Understanding Georgetown's articulation agreement for transfer students

I'm contemplating a transfer to Georgetown and I've heard about articulation agreements with certain colleges. Can someone explain how these work and if they impact the transfer process?

An articulation agreement is essentially a partnership or agreement between two or more colleges that provides a seamless transfer experience for students. What this means is that credits earned at the initial college (let's call it College A) are guaranteed to be accepted and counted toward the degree requirements at the second college (in this case, Georgetown).

Importantly, it's not as simple as "all credits transfer." Often, these agreements are designed with particular programs or degrees in mind. Meaning, if you're majoring in sociology at College A, there might be an articulation agreement that precisely guides which sociology courses at College A will transfer to which courses at Georgetown University.

Even if your current college does not have an articulation agreement with Georgetown, this doesn't necessarily make transferring more difficult. You'd still send in your application and Georgetown's admissions team would still review your credits on an individual basis to determine which ones would transfer. This process can still be thorough, but it may not have the same "guaranteed" certainty that comes with an articulation agreement.

If you're considering transferring, I would recommend getting in touch with the transfer admissions coordinator at both your current institution and Georgetown. These individuals will be best equipped to answer your questions and guide you through the process. Also, they can provide insight on whether an articulation agreement exists or whether it will be a case-by-case assessment of your credits. They can also tell you what typically transfers and what doesn't, so you have an idea of your academic standing once you transition.

Remember that in addition to transferring credits, colleges will also consider your college GPA, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and sometimes an interview during the transfer admissions process. So while articulation agreements can simplify the transfer process, there's still a lot to think about when considering a transfer!