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Learning occurs in a variety of settings and formats. AACC reviews credit for previous learning from traditional college coursework and from nontraditional sources such as military experience.
Planning ahead to graduation? Refer to transferring from AACC
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Students who wish to be familiar with AACC’s general statements for Admissions for students with transfer credit or prior learning experience from work, life, military or other sources, may refer to the information listed below. Should you have a question about Admissions, our Admissions Advisors are happy to help.
Transfer Credit Criteria
The college adheres to the transfer credit mandates of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Students must complete all admission procedures before AACC will evaluate requests to transfer credits from other institutions. Students should submit official transcripts from all previous institutions attended. Official transcripts must be received by AACC in a sealed envelope that is signed or stamped across the seal by the sending institution. Official transcripts may also be received electronically via a third-party transcript service directly from the sending institution. Transcripts must be received within one year of the date the transcript was issued to be considered for transfer credit. All transcripts should be sent to the Records and Registration office, which reviews courses on an individual basis. All transfer credit award determinations are made by the Records and Registration office in conjunction with the academic departments. Some academic departments may limit the courses that can be accepted for transfer credit at AACC based on professional accreditation or licensure requirements. Transfer credit will not be awarded if credit has already been earned at AACC.
Credit may be awarded if one of the following criteria is met:
1. The institution is accredited by a commission on higher education approved by the United States Department of Education. To verify accreditation, AACC uses the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Database of Institutions and Programs Accredited by Recognized United States Accrediting Organizations.
a. AACC recognizes the following regional accreditation associations:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
b. The institution is legally authorized to grant standard college degrees and is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. The college may award transfer credit based upon course equivalencies, expected learning outcomes and applicability to the college’s curricula, standards, and course offerings. Applicants seeking transfer of credit should contact the Records and Registration office at time of application to the college if they are unsure as to which documents are necessary.
c. Credit may not be accepted from schools that are candidates for regional accreditation and not fully accredited, or for coursework completed while an institution was not accredited by a commission on higher education approved by the United States Department of Education.
2. AACC has an approved articulation agreement with a high school, business, or industry. Articulation agreements specify award of credit for meeting certain criteria and presenting appropriate documentation. Refer also to Transfer Agreements.
3. AACC may accept credit if the American Council on Education (ACE) or National College Credit Recommendation Service (CCRS) has reviewed the training or military occupation and recommended award of college credit. AACC uses ACE and National CCRS recommendations as credit award guidelines with final determination of award of credit made in conjunction with the academic departments. Refer to the section that follows on Transfer Credit from Nontraditional Sources for more information.
4. Coursework completed at a postsecondary institution outside of the U.S., which is not regionally accredited by one of the aforementioned associations, must be evaluated by a professional transcript evaluation service before AACC will review courses for transfer credit. AACC requires the course-by-course evaluation for transfer credit review and accepts evaluations only from these approved evaluation services: World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), and SpanTran: The Evaluation Company.
5. If the student’s cumulative grade point average from a previous institution is less than a 2.00 on a 4.00 scale, AACC will review only courses with a grade of C or better for transfer credit. Exception: If a student has less than a 2.00 GPA from a regionally accredited Maryland public institution and then transfers to AACC, AACC will accept credits for general education courses in which the student earned a grade of D (a C- or higher is required for ENG 101 , ENG 112, ENG 116, or ENG 121 equivalent).
Transfer Credit from Other Institutions
In review of transfer credit from other institutions, the college considers the institution where the course was taken, the date completed, course description, and grade in deciding whether credit will transfer to AACC and if the course will be designated as a specific AACC course equivalency or elective. In some cases, AACC will need to review the syllabus or additional documentation. Upon request, students must supply this information from the sending institution. AACC will convert courses taken at institutions operating on the quarter system to semester hours if the credit transfers. Quarter hours are multiplied by 2/3 to equal semester credit hours.
Current AACC students who wish to take a course at another institution and transfer the credit back to AACC must file a Permission to Study at Another Institution form with the Records and Registration office to ensure the coursework will transfer back and meet AACC requirements.
Transfer Credit from Nontraditional Sources
The college may give credit for demonstrated proficiency in areas related to college level courses. Sources used to determine such proficiency are College-Level Examination Program (CLEP); Advanced Placement Examination (AP); Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma Program Examinations; International Baccalaureate (IB); Program Pathways Articulation; DANTES Standardized Subject Test (DSST); Office of Education Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education (ACE); and National College Credit Recommendation Service (CCRS). In assigning credits of this nature, the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) or National College Credit Recommendation Service (CCRS) are used as guidelines with final determination of award of credit made in conjunction with the academic departments. Applicants who seek credit from nontraditional sources should contact the Records and Registration office at the time of application to the college if they are unsure as to which documents are necessary. A maximum of 30 credit hours may be earned in this nontraditional manner.
