The MTA agreement has replaced the MACRAO agreement as of this semester.
The MACRAO agreement has been used since 1972 to guide Michigan colleges when they transfer students’ general education credits.
The program replacing MACRAO is the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA), which was put into action this semester.
The MACRO agreement was driven by the schools using it, and it was optional for Michigan universities..
The MTA agreement was initiated by the legislature and is being used by every college and university in Michigan.
Students who enrolled previous to Fall 2013 have the choice of following either the MACRAO or MTA, but students enrolled after this semester will be switched to the MTA.
The two agreements are very similar, but do have a few minor differences in the courses required.
The MTA requires more science and a higher math course than the MACRAO, but it requires fewer humanities and social science courses.
There is also more leniency with composition courses; some communications courses can be taken instead of Comp II.
Mark Hall, MCCC director of Admissions, said that one isn’t necessarily better than the other, it just depends on where the student is transferring and what their major is.
He also advises everyone to fulfil the MTA requirements for future use if possible.
"Once you get it done, it will always be there,"
he said.
