By Joe Ragusa
NORMAL – Heartland Community College and Eastern Illinois University have entered a reverse transfer agreement.
A reverse transfer allows students to complete their associates degree after leaving community college early by taking similar general education courses at the university level. Currently, only Eastern offers a reverse transfer for students from Lake Land College and now Heartland.
Heartland Vice President for Student Success Rick Pearce said there are a variety of scenarios students face that make this program a good idea.
“Maybe they were part-time or maybe they just took one year (of classes) and then decided to go to Eastern,” Pearce said. “Or its possible that they were one or two courses shy, but didn’t want to postpone an entire semester, so they went without the (associate’s) degree.”
Eastern Vice President and Provost Blair Lord said there aren’t any difficulties associated with the program.
“None that we anticipate, being because of the IAI (Illinois Articulation Initiative) and the general education curriculum that’s already been approved,” Lord said. “Its very east for students to know what they need to take and what they need to finish when they get into a four-year environment.”
Pearce said the college is working with other universities on similar agreements. There’s no cost for students to apply for a reverse transfer, and both Pearce and Lord said there’s little cost to the respective schools to administer the agreement.
