrolling, unless you enroll at SU. Your request must go to the Syracuse University Transcript Office, not the Project Advance office. You can have an official transcript sent by following these procedures:

Find out exactly where your college wants the transcript to be sent (the admissions office, the registrar's office, etc.). You can get this information from your college application, the college catalog, or the college admissions office.

Obtain and complete a Syracuse University transcript request form from your Project Advance teacher or your high school guidance office. If a transcript request form is unavailable for some reason, you may request that a transcript be sent by writing a letter to the transcript office. The letter must include your full name (not your nickname), social security number, high school, SU course taken, year the course was taken, and the name, title, and address of the college official to whom the transcript will be sent. Alternatively, a transcript request letter sample is available on our web site: supa.syr.edu. It is also a good idea to request that an unofficial copy of the transcript be sent directly to you at the same time. (Download our request template).

Wait until you receive complete and correct grade reports from Syracuse University before requesting a transcript.

Mail your transcript request to:

University Transcript Office
109 Steele Hall
Syracuse University
Syracuse NY 13244-1120

You may also FAX your completed and signed
transcript request to 315-443-7994

Syracuse University policy and federal law protect access to student records. You are the only person authorized to request that an official Syracuse University transcript be sent to your chosen college or university, and the request must be made according to the procedure detailed above. Transcripts will not be sent when the request is made by telephone, by e-mail, or by an individual other than you.

When you get to college, check with the person or office where you had your transcript sent to make sure it arrived.

Do not try to negotiate credit transfer before you have sent your transcript. Courses in which you earned grades below C are usually not transferred.

If your college is reluctant to give recognition for your SU courses, contact our office either in writing, by phone, or by e-mail at:

Syracuse University Project Advance
400 Ostrom Avenue
Syracuse NY 13244-3250
315-443-2404
email: help@advance.syr.edu

Be sure to find out the reason for your college's reluctance; the more information we have the more useful we can be. Although we can’t force any college to accept Syracuse credit, we can write letters and/or make phone calls on your behalf.
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Are all colleges and universities obligated to recognize my SU credit hours?

Credit recognition remains the exclusive prerogative of the institution granting it. College policies vary in regard to transfer credit, may be changed from year to year, and may be applied differently from student to student.

Many factors affect the decision to accept transfer credit, including the grade the student earned in the course. In most cases, colleges will accept courses in which you've earned a C or above and that are good matches for those you would have taken on that campus. Courses that differ from those the college offers may also be transferred, usually as elective credit. Some colleges will not give credit for a college course that also fulfilled a high school graduation requirement.

Increasingly, transfer credit decisions for some combination of degree credit, requirement exemption, and/or placement are made case by case, based on the work the student can show he or she has done in the course. Even at schools where transfer credit is not normally granted, you may be able to negotiate to have your SU coursework recognized. Keep all of your course materials, including portfolios and your syllabi, so you can show them to college officials who ask for more information before accepting your transfer credit.

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Whom should I talk with about transfer credit?

The most important person to talk with about transfer credit is the person at your institution who has the power to make transfer credit decisions. That person varies from institution to institution. Begin by asking your academic advisor whom to see. If she or he doesn’t know, talk with a college official such as a dean or department chairperson.

Some things to remember:

The chairperson of the academic department relevant to your course may be the most helpful in your effort to gain recognition for your SU coursework.
Admissions representatives usually do not have the authority to make transfer credit decisions.
Registrars typically do not make transfer credit decisions, although they may interpret and administer policies established by their academic departments or their institution’s faculty senate.

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How do I talk about getting my SU credit recognized?

It is important you refer to the SU courses you took as SU courses, not as Project Advance courses. There is no such thing as a Project Advance course. You should bring your course syllabi or manuals, course descriptions and, if appropriate, your student portfolios from the SU courses you took, when you meet with the faculty member or college official who will make the decision about your SU credits. Course descriptions can be downloaded from the Project Advance web site. Bring these with you, as well.

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What if my college or university will not accept my Syracuse credit

If your college or university will not transfer your SU credits after you have: (1) sent your transcript; (2) talked with the appropriate college official; (3) shown your syllabus and course portfolio to the appropriate official(s); and (4) called our office and asked us to contact, on your behalf, the appropriate person at your school, you may need to resign yourself to the fact that some institutions, for various reasons, simply will not accept the transfer credit. But there are other ways your SU credit can be recognized by your college. You may be able to be exempt from taking a similar required course. Or you may be placed in a higher-level course as a result of your Syracuse experience. Both forms of recognition will benefit you by allowing you more room to take courses in your major, as well as interesting electives. Since studies show that most students use their Syracuse credit to broaden their overall college experience rather than simply to graduate from college early, exemption and appropriate placement are as important as degree credit to most students. Talk with your advisor or another college official about the SU coursework you have taken. Typically, colleges will not force you to take coursework you’ve already completed. Your job will be to make and support that argument.

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If my college doesn't accept my transfer credit, has my tuition to SU been wasted?

Of course not! First of all, that credit and the educational experience are always yours. If for some reason you transfer to a different school, you may well be able to transfer the credit to that institution. If you should leave college for some reason, the work you completed at SU will always be there for you. Whatever your situation, the coursework you took from Syracuse University will serve you well throughout your life.

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