Academic Information

Evaluation and Transfer Policy

Please note the following guidelines for acceptance and suitability of transfer credit:

• An official transcript from each institution attended must be submitted to TFC’s Office of Online Admissions. For students currently enrolled in another institution, an updated complete official transcript must be submitted to TFC Online within 30 days of completion for the additional transfer work to be considered.


• The Registrar’s Office evaluates the transferability of credit from most institutions accredited by agencies authorized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Registrar serves as the final authority in determining the general acceptability of work completed at other institutions.


• While much or all of a student’s transfer credit may be accepted at TFC Online, all of the transfer credit may not be applicable to the student’s major. The final transfer credit evaluation should be compared to the major program of choice listed in the catalog. Courses accepted in transfer that do not fulfill a specific course requirement in the chosen major count as open electives.


• Transfer course work must have at least two/thirds equivalent content and credit to be granted course equivalency. When this occurs, the lacking hour must be balanced with open electives to meet the total graduation credit hour requirement.


• Developmental and remedial courses are usually designed for institutional credit only and therefore are not eligible for transfer.


• Vocational and technical credit is accepted in transfer only when it bears a clear and direct equivalency to academic courses offered at TFC.


• Lower division (100 and 200 level) coursework can generally only be transferred in as lower division credit.


• Only those courses with a C- or better are considered for transfer. Grades and GPA do not transfer.


• Courses other than Physical Education activity courses that are graded on a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis are generally not accepted in transfer.


• Credits transferred from institutions on the quarter system are granted the standard two/thirds equivalency according to the following: 5 and 4 quarter hours = 3 semester hours; 3 and 2 quarter hours = 2 semester hours; 1 quarter hour = 1 semester hour.


• Upon receipt of an official transcript form the transferring institution, the Registrar’s Office completes a transfer credit evaluation and sends the results to the prospective student. All acceptable transfer coursework is entered on the TFC transcript upon enrollment.


• Up to 16 hours may be accepted for work taken by correspondence from approved institutions. Courses taken by correspondence must be approved in advance and in writing by the Registrar. No correspondence courses in homiletics are accepted and no correspondence courses in Bible, theology, or pastoral ministry may be accepted without specific prior approval of the Registrar’s Office and the Bible and Theology Department, subject to its criteria on accredited institutions, academic quality, and examination methods.

Credit Recognized From Other Sources

TFC does not grant credit based on experiential learning. However, credit can be validated and awarded for prior learning through several options. Up to a total of 45 semester hours may be transferred to Toccoa Falls College in any combination from the following prior learning experiences: AP, CLEP, DANTES, IB, PONSI, Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, and ICE. No more than 30 semester hours may be transferred in any one category. As with all transfer credit, only credit that is applicable to degree programs at Toccoa Falls College will be accepted. Check with the Registrar’s Office for more information on these opportunities.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced Placement is a College Board program taken in high school that allows student to take an exam (following the coursework) that is equivalent to introductory college-level course work. The College Board assures the faculty teaching AP are qualified academically for teaching college level work. These exams are taken before the student attends college usually as the final exam in their high school AP course. A minimum score of 3 is necessary to award credit. TFC awards credit based on the table below. “Electives” are worth 3 credit hours each.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the country. CLPE exams may be taken to validate prior course work from an unaccredited institution, self-study, prior job or work experience, extension classes, etc. Students may attempt each CLEP only one time. All CLEP testing must be complete prior to earning 60 semester hours. Credit earned through CLEP does not count toward residency requirements. Students may not take the CLEP if they are currently taking the course or have attempted the course already at TFC. The current cost for taking each exam is $90.00, and the students register online through the TFC website or another CLEP testing center. “Electives” in the table below are worth 3 credit hours each.

Dantes Subject Standardized Test (DSST)

The DSST program is also a nationally recognized credit-by-examination program. The exams are based on current college curricula and are used by over 1200 colleges and universities. Toccoa Falls College accepts scaled scores equivalent to a “C” or higher on selected DSSTs.

Educational Experiences in the Armed Services

The American Council on education in cooperation with the Department of Defense evaluates educational experiences of service members and makes recommendations for college credit. Veterans and active duty service members may complete a Request for Course Recommendation form available in the Registrar’s Office and supply the appropriate supporting documentation. The college generally awards credit when the recommendation bears a clear and direct equivalency to TFC coursework. The Registrar’s Office makes the final determination of the amount and appropriateness of credit.

Institutional Challenge Examination (ICE)

The Institutional Challenge Examination (ICE) program gives students the opportunity to demonstrate competency in a particular subject area that the college offers for academic credit. Students must obtain an ICE form from the Center for Academic Success. Students submit the completed form to the department chair of the department that offers the course. The student arranges a testing time for the ICE with the appropriate instructor if the Director of Academic Success and department chair must approve the request and the Director of Student Accounts also documents on the form that the student paid the $90.00 per examination fee. The department chair reports the results of the ICE on the form and submits the examination of the Office of the Registrar for inclusion in the student’s academic file. ICE requests are subject to the following guidelines:

• Each department chair establishes the courses in his/her department for which students can earn ICE credit and develops the ICE tests.


• The minimum passing grade for all exams is “C” (73).


• Students may not take the Institutional Challenge Examination if they are currently taking the course or have taken the course already at TFC.


• Student may not take an ICE for a course that is available through the CLEP and DANTES programs.


• The student may attempt each ICE only one time.


• The credit hours earned do not count toward residency requirements.


• There is no fee to place the credit hours earned through ICE on the student academic record. However, students must pay the $90.00 ICE fee (per exam) in full before testing approval.


• As with CLEP, all ICE testing must be completed prior to earning 60 semester hours.

Currently, TFC offers an ICE for the following courses:
CSC 113 Introduction to Computers*
MPN111 - Class Piano I
MPN 121 - Class Piano II
MPN231 - Class Piano III
MPN241 - Class Piano IV
MUT103 - Fundamentals of Music
MUT111 - Aural Skills I
MUT113 - Music Theory I
MUT121 - Aural Skills II
MUT123 - Music Theory II
MUT231 - Aural Skills II
MUT233 - Music Theory III
MUT241 - Aural Skills IV
MUT243 - Music Theory IV
GMU113 - Introduction to Music
*Recommended for students except Music and Teacher Education majors.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate Diploma program is a rigorous pre-university course of study, leading to examinations, that meets the needs of highly motivated secondary school students. Toccoa Falls College will consider for credit the following individual IB courses with Higher Level examination results of 5 or Higher. “Electives” are worth 3 credit hours each.

Program for Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI)

The National Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI) review formal courses and educational programs sponsored by non-collegiate organizations, makes appropriate college-level credit recommendations for the courses and programs evaluated, and promotes academic recognition of these learning experienced to the nation’s colleges and universities. Credit is generally awarded when the recommendation bears a clear and direct equivalency to TFC coursework. The Registrar’s Office makes the final determination regarding the appropriateness and the amount of credit to award.