Each institution sets its own policy on acceptance of nontraditional credit. When planning their choice of classes, students need to consult with their proposed transfer institution.
Military - Students wishing to earn college credit for their military experience must submit the official Joint Services transcript (Army, Navy, Coast Guard or Marines), Community College of the Air Force transcript or a photocopy of the DD-214. The official Joint Services Transcript transcript can be ordered at https://jst.doded.mil/smart/signIn.do. Basic Training is used to satisfy the general education health/fitness/wellness requirement and credit is awarded for other military training and occupations using the American Council on Education credit recommendations when a similar discipline is offered at AACC. For more information about military transfer credit contact the Records Office at 410-777-2572 or email transfercredit@aacc.edu.
Program Pathways - Program Pathways is an initiative between Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) and Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) to support successful transition of students from high school to college and careers. Plans of study have been created to visually demonstrate how high school programs can move into college degree and certificate programs.
High school students have the opportunity to earn AACC credit for successfully completing specific high school pathways in areas including business, engineering, information technologies and health. To view plans of study and details on receiving college credit, contact the Office of Instructional Pathways and Partnerships. Students enrolled in Program Pathways should arrange to meet with an academic or department advisor prior to attending AACC. Questions or requests for additional information should be directed to the Office of Instructional Pathways and Partnerships at 410-777-2891.
Proficiency Assessment Credit - Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) will award Anne Arundel County Public school (AACPS) students credit for completing high school course work that is aligned with AACC courses when the student completes a proficiency assessment with a C or higher. The proficiency assessment is developed, administered, and graded by AACC faculty according to AACC department standards. College credit is not granted when achievement is below a C. The grade a student receives on the proficiency assessment, if C or better, is recorded on the student’s official AACC transcript as “proficiency credit” in the transfer credit section. The maximum number of credits that can be awarded through a combination of proficiency assessment credit, credit by departmental examination, and credit through portfolio review is 15 credits. In accordance with the college’s academic regulations, only credit courses taken at Anne Arundel Community College will be calculated as part of the student’s grade point average and therefore will not include the proficiency assessment grades or any quality points as a result of proficiency assessment credit. A student who has received college credit through proficiency may request and receive an official transcript of these grades regardless of having completed coursework at AACC. For additional information about proficiency courses or assessment details, please contact Sara Eger, Director, Instructional Pathways and Partnerships, at sbeger@aacc.edu or 410-777-2891 or visit the Proficiency Credit webpage: http://www.aacc.edu/earn-college-credits-while-in-high-school/proficiency-credit/.
Advanced Placement (AP) - These exams are usually taken in high school, concluding a specially designed advanced placement course. Students must have official Advanced Placement score reports sent to the Records and Registration office directly from the College Board. Student grade reports are not accepted for credit, but may be used for placement or waiver of course prerequisites at time of registration. To request an official AP score report be sent to AACC visit the AP score website.
Because each college sets its own policy on required AP scores and credits awarded, students planning to transfer need to consult with their transfer institution. AACC will award credit based on the AP exams and minimum scores listed.
