For Students & Parents

CAP vs. AP - What's the Difference?

Students and parents may be confused about how CAP differs from Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The FAQs below may answer some questions you might have.

Transferability of Credits

Before enrolling in the College Achievement Program, it is the student's responsibility to contact the institution to which he or she is seeking admission to determine transferability of CAP credits. The decision to recognize credits is the decision of the receiving institution. 

A student who wants to transfer credit to a specific college or university should check directly with that institution (registrar's office, office of admissions, or academic program of intended major) to determine if a course will be accepted and counted toward graduation.

Credits earned through the College Achievement Program are USI courses and will be waiting for students when they arrive at USI's campus. Even so, before enrolling, students should still consult the University web site for particular requirements of their potential major and USI's general education Core 39 requirements. If you know your intended major, also check out the major program requirements, as some majors specify which courses should be taken to meet Core 39 requirements.

Credit Transfer to Public Institutions in Indiana

Public schools within the state of Indiana have established a Core Transfer Library (CTL). Each course included in the list will transfer to any public college or university in Indiana if an equivalent course exists and if the student has earned an adequate grade in the course. Click here for more information about the CTL and how CAP courses transfer around the state. Check out which schools offer CAP courses here.

*CAP courses not included in the CTL may still transfer to public institutions in Indiana. Check with your college of choice prior to enrolling.

How to use the TransferIN.net Core Transfer Library

1. Log on to transferin.net
2. Hover over 'Earned Credits' and select 'Core Transfer Library'
3. Click 'Search the Core Transfer Library Now' button
4. Select 'Filter by School' and select the alphabetical tier that your prospective school(s) are in.
5. Find the CTL name (if you need the CTL name, reference the CAP course listing) for your USI course on the list and review what the course transfers into the school as by finding the school course number and course title on the same row (be sure to make sure your row headers are visible).

Different institutions give their courses unique names. The CTL assigns courses a generic name to cover the variety of course names throughout the state.

All of the courses shown for a CTL course name are equivalent courses at the respective institution. For example, under the CTL course name, American History 1, you can see that USI's HIST 101 is equal to IU Bloomington's HIST-H105, American History 1.

Credit Transfer to Private Schools & Schools Out of State

Public schools out of state generally accept dual credit transfers, as do some private schools. The registrar's office, admission office, or prospective academic school will be able to verify how credits from a CAP course will be accepted and counted toward graduation requirements.

When contacting an institution to determine how CAP credit will transfer, be sure to have the following information ready:

1. The name and number of the CAP course (e.g. ENG 101 Rhetoric & Composition)
2. The course description (available here)
3. The number of credit hours

Be prepared to ask the following:

1. Will the course fulfill a graduation requirement or be accepted for elective credit?
2. Is a minimum grade required for the course to transfer?
3. Will you send written confirmation of what was agreed to in this conversation?

Students are advised to take a portfolio of their work (including a course syllabus, graded papers, tests and other beneficial information) to new student orientation in order to demonstrate the college work in the course and to gain the transfer credit. If transfer ability is in question, students should go to the subject area department (mathematics, English, etc.) and show the portfolio to the freshman advisor. Persistence on the part of students often meets with a successful transfer of credit. Students should not carry in a USI transcript, as most institutions require it to be sent directly from USI.

What is MyUSI?

Every college or university has a student portal that permits access to a variety of resources. USI's student portal is known as myUSI, and as a CAP student, you are encouraged to activate this account and use it for the following:

• To access your USI student email (which can be forwarded)
• To view final grade(s) at the end of the term
• To access your unofficial transcript
• To request an official transcript, to initiate the transfer of USI credit

Upon acceptance to the College Achievement Program (CAP), you will receive a letter with information to activate your myUSI account. You will want to log in as soon as you receive your letter to become familiar with the resources available. You also need your myUSI login information to access online resources through the Rice Library. 

Should you lose or forget your myUSI login information, contact the IT Help Desk at 812-465-1080. Students must be the one to call for assistance, not parents or guardians. 

How Do I Activate My Account?

Academic Skills

Another benefit to CAP students is an open invitation to either in-person or online tutoring, sponsored by USI’s Academic Skills department. 

Tutoring must be utilized for only the CAP course(s) in which you are enrolled, and not all courses have tutoring offered each semester. More information about tutoring can be found at USI.edu/university-division/academic-skills/tutoring or call 812-464-1743 to make an appointment.