It doesn't have to be this way. One solution is a computer system that would help students determine whether the courses they plan to take will be accepted by the four-year schools they are considering. This system has worked well in Maryland. Another solution is for community colleges to be more forthcoming about the courses they offer and the likelihood of being accepted elsewhere. At Bergen Community College, for example, counselor Jean Goldstein advises students of the courses they should take if they ultimately plan to attend William Paterson University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, or Montclair State University.
Some schools are reluctant to accept credit from schools with lesser reputations.
Other schools will not give credit for courses taught by instructors who lack doctorates in the proper field. Often, little rhyme or reason is involved. Calculus courses at Rutgers University in Newark, for example, aren't fully honored by Rutgers University in New Brunswick. To eliminate the problem, the Newark branch's math department is restructuring its calculus courses to conform with New Brunswick's. Some New Jersey schools have been making progress toward solving the problem.