Transfer of Credit

Credit for courses in which a passing grade (D or better) has been earned may be transferred to Paris Junior College from colleges and universities accredited through one of the following associations:

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC)
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS)
New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

It is the policy of Paris Junior College not to transfer credits received from any United States institution not accredited. Students seeking credit from institutions outside the United States are required to present a transcript evaluation from an approved evaluation service.

For more information, students may contact the Registrar (records@parisjc.edu) or Advising & Counseling (advising@parisjc.edu).

Students who have gained proficiency through completion of coursework from non-accredited institutions, or through life/work experience, should consult the Office of Records regarding credit by examination/experience. Paris Junior College will inform transfer students of the amount of credit which will transfer prior to the end of the first academic term in which they are enrolled.

NOTE: Students who transfer to Paris Junior College are required to submit an official transcript from all previously attended institutions to the Office of Admissions prior to the end of their first semester of attendance.

Students are responsible for providing supporting documentation (school catalog, course syllabus/description, etc.) for transcript evaluation when necessary.

The official transcript evaluation will be maintained in the student’s permanent file in the Office of Records.

Students wishing to utilize previously completed courses from PJC or transfer in courses that are ten years old or older and were not part of a conferred AA, AS, AT, AAS, or higher degree may be asked to demonstrate current competency of the coursework if the competencies are relevant to the certificate or degree the student is enrolling into.

A student wanting to appeal the transcript evaluation may direct his/her appeal to the Registrar. The Registrar will then confer with the appropriate vice president and notify the student within 30 days of the date of the appeal as to the decision.

Transfer students intending to graduate from Paris Junior College should know that a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of their coursework applying to graduation must be completed at PJC.

A transfer student from a Texas public institution or from an accredited Texas private or out-of-state institution, if the receiving institution determines that the student has successfully completed a related introductory college-level course with an A, B, C, or D, the institution will report a student TSI-complete in the related area.

Students receiving VA education benefits are required to have all prior credit reviewed by the school, with credit awarded where applicable. This review includes all credits from military service as well as all postsecondary institutions previously attended. The school is responsible to obtain copies of all postsecondary and military transcripts for all veteran students receiving or requesting to receive VA education benefits. This requirement is applied to all approved programs of study offered by the school. (Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations 21.4253(d)(3) and 21.4254(c)(4)). Contact PJC Veteran’s Specialist at 903-782-0371 or via email at veterans@parisjc.edu.

When a student transfers credits from a Regionally accredited institution on a quarter system into PJC, quarter hours are converted to semester credit hours (SCH) using a standard 3-to-2 ratio, where 1.5 quarter hours equal 1 semester hour. This is because a quarter hour represents about two-thirds of a semester hour.

A quarter credit hour is defined as the unit of measurement based on a quarter-system academic year, which consists of three sessions of 10 to 11 weeks.
A quarter hour represents proportionately less work than a semester hour due to the shorter session.
It is counted as 2/3 of a semester credit hour for each hour of credit.

Academic Fresh Start

Education Code §51.931 that allows Texas residents to enroll in college without being penalized for coursework completed 10 or more years ago.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a resident of this state is entitled to apply for admission to, and enroll as, an undergraduate student in any public institution of higher
education, including a college district, under Education Code §51.931.

If an applicant elects to seek admission under this provision, the institution will not consider academic course credits or grades earned 10 or more years prior to the semester start date in which the applicant seeks to enroll. Applicants who are admitted under Academic Fresh Start may not receive any course credit for courses completed 10 or more years prior to enrollment.

This provision does not exempt applicants from meeting any standard admissions requirements in place for all students. All applicants must meet Paris Junior College’s current admission criteria and provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended.

Important Notes:

Academic Fresh Start applies only to admissions decisions.
Courses excluded under this provision will not count toward degree requirements, grade point average calculations, or academic standing.
Applicants must complete the Academic Fresh Start Agreement with the Admissions Office prior to registration.

For more information or to request an Academic Fresh Start, contact the PJC Admissions Office.

Resolution of Transfer Disputes

Paris Junior College works closely with colleges and universities to make the transfer process as smooth as possible for courses transferred to PJC from the other institutions and follows guidelines to resolve transfer disputes.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has established procedures (see below) to be followed when transfer credit for lower-division courses listed in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) is disputed. The individual courses covered by this procedure are defined in the Coordinating Board’s guide entitled, “Transfer of Credit Policies and Curricula.”

Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Lower-Division Courses
The following procedures shall be followed by public institutions of higher education in the resolution of credit transfer disputes involving lower-division courses.

If an institution of higher education does not accept course credit earned by a student at another institution of higher education, the receiving institution shall give written notice to the student and to the sending institution that transfer of course is denied. The receiving institution will also give the reasons for denying credit for a particular course or set of courses at the request of the sending institution.

The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule and/or guidelines.

If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the sending institution within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of denial, the institution whose credit is denied for transfer shall notify the Commissioner of the Higher Education Coordinating Board of the denial.

The Commissioner of Higher Education or the Commissioner’s designee shall make the final determination about the dispute concerning the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and institutions.

NOTE: It is the responsibility of the student to check with the college or university to which they plan to transfer for all requirements. The student should know admissions policies, specific department requirements, deadlines, and courses that will satisfy degree requirements.