A Columbia Basin College official transcript is a record of a student’s permanent academic work at CBC. It bears the Washington State seal and the Registrar’s signature. In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), a transcript of grades will be sent to a college, university or other agency only upon the student’s written request. Students may order and pay for official transcripts via the College’s website at columbiabasin.edu/transcripts. Transcripts will not be released to a third party without written permission of the student. Unofficial transcripts are available at no cost on the College’s website at columbiabasin.edu/mycbc. Holds on permanent records resulting from failure to return College equipment or material or failure to complete financial aid exit counseling, must be cleared by the student before unofficial or official transcripts will be released.
CBC does not release transcripts from high schools or other educational institutions. Transcripts from other institutions submitted during the admissions process are part of the student’s official file and will not be returned to the student.
Transfer Evaluation Procedure
Columbia Basin College subscribes to the statewide policy on Inter-Collegiate Transfer and Articulation, as endorsed by the public and private colleges and universities of Washington and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and adopted by the Washington Student Achievement Council. The policy addresses the rights and responsibilities of students and the process for review and appeal in transfer credit disputes.
- All credits are subject to approval by the Student Records Office based on credit equivalency, applicability to the degree or certificate and the transfer institution’s accreditation. The College reserves the right to accept or reject credits earned at other institutions.
- Approved institutional accreditation agencies are as follows: 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); 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).
- In general, it is CBC policy to accept credits transferred from accredited institutions (see the list of approved accrediting agencies in the prior bullet), provided the credit is essentially equivalent in academic level and content to courses offered at CBC. Credits earned at institutions during their candidacy for accreditation by an accrediting agency (see the list of approved accrediting agencies in the prior bullet) are accepted if accreditation was granted three years subsequent to the candidacy. Credits earned while an institution was not in candidacy or accredited will not be accepted.
- Prior to evaluating transfer credits, students must submit a completed Application for Admission. The evaluation will be completed when official transcripts from previously attended institutions have been received by the Student Records Office.
- A transcript is official if it is sent directly from the sending institution to CBC. Official transcripts can be sent via electronic transmission directly to CBC from any community college in the state of Washington or electronically through an authorized, online service provider. A transcript may be hand-delivered to CBC only if it is sealed in an official envelope from the sending institution.
- When the evaluation has been completed, students will receive a notification that their course-by-course Evaluation of Transfer Credit has been completed and can be viewed via MyCBC. The notification will be sent via U.S. mail and/or CBC email.
- International transcripts must be translated into English and evaluated on a course-by-course basis by a current member of NACES®. Students can find a link to the list of NACES® member international transcript evaluation agencies at columbiabasin.edu/ transfercredit.
- It is recommended that students make an individual appointment with a CBC completion coach to review how transfer credits will apply to CBC degrees and certificates. If students need clarification on an evaluation, they are encouraged to contact the Student Records Office.
- In lieu of an official transcript evaluation, an unofficial transcript may be used one quarter only for purposes of advising and registration. Students are required to have an official evaluation on file for subsequent advising appointments.
Reciprocity Agreement
Washington Community and Technical Colleges (CTCs) offer reciprocity to students transferring within the CTC system who are pursuing the Associate in Arts and Sciences degree (AA-DTA). Students who completed an individual course that met distribution degree requirements or fulfilled an entire area of their degree requirements at one college will be considered to have met those same requirements if they plan to complete the same degree when they transfer to another community or technical college in Washington. To earn a degree and/or certificate, students must initiate the review process and must be prepared to provide necessary documentation to both the sending and receiving institutions. Students must meet the graduation residency requirement and must be continuously enrolled, as defined under the Catalog Option Policy.