Transfer Credit from Other Institutions.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College will accept credit for parallel work completed in other post-secondary institutions accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Applicants who seek transfer credit should make regular application to the College.
No transfer credit will be granted for work below a “C.” Transfer credit for developmental courses will only be granted if the course is a semester course taken at another college in the North Carolina Community College System. Transfer credit will be awarded for course work without assigning grades or quality points. Computer information/technology and related courses must be five years or more recent upon point of transfer. Proficiency credits from other institutions will not be accepted. No more than one-half of the credit hours required in a program may be earned by transfer credit. If any course is taken for credit after transfer credit has been awarded, and a grade of A, B, C, D, or F is earned, it will replace the transfer credit. A student who must repeat a course may take it at another institution and transfer it to A-B Tech according to the guidelines above. Credit may be awarded for appropriate military courses. If a student submits a transcript from a foreign university, it will be the student’s responsibility to provide accurate notarized translations of (a) the transcript, (b) course descriptions, and (c) the grading system. Credits will be evaluated in the context of the current catalog.

Students transferring into the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Fine Arts program who have transfer credit from colleges other than the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) or the institutions in the University of North Carolina
System should speak with their advisor regarding eligibility for the Articulation Agreement between the universities and NCCCS. Students who have quarter courses will not be eligible for the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. Transcripts of these students will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.

Students transferring into the A.A. or A.S. program who have completed the general education core of 44 semester hours with the proper distribution of hours, a “C” or better in all courses, and an overall GPA of 2.0 will be given credit for the general education core.
Students transferring into the AFA program who have completed the general education core of 28 semester hours with the proper distribution of hours, a “C” or better in all courses, and an overall GPA of 2.0 will be evaluated by the university to which they transfer on a course-by-course basis.

Credit by Examination (Proficiency Testing)

Students who can provide tangible evidence of preparation to challenge a course, such as a transcript of similar College level credits, record of military study, certification or license, standardized test scores, or written statements from employers regarding training or directly related work experience indicating that they may be proficient in a subject, may request credit by examination. A written request must be made to the proper Department Chairperson on a form obtained from the Student Records and Registration Office or from the website. This test must be administered immediately after the 10 percent point in the
semester.

Examinations are comprehensive and must be approved by the supervisor of the instructor administering the exam. The examination may be oral, performance, written, or a combination of these methods. To receive credit by examination, the score must be
above average (“A” or “B”). A grade of “A” or “B” will be posted on the transcript of the student who successfully completes the examination. The decision of the examining instructor is final.

No student may request a second test for Credit by Examination in the same course or request Credit by Examination in a course after receiving any recorded grade for that course. Exceptions must have approval of the Vice President for Instruction.

Because of specific requirements, credit for certain courses may not be received through Credit by Examination. Students who request Credit by Examination must:

1. Enroll as a credit student in the course to be challenged and pay tuition if enrolled on a part-time basis. There is no extra charge for full-time students who are taking at least 16 credit hours. 
2. Present evidence of proficiency, complete the written request form, and have the request approved prior to the 10 percent point of the semester. 
3. Remain enrolled and attend class until the examination is administered. During this period, students who have written approval for the exam may attend class without purchasing textbooks and materials. If books are purchased and returned for refund, they must be in new condition. 
4. Students who are very confident of passing the exam may request a course overload. 
5. Students who perform on the exam at a level sufficient to get credit may leave the course and will be awarded a grade of “A” or “B” for the course. Receiving credit does not entitle the student to a tuition refund. 
6. Students who do not receive credit by examination must remain in the class and complete all course requirements to earn credit at the end of the semester. 
7. Students who receive financial assistance of any type are required to inform the director of their assistance program that they are seeking credit by exam. Assistance may be reduced and reimbursement will be required if the course load is reduced by receiving credit by examination.

Any exceptions to these procedures must have prior written approval by the appropriate Department Chairperson, Division Dean, and the Vice President for Instruction.

Articulated, Advanced Placement, and  Continuing Education Credit

High School Articulation and RAVE. College credit may be awarded for high school courses if conditions of the North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement or Regional Articulation in Vocational Education (RAVE) are met. Students must see the Director of Admissions in the Bailey Student Services Building.  

AP and CLEP. College credit may be awarded if appropriate conditions are met by Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test scores. A-B Tech academic credit will be granted to enrolled students who receive scores of 3 or higher on the AP tests offered by the College Board. CLEP is granted for scores of 50th percentile or higher. AP and CLEP credit accepted at other post-secondary institutions is not automatically transferred to A-B Tech but is reviewed when scores are received by the Director of Admissions in the Bailey Student Services Center.

Continuing Education. Continuing education credits that lead to a credential or certification may be considered for course equivalency. Department chair approval is required, and the student must be enrolled in the program for which he or she is seeking credit.