| AP Exam Title |
Passing Score |
AACC Equivalent |
Credit Awarded |
| 2-D Art and Design* |
3 |
ART 100 |
3 |
| 3-D Art and Design* |
3 |
ART 102 |
3 |
| Art History |
3 |
ART 209, ART 210 |
6 |
| Biology |
3 |
BIO GER |
3 |
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4 |
BIO 101 |
4 |
| Calculus AB |
3 |
MAT 151 |
4 |
| |
4 |
MAT 191 |
4 |
| Calculus BC |
3 |
MAT 191 |
4 |
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4 |
MAT 191, MAT 192 |
8 |
| Chemistry |
3 |
CHE 111, CHE 112 |
8 |
| Chinese Language and Culture |
3 |
CHI 112, CHI 211 |
6 |
| Comparative Government and Politics |
3 |
PLS 131 |
3 |
| Computer Science A |
3 |
CTP 115 |
4 |
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4 |
CTP 115, CTP 150 |
8 |
| Computer Science Principles |
3 |
CTP 103 |
3 |
| Drawing* |
3 |
ART 100 |
3 |
| English Language and Composition |
3 |
ENG 101, ENG 102 |
6 |
| English Literature and Composition |
3 |
ENG 101, ENG 102 |
6 |
| Environmental Science |
3 |
BIO GER |
3 |
| |
4 |
BIO 107 |
4 |
| European History |
3 |
HIS 111, HIS 112 |
6 |
| French Language and Culture |
3 |
FRE 211, FRE 212 |
6 |
| German Language and Culture |
3 |
GER 211, GER 212 |
6 |
| Human Geography |
3 |
GEO 103 |
3 |
| Italian Language and Culture |
3 |
ITA 211, ITA 212 |
6 |
| Japanese Language and Culture |
3 |
JPN 112, 211 |
6 |
| Latin |
3 |
LAT 111, LAT 112 |
6 |
| Macroeconomics |
3 |
ECO 211 |
3 |
| Microeconomics |
3 |
ECO 212 |
3 |
| Music Theory |
3 |
MUS 113, MUS 114 |
6 |
| Physics 1 |
3 |
PHY GER |
3 |
| |
4 |
PHY 111 |
4 |
| Physics 2 |
3 |
PHY GER |
3 |
| |
4 |
PHY 112 |
4 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism |
3 |
PHY GER |
3 |
| |
4 |
PHY 212 |
4 |
| Physics C: Mechanics |
3 |
PHY GER |
3 |
| |
4 |
PHY 211 |
4 |
| Psychology |
3 |
PSY 111 |
3 |
| Spanish Language and Culture |
3 |
SPA 211, SPA 212 |
6 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture |
3 |
SPA 211, SPA 212 |
6 |
| Statistics |
3 |
MAT 135 |
3 |
| U.S. Government and Politics |
3 |
PLS 111 |
3 |
| United States History |
3 |
HIS 211, HIS 212 |
6 |
| World History |
3 |
HIS 111, HIS 112 |
6 |
*Note: For the studio courses noted with (*), students will need to submit their portfolios and grade to the department chair for review and approval. Please contact the art department chair by email: https://www.aacc.edu/about/schools-of-study/liberal-arts/visual-arts-and-humanities/.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) - The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a nationally recognized credit by exam program. The exams allow students to earn college credit for knowledge gained through experience or independent learning. Students interested in learning more about CLEP should visit the AACC Testing website or contact the Testing office at 410-777-2375. Upon receipt of an official CLEP score report, the Records and Registration office will review the exam results for award of credit. It is the student’s responsibility to have official CLEP score reports sent to AACC. To request an official CLEP score report visit the CLEP score website.
Each college sets its own policy on required scores and credits awarded. When planning their choice of classes, students need to consult with their proposed transfer institution. AACC will award credit for the CLEP exams listed below provided the passing score, also noted below, has been met.
| CLEP Exam Title |
Passing Score |
AACC Equivalent |
Credit Awarded |
| Accounting, Financial |
50 |
BPA 201 |
3 |
| American Government |
50 |
PLS 111 |
3 |
| American Literature |
50 |
ENG 216, ENG 217 |
6 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (on/after 7/1/10) |
50 |
ENG GER |
3 |
| Biology |
50 |
BIO GER (nonlab)1 |
6 |
| Business Law, Introductory |
50 |
BPA 253 |
3 |
| Calculus |
50 |
MAT 191 |
4 |
| Chemistry |
50 |
CHE GER (nonlab)2 |
6 |
| College Algebra |
50 |
MAT 137 |
3 |
| College Composition Modular |
50 |
ENG ELE with eligibility for ENG 101 |
3 |
| College Composition (with Essays) |
50 |
ENG 112 or ENG 102 |
3 |
| College Mathematics |
50 |
MAT 133 |
3 |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology3 |
50 |
EDU 2113 |
3 |
| English Literature |
50 |
ENG 213, ENG 214 |
6 |
| French Language |
50 |
FRE 111, FRE 112 |
6 |
| German Language |
50 |
GER 111, GER 112 |
6 |
| Human Growth and Development |
50 |
PSY 211 |
3 |
| Humanities |
50 |
Humanities elective |
3 |
| Information Systems |
50 |
CTP 103 |
3 |
| Macroeconomics, Principles of |
50 |
ECO 211 |
3 |
| Management, Principles of |
50 |
BPA 142 |
3 |
| Marketing, Principles of |
50 |
BPA 125 |
3 |
| Microeconomics, Principles of |
50 |
ECO 212 |
3 |
| Natural Sciences |
50 |
Science elective (nonlab) |
6 |
| Precalculus |
50 |
MAT 145 |
3 |
| Psychology, Introductory |
50 |
PSY 111 |
3 |
| Social Science and History |
50 |
Social Science elective |
6 |
| Sociology, Introductory |
50 |
SOC 111 |
3 |
| Spanish Language |
50 |
SPA 111, SPA 112 |
6 |
| Spanish with Writing Level 1 |
50 |
SPA 111, SPA 112 |
6 |
| Spanish with Writing Level 2 |
65 |
SPA 111, SPA 112, SPA 211, SPA 212 |
12 |
| United States History 1 |
50 |
HIS 211 |
3 |
| United States History 2 |
50 |
HIS 212 |
3 |
| Western Civilization 1 |
50 |
HIS 111 |
3 |
| Western Civilization 2 |
50 |
HIS 112 |
3 |
1Cannot be substituted for BIO 101.
