The State of Colorado sponsors a program called Colorado Reverse Transfer. It’s a great way to get your associate’s degree retroactively (i.e. after you transfer to CSU!). You should totally do it!
Eligibility
To automatically end up on the list to be eligible for CRT, you must:
- have taken a minimum of 15 credits at one Colorado community college.
- have transferred to a 4-year school before obtaining an associate’s degree
- complete a minimum of 70 college credits total
- not have obtained an associate’s or bachelor’s degree yet
- opt-in so that CSU can release a transcript to whichever community college you attended
FAQs
Why should I do this?
You earned it! You already did all of the work–why shouldn’t you get a bona fide credential for it? Sometimes, obtaining an associate’s degree can qualify you for a raise or a promotion at work. It also helps you feel like you’ve achieved a milestone, which helps with motivation for getting the next degree!
Does CRT cost anything?
No. CRT is the easiest and cheapest way to obtain your associate’s degree after the point of transfer.
When should I look for an email from the CSU Registrar?
In the spring semester after you have completed 70 credits (usually in mid-March), you will receive an email from the CSU Registrar saying something like: “You may be eligible to receive your associate’s degree!”
Is it guaranteed that I’ll receive my associate’s degree this way?
No, but if you take classes at CSU that fulfill all the requirements for an associate’s degree at the community college, it is nearly a sure thing. If you are missing something basic (meaning, you just haven’t gotten around to taking that history class yet, for example), your degree will not be conferred.
What happens after I opt-in?
Once the State collects all the opt-ins, they facilitate a big transfer of data between the 4-year schools and the community colleges. FRCC’s Registrar’s office receives their list and then a staff member looks at your CSU transcript and individually applies coursework you’ve taken at CSU to required coursework for the associate’s degree. They try to slot your coursework into one of three types of degrees: Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Arts (A.A.), or Associate of General Studies (A.G.S.). Most degrees awarded through CRT are A.G.S.’s. The #1 reason students do not get an A.S. or A.A. degree is because they never took a communications class at either institution.
You may hear from a FRCC staff member over the summer if they have any questions for you.
Your degree will be conferred no later than December that year.
What if I don’t get the email?
Contact Wolves to Rams or the CSU Registrar’s Office! We can investigate for you. There is another way to do Reverse Transfer, directly between you and the community college. It is faster and can happen anytime of year, but it’s not free and it requires you to complete a list of steps, outlined below.
What if I don’t opt-in?
You will be contacted three times by the CSU Registrar about this opportunity, and then that will be the end of it. You will not receive your (free) associate’s degree, which you already earned.
How many people get their associate’s degrees this way?
In 2020, 124 CSU students opted-in, 64 of whom transferred from FRCC. FRCC received 175 opt-ins from 4-year schools all over the state. Of those 175, 136 students obtained their associate’s degree retroactively. Statewide, 435 total students from 16 different Colorado community colleges received degrees retroactively .
How do I do a reverse transfer if I don’t wait for CRT?
Remember that Cs or higher will transfer, Ds and Fs will not.
- Fill out the FRCC admissions application again in order to reactivate your S number and give you access to eWolf again. (We know, this seems weird.) However, it is free and should not take more than 20 minutes.
- Get on RamWeb and under the hamburger menu, click Records, then Transcripts in order to send an official transcript of your CSU classes to FRCC. This will cost ~$11.
- Then fill out this FRCC form to get the ball rolling for your reverse transfer request in their Registrar’s office.
- After your transfer evaluation has been done (they will notify you), “apply” to graduate on eWolf! This just means that you would like the computer system to put all your credits together into a degree-seeking program. It will show on DegreeCheck (which is like DARS here), and it will be evident to the Registrar at FRCC at that point that they should award you a degree.
Where can I learn more about Colorado Reverse Transfer?
FRCC Degree Worksheets for Your Reference (updated 2018)
