“Start From Yes” Challenges Transfer Credit Skepticism

Nineteen higher education organizations, including several accreditors, are backing the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ new campaign calling on the higher education community to change how it evaluates prior learning.

The Start From Yes initiative, which AACRAO announced this week, argues that institutions should lead not with skepticism regarding transfer students’ previous credits and other prior learning; rather, they should begin by assuming the credit can apply toward the credential the student is seeking unless proven otherwise.

The campaign aims to address long-standing issues with credit transfer that can be a major obstacle to graduation. In its statement, AACRAO cites survey data indicating that 65 percent of individuals who have tried to transfer credits have had to repeat courses because their credits weren’t accepted, while 16 percent report stopping out of higher education altogether because transferring was too difficult.

“Adopting the ‘Start from Yes’ approach is not only the right thing to do to serve today’s learners; it is also a strategic necessity for institutions,” AACRAO Executive Director Melanie Gottlieb said in a news release. “By recognizing and validating learning acquired, colleges and universities can build more efficient, transparent pathways to credentials. This shift empowers learners to succeed while strengthening the long-term vitality and relevance of our institutions.”

The initiative builds upon the work of the Learning Evaluation and
Recognition for the Next Generation Commission, which was formed by AACRAO and Sova, a higher education consulting firm, to create guidance for how best to recognize all types of undergraduate learning.