2Cannot be substituted for CHE 111 or CHE 112.
3Students taking this exam must meet with the TEACH advisor to discuss the mandatory fieldwork that accompanies this class.
Cambridge International Assessment Examinations (Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma Program Examinations) - Cambridge AICE Diploma Program Examinations are nationally and internationally recognized exams modeled on the British pre-college curriculum and A-Level exams. These exams are usually taken in high school upon the completion of a specifically designed course. Upon receipt of an official Cambridge AICE score report, the Records and Registration office will review the exam results for award of credit.
Students must have official Cambridge AICE score reports sent to AACC. U.S. students may request an official Cambridge AICE Statement of Results via the Cambridge Grade Transcript Service Website. Students from outside of the U.S. must submit documents for verification. To verify these documents, the Records and Registration office may access the student’s record via the Cambridge Direct website. Students should send the following to transfercredit@aacc.edu: a) Cambridge International Centre, b) Candidate Numbers, c) Relevant Examination Series (date the exam(s) were taken and d) Date of Birth. Due to the variation in exams that can be taken towards the Cambridge AICE Diploma, only the General Certificate of Education or Statement of Results are accepted.
Each college sets its own policy on required scores and credits awarded. When planning their choice of classes, the student should consult with their proposed transfer institution. AACC will award credit for the Cambridge AICE exams listed below provided the passing score, also noted below, has been met.
Effective October 1, 2022, AACC accepts the following Cambridge International Assessment Examination results:
| Test |
Score |
Credit Awarded |
| Biology (AS Level) |
C (40 points) |
3 Credits Biology Elective (BIO ELE) |
| Mathematics (AS Level) |
C (40 points) |
3 Credits Math Elective (MAT ELE) |
| Chemistry (AS Level) |
C (40 points) |
3 Credits Chemistry Elective (CHE ELE) |
| Psychology (AS Level) |
C (40 points) |
3 Credits Psychology Elective (PSY ELE) |
| Thinking Skills (AS Level) |
C (40 points) |
3 Credits Philosophy Elective (PHL ELE) |
Exams must be recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) and evaluated by the corresponding academic department. Currently, only Cambridge AS Level exams are recommended by ACE.
DSST (Formerly DANTES) Exams - DSST are college subject exams that you can take to earn college credit for knowledge you acquired outside of a traditional classroom, similar to CLEP. AACC is not a testing location, but you can go to www.getcollegecredit.com to find several locations in Maryland at which you can take the exam, resources to help you prepare, and directions on having your scores sent to AACC. Each college sets its own policy on required scores and credits awarded. When planning their choice of classes, students need to consult with their proposed transfer institution. AACC will award credit for the DSST exams listed below provided the passing score, also noted below, has been met.
