Students who complete associate degree will receive admission and junior standing at Clark
Clark University has joined the Massachusetts Transfer Guarantee, a partnership between community colleges and four-year colleges and universities that creates a pathway for students to transfer seamlessly and obtain an affordable bachelor’s degree.
Clark signed a memorandum of understanding with the New England Board of Higher Education this spring, establishing its place in the program.
“Clark is thrilled to join the Massachusetts Guarantee because it reflects our commitment to widening access to a transformative college education, strengthening pathways for talented community college students, and ensuring that more students from across Massachusetts can thrive at Clark,” says Laurie Ross, associate provost and dean of the college.
The program guarantees admission for qualifying students who complete an associate degree and meet eligibility criteria. No application fee or admission essay is required, and students will have junior status upon enrollment with the transfer of associate degree credits.
Across all of Massachusetts and as of the 2024-2025 academic year, 2,219 students have transferred through the Guarantee, and 609 unique students have graduated with a bachelor’s degree from their four-year transfer destination, according to data released in March by the New England Board of Higher Education.
“This agreement makes transfer more transparent and more welcoming for students who have already demonstrated their ability and motivation by completing an associate degree,” says Ross. “We are especially excited about what this means for building a more diverse student body and for connecting more Massachusetts students to the full promise of The Clark Experience.”
Tom Morgan, director of admissions for strategic initiatives and the transfer coordinator in Undergraduate Admissions, says the partnership allows Clark to scale its success with transfer at Quinsigamond Community College to all community colleges in Massachusetts. With Quinsigamond Community College, data show transfer students perform well once they land at Clark. During the 2024-2025 academic year, QCC transfers had an average 3.35 GPA compared to native Clarkies’ 3.44 GPA. During the 2023-2024 academic year, those GPAs were 3.48 and 3.4, respectively.
Morgan, who is also a member of the New England Transfer Association, says that 80.9% of Mass Guarantee students for academic year 2023-2024 cleared a 3.0 GPA.
In a collaborative effort to standardize transfer at Clark, the School of Professional Studies will also accept transfer students through the partnership.
“The four-year residential experience on campus is not a fit for everyone. Some people are looking for online, evening, and mixed-modality classes,” says Morgan. “Now, students who go to community college in Massachusetts can apply to Clark, either the residential undergrad experience or our professional studies experience, and we are part of the same agreement.”
