How to Transfer College Credits — Briz Reflects on His Transfer Journey

If anyone knows anything about how to transfer college credits, it’s Grace College digital marketing student Matthias Briz. After transferring three times, he found himself at Grace College. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but Briz has experienced God’s grace through every twist and turn. We could tell you the story, but we’ll just leave that up to him!

“Christian colleges near me” were the first words that I typed on Google before finding Grace College. Becoming a transfer student and knowing how to transfer college credits can be a nerve-racking experience. After all, there are countless things to consider before moving to a new school. While there are many reasons people decide to transfer college — whether it’s switching degrees, finding a better fit, or moving farther away from home — anyone who has transferred knows that the process can be overwhelming, no matter how excited you are for the change.

My Transfer Journey to One of the Best Christian Colleges

My college experience has had its fair share of ups and downs. It’s been a long and very confusing journey as there has been so much change in my life. My college experience started at Ivy Tech Community College where I spent 10 months obtaining my associate’s degree in business administration through an “ASAP” cohort which helps high school graduates earn an associate degree in just 11 months. During those 11 months, I was able to earn 60 college credits, which is insane! 

Graduating from Ivy Tech was a huge achievement for me! After I graduated, I transferred to Anderson University to major in music business. I had been a DJ since high school, and despite my experience, I thought this would be the best option for me. Unfortunately, towards the middle of my first semester, I learned that the major was better suited for people who sang or played an instrument. If I tried to sing I would break windows (If you know, you know!), and I didn’t play an instrument. So I decided that maybe this wasn’t the major for me.

After that realization, I transferred to Taylor University to pursue marketing. (At this point, I was catching on to how to transfer college credits because I had some practice!) After one semester there, the pandemic hit. This was a tough time for everyone, and I was no exception. Because of the pandemic, I lost my campus job. On top of that, trying to learn and do homework from home was very challenging. But a highlight during this time was becoming good friends with David, who played tennis for the school. David and I bonded over our shared appreciation for tennis. We decided to apply what we had learned through our majors (my marketing skills and his exercise science know-how) to create videos that help teach people how to play tennis. I merged my YouTube channel with David’s channel, and we created “Sandi Tennis Studio.” 

While our channel was gaining traction, David began looking for the best Christian colleges to transfer to for tennis because Taylor decided to cut its program. During his search, he came across Grace College and decided to attend. We did not want our time with the project to end, so it didn’t take much for David to convince me to transfer to Grace College. Once again, I was transferring schools. And this time, I was moving even farther from home. (Sorry mom!)  

My impression of Grace stood out from the very beginning. Once I clicked on their website to look for a degree in marketing, I found a digital marketing major that immediately caught my attention. Subsequently, I decided to apply to Grace College. I then scheduled a tour around campus, and indeed, Grace College was what I was looking for! During my campus visit, I spoke with Dr. Fawcett, the dean of the School of Business at Grace College. While speaking to him, one thing stuck with me: businesses exist to help people, and without people, businesses cannot succeed. As a business student, I needed to hear this because I want my future business to have a goal where success is not measured by money, but by relationships. By the end of the visit, I was confident that Grace would equip me for a purpose-filled career!

How to Transfer College Credits to Grace

Once I was set on Grace, I had to figure out how to transfer college credits here. If you’re considering transferring to Grace, here are some of the helpful tips I learned through the transfer process:

1. Start by applying to Grace College by filling up the free Lancer Application. 
2. Send your transcripts to Grace College via email to admissions@grace.edu or via mail to Grace College Admissions 200 Seminary Drive Winona Lake, IN 46590. Before I sent my official transcripts, (You will have to get these from the registrar’s office of the school you are transferring from.) I sent my unofficial transcripts to Grace for a preliminary evaluation of what credits would transfer. This was really helpful, and I would recommend you do the same! 
3. Once your application is completed and your official transcripts have been received by the admissions office, you will receive an admissions decision in two weeks or less. 
4. Once admission is granted, your place at Grace will be secured by submitting a $200 enrollment deposit, refundable until May 1st.
5. Next, you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal or State Aid and send it to Grace College to receive your financial aid award letter to see the types of scholarships that you are eligible for. 
6. Reach out to the registrar to talk about how to transfer your college credits. This is a great time to ask any questions you have about which of the classes you’ve taken will count toward the degree you’re working towards. I cannot stress how important this step is! Plus, ask the registrar about your projected graduation date to ensure you are on track to graduate on time!
7. Follow this checklist to prepare for your first year at Grace! 

Bonus Tip: I HIGHLY recommend that you come for a campus visit! That secured the decision for me!

Although my college experience has been a rollercoaster, (Who doesn’t like rollercoasters?), I am glad that God has placed me at Grace. I am grateful for all of the people that have helped me get where I am today. Through my journey, I’ve learned that we often can’t understand God’s plans for our lives, and He often leads us into uncomfortable and challenging seasons. But I’ve also learned that these are the times we grow the most. 

God will direct you exactly to the place that you need to be, and I’m so glad He’s directed me to Grace.

Are you ready to start afresh and transfer to Grace? It all starts by taking the first step to apply. 

And if you have any additional questions about how to transfer college credits to Grace, contact Keianna Mullet, our admissions counselor for transfer students.