High School Students at CSM Transfer Information
Get a jump on your college education and save money by enrolling at CSM while you're still in high school.
By enrolling in courses at the College of Southern Maryland, you have the opportunity to jump-start your college career while still attending high school. Now that you are finishing high school, you may have questions about what to do with these credits you earned at the College of Southern Maryland. Here are some frequently asked questions to guide you through the process.
Students may wonder about the difference between applying to a 4-year institution as a first-year or a transfer student. The following chart will help you with the differences so you can determine how to apply for admission.
| First-Year/Freshman Applicant | Transfer Applicant |
| You are a recent high school graduate who never attended another institution after high school graduation. | You attended other institutions after high school graduation (make sure you include your college transcript(s) as part of your application). |
| You completed a certificate or associate degree while you were in high school (that also includes earning the certificate or degree in the same semester as your high school diploma). | You have been out of high school for a while, and you took a course or two at a local college or university. |
| You may be eligible for first year/freshman grants or scholarships. | You may be eligible for transfer students grants or scholarships. |
The key to understanding which category you should apply for (first-year or transfer) is whether you have attended a college or university after you completed your high school education. If so, you are a transfer applicant. If not, you are a first-year applicant.
Even if you are applying as a first-year or freshman applicant to another institution, your dual enrollment courses earned through CSM are still considered transfer courses and are still eligible to be transferred to that institution.
Some institutions refer to high school students who possess college credit as "First Year Students with Advanced Standing" or something similar.
Articulated CTE credits typically do not transfer to other colleges and universities—they apply toward the CSM programs listed on this website.
You will need to request to have an official College of Southern Maryland transcript sent directly to the institution you are planning to attend. To request an official CSM transcript, please visit this website.
Please note that some institutions, especially out-of-state institutions, may ask you for a syllabus for your courses from CSM in order to be evaluated to transfer the credit. Make sure you save any syllabi from the courses you take at CSM. If you need to request to a CSM syllabus for a course you previously have taken, please fill out this form.
Many institutions across the country have access to transfer equivalency databases on their website. These databases can show how courses from CSM will transfer to that specific institution.
At CSM, we have provided links to transfer equivalency databases for institutions across the country. To access these links, please visit this website.
Are you interested in attending an institution that is not linked on this website? You can search for "transfer credits" on that institution's website to find more information. If you still cannot find the information, contact either the admissions or registrar's office at that institution to find out more.
Did you take a course but you do not see it listed in the transfer equivalency database for your desired institution? You can send a copy of your syllabus to the transcript evaluation services or registrar's office at that institution to have it evaluated.
Students who have earned 15 or more credits at CSM and have transferred to another college or university without an associate degree may "reverse transfer" the earned credits from the other college or university to complete an associate degree at CSM.
This process makes it possible for students to earn an associate degree as they continue to work toward completing their bachelor's degree.
The only financial cost in participating in Reverse Transfer while enrolled at another college or university is the cost of an official transcript from your current institution (which some institutions will waive if you are participating in Reverse Transfer).
If you would like to participate in Reverse Transfer, please visit this website for more information.
An associate’s degree is an important marketable academic achievement that is valued by employers, internship coordinators, transfer, and graduate and professional schools. The associate degree can make a difference in your long-term success:
- Students can take advantage of one of the 200+ transfer agreements CSM has with institutions across the world.
- Four-year institutions set aside scholarships and tuition discounts specifically for students who graduate from a community college.
- Some institutions will waive your general education package if you graduate from a community college with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Arts in Teaching, or Associate of Science in Engineering.
- It can provide better job opportunities while completing your bachelor’s degree.
- It is the nation’s fastest growing work credential; employers recognize its value when recruiting and hiring.
- Students who earn an associate degree are more likely to complete their bachelor’s degree
- Some students can get discouraged after they transfer to a four-year institution and see more years ahead of them. If they are awarded their associate degree while completing their bachelor’s degree, the accomplishment of this helps them stay motivated and on tract to a four-year degree
- Statistics from recent work in this area show retention rates improve by 10% for those students who receive an associate degree through reverse transfer once they are at a four-year institution
Through an articulation agreement the College of Southern Maryland has with the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI), students who possess credits with MFRI can have those credits transferred to the College of Southern Maryland to apply towards the Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science Technology. Please note that MFRI credits can only be applied towards the Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science Technology and not any other programs at the College of Southern Maryland.
Credits earned depend on the courses taken through MFRI. Please see the agreement for more information.
To earn credits, please submit your MFRI transcript and the Articulated Credit Certification completed by MFRI. Please contact Bob Rose at rrose@mfri.org to have this form completed.
The Teacher Academy of Maryland is designed for students who want to explore a career as a public school teacher. At CSM, TAM credits transfer into the Elementary Education and Secondary Education degree programs. As part of a state-wide agreement, TAM credits are accepted by teacher preparation programs at 4-year public universities. If you are interested in transferring these credits outside of CSM, particularly to a private or out-of-state 4-year university, please consult your desired transfer destination for more information.
For more information about how Towson University accepts the TAM transfer credits, please visit here.
For more information about how Salisbury University accepts the TAM transfer credits, please visit here.
For more information about how Notre Dame of Maryland University accepts the TAM transfer credits, please visit here.
For more information about how St. Mary's College of Maryland accepts the TAM transfer credits, please visit here.
In recognition of their academic achievement, currently enrolled students who were on the dean’s list the previous semester will be invited to join the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the Two-Year College. The college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa sponsors activities involving scholarship, service, leadership, and fellowship on all three campuses. Every two years, the Phi Theta Kappa national organization selects a topic for honors study, and the college offers a seminar for honors students on the topic. Membership in Phi Theta Kappa enhances students’ opportunities for receiving scholarships when transferring to four-year colleges. Students are invited to participate who have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and have completed 15 credits.
Phi Theta Kappa specifically offers scholarship opportunities for Dual Enrollment students who members of Phi Theta Kappa.