Stockton University has signed a dual admission and transfer partnership agreement with Middlesex College that will help students make a smooth transition from the two-year college to Stockton’s bachelor’s degree program.
The five-year agreement strengthens the relationship between Stockton and Middlesex by offering multiple opportunities for students to seamlessly pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees at the two institutions of higher education, according to information provided by Middlesex College.
Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman said the agreement will give students access to Stockton services while they attend Middlesex College, and provide a smooth pathway to Stockton as juniors after they earn their associate degree, according to the statement.
“More than 300 students from Middlesex County already attend Stockton,” Kesselman said in the statement. “This program will give even more students the confidence of knowing they are on the path to a four-year college degree.”
Stockton Chief Enrollment Management Officer Robert Heinrich said the Transfer Pathways program gives students dual admission options, including access to Stockton University services while they attend Middlesex College.
“If a student applies to Stockton but is not initially accepted as a freshman, through the Transfer Pathways program we offer the opportunity for conditional acceptance if they start at Middlesex College,” Heinrich said in the statement. “If students are already enrolled at Middlesex, they can apply for conditional acceptance at Stockton while they work toward their associate degree.”
Linda Scherr, vice president for academic affairs at Middlesex College, said she was very pleased about the initiative.
“We are proud to partner with Stockton University to provide another excellent pathway for Middlesex College graduates to earn a bachelor’s degree from one of the top public universities in the Northeast,” she said in the statement.
Middlesex College President Mark McCormick agreed.
“Middlesex College is very pleased to partner with Stockton University to provide expanded transfer opportunities for our graduates,” he said in the statement. “Our institutions share the same values – offering quality higher education at an affordable cost in a student-centered environment of exceptional teaching and learning.”
The terms of the agreement include:
- Students who are denied direct admission to Stockton can receive conditional dual admission in partnership with Middlesex College. Students will attend classes at Middlesex College but have access to campus housing, activities and student groups at Stockton and receive a special Stockton Identification card through its Transfer Pathways program.
- Students who successfully complete their associate degree at Middlesex College can automatically transfer to Stockton with junior standing to complete their bachelor’s degree. Application fees to Stockton will be waived for eligible students.
- Students who complete at least 36 credits at Middlesex College, and a total of 64 credits between the county college and the four-year institution, are eligible to receive a retroactive associate degree from Middlesex College. Stockton and Middlesex College will co-host “reverse transfer” information sessions for students.
- Stockton and Middlesex College will develop specific program-to-program articulation agreements for high-demand majors to facilitate the quality and ease of transfer.
- Students will receive joint advising from both institutions and a Stockton advisor will have office space and a regular schedule at Middlesex College.
- Students will be eligible for financial aid from whichever institution they are attending. Stockton will provide five one-year scholarships of $2,000 per year to Middlesex College graduates whose admission to Stockton is covered by the agreement.
- Stockton and Middlesex College will establish an advisory committee to ensure best practices in recruitment, enrollment management, academic and student services, information technology, marketing and facilities use.
Stockton already has similar agreements with Atlantic Cape Community College, Brookdale Community College, Camden County College, Mercer County Community College, County College of Morris, Ocean County College, Rowan College of South Jersey, Rowan College at Burlington County, and Salem Community College and is pursuing additional partnerships with other community colleges in the state.