From Associate's Degree to Bachelor's

I will soon complete my associate's degree (60 credits), and would like to use that toward a bachelor's degree in management. How long should it take me to finish?

Many colleges and universities allow students to apply associate's degree credits toward a bachelor's degree, but there are usually some conditions. Liberal arts requirements (English composition, early math classes, etc.), are often the easiest to transfer, but other classes might be transferable as well.

A bachelor's degree program in management usually requires the completion of 120 credits, and each program consists of unique class requirements. In a sense, with your associate's degree, you're halfway there. And though it's possible you'll only need 60 more credits to finish the degree, you may have to complete a few additional courses.

All in all, you might be able to complete your bachelor's in two to three years after your associate's degree--unless none of your credits transfer. This could happen for a few reasons:

• Your associate's degree came from a non-accredited school
• Your overall GPA was too low (there is usually a minimum GPA per transferred class, too)
• Your associate's degree was in a specific vocational field (in auto repair, for instance) with none or very few classes outside this field

Make an appointment with someone in the registrar's office of a school you'd like to attend, bring your transcripts, and review what can or cannot be transferred. If you plan to earn your bachelor's degree online, someone should be able to review classes with you over the phone. Good luck!