Coe College and Cornell College have joined 17 other private nonprofit colleges in Iowa in endorsing the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee admission agreement with the state’s community colleges.
The agreement ensures guaranteed admission for students completing an associate degree at any Iowa community college to Coe, Cornell, and other member institutions of the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative (IPTC).
Coe College officials said the agreement will be a benefit to students in addition to its Transfer+ initiative, which allows associate degree graduates to bypass additional general education requirements and begin upper-level coursework.
“We are proud to support this agreement and offer an enhanced experience with Transfer+,” said senior vice president for Enrollment, Marketing & Institutional Effectiveness Julie Staker. “Together the agreement and Transfer+ create an obvious route for students to continue their education at Coe, where they can build on what they’ve learned with valuable experiences like internships and research.”
The Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative (IPTC) was awarded a three-year, $350,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis and Teagle Foundations in June 2023. The funding will support efforts to streamline academic credit transfers and improve retention rates for students transitioning from community colleges to private four-year institutions.
As part of the initiative, private colleges will adopt existing statewide transfer majors in key disciplines such as biology, chemistry, English, history, psychology, and sociology. Additionally, institutions will implement expanded general education articulation agreements and reverse transfer policies, further simplifying the pathway for community college students to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
“This will help simplify the transfer process for students who wish to continue their educational journey at a liberal arts college,” said Cornell College associate vice president for Student Life and former associate dean of Academic Affairs Kate Kauper. “It’s a great opportunity to remove obstacles and allow for a more transparent pathway for students to pursue their bachelor’s degree.”
Application process clarified under Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee
According to a release, students seeking admission to four-year institutions under the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee must apply through the standard transfer or first-year admission processes.
High school students earning associate degrees while still enrolled in high school are required to apply as first-year applicants but remain eligible for the benefits outlined in the transfer agreement.
The two nonprofit organizations facilitating the distribution of the grant money are the Iowa Higher Education Loan Authority and the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges & Universities. Other members of the IPTC are Briar Cliff University, Buena Vista University, Central College, Clarke University, Drake University, Graceland University, Grand View University, Loras College, Luther College, Morningside University, Mount Mercy University, Northwestern College, Saint Ambrose University, Simpson College, University of Dubuque, Wartburg College and William Penn University.
