Credit Where it’s Due: How AI is Modernizing Transfer and Prior Learning

By Sam Dreyfus, Executive Vice President, ECPI University

Many students return to college more than once, carrying transcripts from previous institutions. Others arrive after years in the workforce, with training from the military or certifications earned on the job. Their question when enrolling is simple, and deeply human: Will what I’ve already done count?

For too many, the answer is delayed, unclear, or discouraging. Weeks of waiting, cumbersome paperwork, and hard-earned credits left unused can stall a student’s progress and undermine their resolve. What should be a bridge toward opportunity instead feels like a barrier.

A Smarter Answer: Technology’s Role in Credit Transfer and Learning Assessment

In higher education, the credit transfer process has traditionally been slow and uncertain. Students can wait weeks for an evaluation, only to find that their credits are not accepted. They are forced to repeat courses, spending extra time and money to learn what they already know.

ECPI University is working to change that. We are building a comprehensive technology system that combines artificial intelligence with advanced transcript scanning and evaluation tools. Incoming transcripts are organized and matched against a database of more than 40,000 institutions. This technology produces a structured review in minutes.

Once implemented, our aim is for the system to complete transcript evaluations in as little as 24 to 48 hours, giving students faster insight into their degree path.

Over half of the students we serve come with college credit already earned, and nearly one-third are military-connected, bringing valuable transcripts and experience that can count toward their degree.

By providing them clarity in our admissions process, we help our students plan their degree path sooner, avoid unnecessary repetition, and graduate faster.

Why Efficient Credit Transfer Matters so Deeply to Student Success

Research makes clear what students already know: efficient credit transfer is tied directly to completion. Students who transfer nearly all of their community college credits are 2.5 times more likely to finish a bachelor’s degree than those who transfer fewer than half.¹

Yet a 2025 national study² revealed that 14 percent of transfer students saw fewer than 10 percent of their credits accepted. Another 28 percent lost between 10 and 89 percent, requiring them to retake previously completed courses.

The cost of this waste is staggering. It is measured not just in tuition dollars but in students’ time, confidence, and opportunities.

Students themselves are candid about the challenges. In one survey³, students named four main barriers to transferring between colleges: credit-transfer difficulty, unclear staff communication, paperwork hurdles, and financial aid problems.

Credit transfer is only part of the story. Equally important is acknowledging the learning that takes place outside the classroom.

Adults aged 25 and older now represent nearly one in four undergraduates nationwide, totaling almost 4 million students⁴ enrolling this fall. The average student age at ECPI University is 29. Many learners balance education with work and family, and from day one they bring lived experience that deserves recognition. Certifications, workplace training, and military service are valid forms of education.

The benefits of honoring prior learning are profound. Students who receive credit for prior learning are more than twice as likely⁵ to complete their degrees than those who do not.

The Role of Technology and Human Judgment

Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for people. It is a front-end tool, digesting transcripts, mapping them against thousands of institutions, and feeding organized results into evaluation systems. Automation moves information efficiently into databases, but human evaluators remain essential. New or unusual courses still require faculty review.

The purpose of AI implementation is to free advisors and registrars to do what technology cannot: guide students personally, mentor them, and help them design pathways that fit their lives.

Looking Ahead: AI and the Future of Advising

The future of higher education depends on how effectively institutions respond to the evolving needs of today’s increasingly mobile and lifelong learners. Transfer students are increasing in number⁶, and their educational backgrounds are growing more varied. Manual systems can no longer keep pace. Smarter systems, built on technology but grounded in human oversight, will define the future.

At its heart, the question of credit transfer is not simply about efficiency. It is about respect. Respect for students’ time. Respect for the work and knowledge they bring with them. Respect for the learner who asks, Does what I have done matter?

The answer must be yes. And it must be given quickly, clearly, and with the dignity every student deserves.

References

Sam Dreyfus serves as Executive Vice President of ECPI University, where he leads strategic initiatives that expand access to practical, career-focused education.

Sam is a passionate advocate for veterans, adult learners, and working parents who seek education designed around real-world demands. He works closely with faculty, students, and industry leaders to close the gap between education and employment.

Under his leadership, ECPI University continues to strengthen its reputation as a regionally accredited institution known for innovation, accelerated degree pathways, and strong career outcomes in healthcare, technology, and engineering.

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