| DSST Exam Title |
Passing Score |
AACC Equivalent |
Credit Awarded |
| Advanced English Composition, Principles of |
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No credit awarded |
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| Anthropology, General |
400 |
ANT 120 |
3 |
| Art of the Western World |
400 |
ART 209 |
3 |
| Astronomy |
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No credit awarded |
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| Business, Introduction to |
400 |
BPA 111 |
3 |
| Business Ethics and Society |
400 |
BPA 138 |
3 |
| Business Mathematics |
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No credit awarded |
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| Civil War and Reconstruction |
400 |
HIS 220 |
3 |
| College Algebra, Fundamentals of |
400 |
MAT 044 |
0 |
| Computing and Information Technology |
400 |
CTP 103 |
3 |
| Counseling, Fundamentals of |
400 |
HUS 216 |
3 |
| Criminal Justice |
400 |
CJS elective |
3 |
| Cybersecurity, Fundamentals of |
400 |
CTS 210 |
3 |
| Education, Foundations of |
400 |
EDU 111* |
3 |
| Environmental Science |
400 |
BIO 108 |
3 |
| Ethics in America |
400 |
PHL 142 |
3 |
| Ethics in Technology |
400 |
CTP 194 |
3 |
| Finance, Principles of |
400 |
BPA 256 |
3 |
| Geography, Introduction to |
400 |
GEO 103 |
3 |
| Geology, Introduction to |
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Under review |
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| Health and Human Development |
400 |
HEA 111 |
3 |
| History of the Soviet Union |
400 |
HIS elective |
3 |
| History of the Vietnam War |
400 |
HIS 229 |
3 |
| Human Resource Management |
400 |
BPA 172 |
3 |
| Law Enforcement, Introduction to |
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Under review |
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| Lifespan Developmental Psychology |
400 |
PSY 211 |
3 |
| Management Information Systems |
400 |
CTA elective |
3 |
| Math for Liberal Arts |
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No credit awarded |
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| Money and Banking |
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No credit awarded |
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| Organizational Behavior |
400 |
BPA 190 |
3 |
| Personal Finance |
|
Under review |
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| Public Speaking, Principles of |
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No credit awarded |
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| Statistics, Principles of |
400 |
MAT 135 |
3 |
| Substance Abuse |
400 |
HUS 102 |
3 |
| Supervision, Principles of |
400 |
BPA 171 |
3 |
| Technical Writing |
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No credit awarded |
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| World Religions, Introduction to |
400 |
PHL elective |
3 |
*Students taking this exam must meet with the TEACH advisor to discussion the mandatory fieldwork that accompanies this class.
International Baccalaureate - AACC will award credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) subject examinations with scores of 5, 6, or 7. To receive credit for IB exams, students must have official results sent to the Records and Registration office. Credit earned through IB subject area examinations may be used to satisfy general education requirements, course equivalencies, prerequisite requirements or elective credit. Students may be awarded up to 30 credits toward the associate degree.
Because each college sets its own policy on required scores and credits awarded, students planning to transfer need to consult with their proposed transfer institution.
To request an official candidate score report be sent to AACC, visit the International Baccalaureate website.
Credit by Departmental Examination - In the subjects which college-level examinations (CLEP) are not available, department chairs may arrange to give examinations to qualified applicants. A maximum of 15 credits may be earned through combination of proficiency assessment credit, credit by departmental examination, and portfolio assessment. Applicants must:
- Complete an application for admission.
- Obtain a form for Request for Credit by Departmental Exam from the department chair.
- Have the completed form approved by the appropriate department chair.
- Take the completed and approved form to the Cashier’s office and pay application and exam fees.
- Return the form to the department chair and arrange a time to take the exam.
Credit by exam is graded on a pass/fail basis. Courses for which passing grades are earned will be listed on the student’s academic record as transfer of credit. The student’s grade point average (refer to Academic Regulations) will not be affected. Students who fail may not repeat credit by exam, but may take the course.
Portfolio Assessment - A portfolio is a device in which you collect artifacts and provide documentation demonstrating that you have acquired college-level learning for an identified AACC course. You reflect and write about past experiences and how you met the learning outcomes for the course(s) through study, work and other life experiences which have occurred outside the classroom. A subject matter expert will determine if you have demonstrated that you have the college-level learning equivalent to the course through an examination of the material in your portfolio.
The portfolio assessment advisor will guide you through the process which will consist of an explanation of your knowledge in specific fields and the connection between that knowledge and stated learning outcomes for specific courses offered at AACC. Documentation must be provided relating to the learning claimed. In some cases, a demonstration of skills, a writing exercise, using a computer application, or an oral presentation etc., can serve as documentation. This requirement can be flexible depending on the subject area and learning outcomes. Other supporting materials such as reference letters, transcripts, recognitions and certificates may be required. Portfolio credits do not affect a student’s grade point average. A maximum of 15 credits may be earned through combination of proficiency assessment credit, credit by departmental examination, and portfolio assessment. The following are the eligibility requirements for participation in the portfolio assessment program:
- Students are enrolled in a degree or certificate program at AACC
- Students have ENG 111/ENG 115/ENG 101/ENG 101A eligibility
- No CLEP examination is available for the targeted course
To determine eligibility and for a description of policies, procedures and fees, call 410-777-2340.
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