Handout for the Bridge students at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California.

1. Transferring to a Private or Out-of-State College*
Questions to ask when researching a private or out-of-state college:
1. Is the college regionally accredited? Most colleges in the US are accredited (recognized,
validated) by one of the following regional accrediting agencies:
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS) - New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin
Islands.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) - Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS) - Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado,
Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio,
Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NCCU) - Alaska, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) - California, Hawaii, Guam, American
Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) - Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas.
A regionally accredited college does not usually accept units or recognize degrees from a non-
accredited college. Many employers will not accept a degree from a non-accredited college.
Therefore, regional accreditation is very important when considering a college for transfer.
2. Does the college have specialized accreditations? Some departments achieve accreditation
for their programs. Some of the more common program accreditation agencies are:
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB)
Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Many other agencies offer accreditation for qualifying programs, thus ensuring that the
department is meeting industry standards for educating professionals for that industry. Once you
choose a major, ask your professor if there is an accreditation agency for that field of study.
Some majors do not have accreditation agencies.
3. Has the college received national or international recognition? Students always ask about
college rankings. The US and state governments do not rank colleges. However, there are a few
private agencies that rank colleges annually. The most widely recognized of these are:
US News and World Report www.usnews.com
The Princeton Review www.princetonreview.com
*
North Americans use the words college and university interchangeably to refer to any postsecondary (after high
school) institution of learning.

2. Be very cautious when making decisions based on rankings! Choosing a college is a very
subjective process; consider your own needs and desires, and research colleges thoroughly,
consulting many sources of information as you make your decision.
4. What is the standard of living in the area where the college is located? The location of your
college is a very important consideration. Is it in an urban environment, or a small town? Are
there cold winters, hot summers, or mild weather year-round? Is it near a major metropolitan
area? Is it near a major airport? What is the cost of living in that area? Are there social and
cultural opportunities there? Do the locals have a reputation for being friendly? What is the crime
rate in the vicinity of the campus? How much does it cost to live there? Are there people from my
country living there? Are medical facilities modern and accessible?
5. Does the college offer financial assistance to international students? Because F-1
international students must prove enough funds for at least the first year of study, most colleges
do not offer scholarships, grants, or loans to F-1 students. However, some private colleges are
well-endowed, so they have enough money to offer some scholarships to F-1 students. So, even
though the tuition at a private college might be more than a public college, if you get a
scholarship, the total cost might actually be less than a public college. Contact the college itself to
find out if they offer financial aid to F-1 students. Remember, too, that F-1 students are allowed to
work up to 20 hours per week on campus, so ask about the availability of on-campus jobs.
6. Should I visit the campus before making a decision to attend there? Absolutely! It is well
worth your time and money to visit the campus you are considering before you decide to attend
there. Imagine if you spent tens of thousands of dollars on a new wardrobe, then discovered that
nothing fit right, and all of the clothes made you look ugly. What a waste of time and money! A
college might have a high ranking, world-renowned reputation, and be in a prime location, but if it
doesn’t feel right to you, then it’s not the right place for you to be. Conversely, the college you are
considering may not be ranked highly, may not be known internationally, or even nationally, and
may not be in a popular location. Yet, once you visit there, you might feel that you have arrived at
your college home. So go and see the campus before you decide to attend that college. Meet
people. Talk to them. Observe campus life keenly. See if the place “fits.”
7. What are the admissions requirements? There are more than 3000 colleges in the US, and
each one has its own specific admissions requirements. For example, the TOEFL might be
required by many of them, yet each might have a different minimum score. Some colleges do not
require a TOEFL if the applicant is transferring from another US college and has earned credit for
a College English Composition course. Some colleges might require proof of competency in
Mathematics, either with high school or college coursework. It all depends on the individual
college, you must research and learn the admissions requirements of the colleges you are
interested in attending. That information will be posted on the college’s website.
8. What companies recruit employees from that college’s students? While F-1 international
students are prohibited from working off-campus without appropriate authorization, they are
allowed to work in the US for up to one year after completing a degree through Optional Practical
Training, or OPT. Contact the career services office of the college you are interested in attending
and ask them what companies recruit on that campus. You might discover that some well-known
companies recruit there, and you might get an interview that could lead to a job.
To learn more about private colleges in California, visit http://www.aiccu.edu/.
To learn more about out-of-state colleges, search the internet for the name of the college you are
interested in attending, or search by US state. Or, visit http://www.collegesource.org.