Indiana College Core (Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana Department of Education)

The Indiana College Core ensures that a student's30 hours of general education credit transfers between public colleges and universities. Whether the student has just started college or has completed 30 hours of general education credits, the following resources can help with next steps

BRIEF SUMMARY

The Indiana College Core ensures that a student’s30 hours of general education credit transfers between public colleges and universities. Whether the student has just started college or has completed 30 hours of general education credits, the following resources can help with next steps

RESOURCES

  • (Added 5/1/24, Michelle Ashcraft, CHE):  The Indiana Commission for Higher Education will host a webinar on May 30 from 2-3:30 PM to address Indiana College Core questions. We will record it for those who cannot attend. Please hold your calendars and I’ll work with my colleagues to send out an invitation with virtual meeting details soon.

    • Some quick points:

      • Per Indiana Code, the Indiana College Core (ICC) must be accepted at all public institutions.
      • The ICC provides the student with a 30-credit block. Currently 6 private institutions also accept ICC as a 30-credit block.
      • A student who earns dual credit, dual enrollment, AP credit, or other early college credit but not enough to earn the ICC is not guaranteed to receive college credit for all those courses at all public institutions.
      • For some majors, the total number of credits needed during their college career may not be reduced by 30, but the ICC is the best way to guarantee credit.
      • Finally, the “too many credits for financial aid issue” is often brought up. However, a student has financial aid eligibility for up to 180 credits for a four-year degree.
    • Indiana has a lot of tools to help students maximize course transfer, including the ICC along with the Core Transfer Library (CTL) and Transfer Single Articulation Pathways (TSAPs), among others. We will cover these tools in the webinar and stress the importance of how intentional course selection in high school can ensure maximum transfer and reduce the need to retake courses.
    • All questions and concerns pertaining to the ICC can be sent to ICC@che.in.gov. That is the best way to reach the Commission’s team that works with K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions on implementing the ICC.
  • (Added 9/27/23 Jessica Barrett, CHE): Some questions have come up regarding acceptance of the Indiana College Core at certain Indiana public institutions. We want to clarify that all Indiana public institutions have agreed to accept the Indiana College Core as a block, including Indiana University Bloomington and Purdue West Lafayette. More information can be found on My College Core. If you are interested in having your school offer the Indiana College Core, resources including an interest form can be found here. If you would like to learn more about the Indiana College Core, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education is hosting an Indiana College Core Informational Session this Wednesday, September 27th from 10:00-11:30am ET. This will include an Indiana College Core 101, My College Core Demo, and Q & A. Registration can be found here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at ICC@che.in.gov.
  • (Added 9/25/23 Michelle Ashcraft, CHE): The best way to reach out to the Commission about the Indiana College Core is to e-mail icc@che.in.gov. We have staff across our Academic Affairs, K-12 Outreach, and Postsecondary Transitions & Success Teams that support the program, so e-mailing that inbox will allow us to get you connected with the right staff member for assistance.
  • (Added 9/1/23): My College Core: This site will help students learn more and guide them through planning the college-level coursework they take in high school to earn the Indiana College Core. See which general education coursework will be most applicable to their chosen major, saving them time and money once they get to college! The Indiana College Core is a block of 30 credit hours of general education, college-level coursework which can be transferred between all Indiana public colleges and universities and some private ones. When earned in high school, the Indiana College Core helps students save time and money toward their higher education.
  • (CounselorTalk, March 2023): Michelle Ashcraft, inaugural Associate Commissioner for K-12 Strategy for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) shares that Outreach Coordinators are reaching out to high school counselors with an update regarding roster cleanup in ScholarTrack for the 2023 cohort. Why is this important?
    • We have set a statewide goal for 60% of the class of 2023 to file the FAFSA by April 15.
    • We track your school’s FAFSA completion so that we can reward your success.
    • We will share FAFSA completion data with IDOE for the Indiana GPS Dashboard.
    • We estimate that cleaning up rosters in ScholarTrack will increase schools’ FAFSA completion rates 3-8%.

    To make roster cleanup easier, they are sending lists of students we suspect have moved out of state, transitioned to homeschool or another school, or left school. You do not have to review your full roster. We would like to have roster cleanup complete by March 31, 2023 so that we can leverage April 1-15 for a strong final push for 2023-24 FAFSA filing. If you would like assistance with FAFSA filing in your school, please reach out to your Outreach Coordinator and/or our INvestED partners. We also encourage having your IT colleagues safe list @che.in.gov e-mail addresses for your students so we can reach out directly to offer reminders/support.

    • To continue building awareness around the benefits of the Indiana College Core with high school students, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana Department of Education released a comprehensive digital guide and toolkit in March, 2022. The materials are designed to equip educators, especially school counselors, with the information and tools needed to help students make knowledgeable decisions about earning the Indiana College Core.
    • The Educator Guide contains:
      • Explanation of the Indiana College Core and its benefits
      • How high schools can become providers of the Core
      • Flowchart for how to guide a student through earning and transferring the Core
      • Student, parent, principal and counselor testimonials
    • The Educator Toolkit is designed for counselors to explain the Indiana College Core to students and parents, and it contains:
      • Sample website and newsletter content
      • Sample email draft
      • Sample social media posts
      • Downloadable and fillable course offering list you can use to list your school’s courses that fulfill the Core
    • There’s also a short informational video designed to explain the Core to students and parents.

CONTENT FEEDBACK

If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.