Transfer credit evaluation has become one of the most mission-critical things to provide to prospective students — yet it’s still one of the most difficult things to deliver with our limited time and staffing resources. According to EducationDynamics, 74% of prospective students bring in transfer credit, yet most institutions lack the systems to respond effectively.
In today’s competitive market, your transfer credit evaluation process isn’t just an internal function — it can be your enrollment growth engine.
What is Transfer Credit Evaluation?
Transfer credit evaluation is the process colleges and universities use to determine how previously earned coursework from another institution applies to a new degree program.
Done well, it answers two of the most important student questions:
- Will my credits count?
- How close am I to graduating?
Done poorly, it creates friction, confusion, and it means students will not choose to enroll.
A Broken Process Hurting Students
Higher education is experiencing a demographic shift. The “traditional student” is now the exception. Students today are more likely to:
- Start at one school and finish at another if they are not getting the experience they want
- Bring in CLEP, AP, and/or military credits
- Be working adults with more than one transcript to transfer and evaluate
Despite this, 50% of students won’t apply if they can’t see how their credits will transfer upfront.
Worse, 48% of prospective students will abandon your website if they can’t find this information quickly.
This makes your credit evaluation process the true front door to enrollment. And if that door is slow or locked? They’ll walk away.
Common Challenges in the Transfer Credit Evaluation Process
Let’s be honest — most systems are built for compliance, not speed. The result?
- Manual workloads for credit evaluators
- Long wait times for students to receive a credit evaluation
- No inquiry capture for enrollment teams
- Disjointed technology communication between SIS, CRM, and evaluation tools
It’s no wonder there’s friction between the registrar and enrollment offices. DegreeSight research shows most teams are spending hours evaluating transcripts — often after the student is admitted, when it’s too late to influence the decision.
How DegreeSight is Modernizing Transfer Credit Evaluation
DegreeSight’s INBOUND platform redefines how transfer credit evaluations should work. It turns your website into an intelligent, always-on, branded tool that:
- Uses AI to auto-match transcripts with your transfer credit rules
- Provides real-time results for students — even before they apply
- Captures high-intent inquiries for your enrollment CRM
- Continually learns and updates equivalencies as you go
Roosevelt University, for example, achieved:
- 32 new inquiries/week
- Over 138,000 rules established in implementation
- 84.8% decrease in manual coursework review
- Read the full case study
By moving evaluations to the front of the funnel, DegreeSight helps colleges convert more visitors, faster.
Becoming Transfer-Friendly Is a Strategy — Not a Checkbox
If your institution’s goal is enrollment growth, transfer evaluation must be a strategic priority. It’s not just about helping students — it’s about enabling your teams to:
- Shorten the time from inquiry to application
- Market transfer pathways with confidence
- Use real results to fuel campaigns and outreach
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is transfer credit evaluation?
Transfer credit evaluation is the process colleges use to assess which previously earned credits from another institution count toward a student’s current degree program.
2. Why do students care so much about transfer credit evaluations?
Students want clarity on cost, time-to-degree, and course load. If they don’t know how their past work applies, they may not apply at all — 50% of them won’t.
3. Can transfer credit evaluation be automated?
Yes. DegreeSight uses AI + human review to safely automate up to 85% of articulations, reducing manual work while maintaining accuracy.
4. Does transfer evaluation affect enrollment?
Absolutely. It directly impacts a student’s decision to apply. Tools that offer fast, transparent evaluations convert more site visitors into applicants. Read more about national transfer challenges from NSC Research Center.
