Students planning to take summer courses close to home can now use a new Web site to find out if the credits they earn will transfer to Penn State.

The implementation of the evaluative transfer credit Web site about a month ago enables students to schedule courses near their homes in a more efficient manner, Richard Stover, admissions counselor, said.

The Web site is accessible by opening the undergraduate admissions Web site (www.psu.edu/admissions) and clicking the link for "evaluate transfer credits."

Before the creation of the Web site, students had to see an adviser to determine if credits from a course at another school would transfer to Penn State, then fill out a course evaluation form. Now, students only have to see an adviser if the course is not listed on the Web site.

Christine Hughes, undergraduate adviser for the College of the Liberal Arts, said the Web site is a great benefit to students, but thinks they will still need the guidance of an adviser when picking courses at another institution.

"It adds convenience and assurance," she said. "Some students still want the reassurance of an adviser's signature to take a course somewhere other than Penn State."

Devon Burrows (sophomore-biology) said she would have used the service this semester to schedule summer courses near her home in Virginia if she had been aware of the Web site. She said she decided to remain at University Park instead of going through the hassle of finding out which courses would transfer.

"Next summer, I will be back home and working," Burrows said. "This is a great help to see what classes I can take while living at home."

Students transferring to Penn State can also access the Web site, as can students in high school taking classes for college credit, Stover said. Penn State decided to implement the program because the university wanted to facilitate students' decisions to take certain classes.

"The site has been in development for two years," Stover said. "For over 10 years, the university has had the idea to start a customer service option like this."

In the near future, the Web site will be accessible through eLion, he said. Stover said the Web site includes Penn State's policy for transferring credits. Students are cautioned to consult their advisers and discuss the class before scheduling.

If students wish to take a class that has not yet been evaluated by the university, they should visit the admissions office and complete the written course evaluation form, Stover said.

Burrows said she would be willing to fill out the course evaluation form to get classes closer to her home. "If I knew I was going home, I wouldn't mind going through the hassle," she said.

Stover said as more students discover the Web site, the university will receive more feedback. Improvements and suggestions about the Web site are welcome by the admissions office, he said.