Georgia Highlands College students who want to enroll at Berry College will find it a bit easier after an agreement signed between the two schools.

Berry and Georgia Highlands officials have agreed that any GHC student who earns an associate’s degree and has a 3.0 GPA from all coursework at GHC will be guaranteed acceptance as a transfer student at Berry. 

The two colleges have had a good relationship throughout the years and have been working together formally in a variety of ways, said Steve Briggs, Berry College president.

“This agreement allows the two colleges to increase the opportunity for students to complete their college degrees,” Briggs said “This speaks volumes about our community and the kind of place we want to be.”

Berry already accepts GHC transfer students every year and they’ve been very successful, Briggs added.

GHC is a state college of the University System of Georgia, serving more than 5,500 students in Rome, Cartersville, Marietta, Dallas and Douglasville.

“We at GHC very much look forward to working with Berry as local partners in education,” said Laura Musselwhite, vice president for academic and student affairs at GHC. “This agreement will serve as another pathway for students in our community to a four-year degree. The seamless progression possible with this type of articulation will help both colleges guide students to finish a degree in a timely fashion.”

Berry Associate Provost Andrew Bressette said this is one way Berry and GHC can work together to increase the opportunities for students throughout Georgia.

“As the state seeks to increase the number of students who complete college, creating as many avenues as possible for students and streamlining (or removing barriers) the paths to graduation not only helps Berry and GHC, but the state as well,” Bressette said.