Transferring to another College: A Strong Start Deserves a Spectacular Finish

Choosing the right college that will provide us with everything we want and need is sometimes not as simple as it seems. At the age of 18 or 19, when we most often find ourselves faced with this life choice, hardly anyone can claim to be entirely sure of what they want. Some will discover by enrolling in college that this is precisely what they wanted, others will finish college and start doing something completely different, and some will face the truth - I didn't choose the right college for me and I want a change.

Sometimes we make bad decisions and we shouldn't be ashamed of it. And while some bad decisions are not of a large scale and we can relatively easily heal the consequences, some bad decisions can leave a much bigger impact on us.

So, what if you are not happy with your first choice? Based on the feedback we’ve got from transfer students who are joining RIT Croatia on a yearly basis, here is some advice:

1. Listen to your intuition. If after a while you feel that you don’t belong or that you’ve made a wrong decision regarding college and your future career, rethink, regroup, and make an exit strategy.
2. Overcome the stigma about students who enroll in a college and then give up after a while. It’s better to gather courage and start over than to remain doing what you dislike your entire life.
3. Do your research. Maybe you’ve missed doing this while choosing your first choice but it is really important to think smart about your next steps and do thorough research about the next institution of higher education you wish to become a part of, as well as about the program of study and future career choices.
4. Be open-minded. Now that you have some experience with choosing a college, broaden your search and include institutions that were not on the radar before.

Ivana Silić, Director of the Recruitment & Enrollment Department at RIT Croatia, was asked to explain what RIT Croatia's experience is with students who transfer, where they come from, and in which year of study they most often decide to make this big change.

“We analyzed our transfer students and were surprised by the diversity. Students who transfer to us come from all possible fields and really different orientations. Most of them usually come from various studies in economics, which is somewhat related to our Global Business Management or Hospitality and Tourism Management programs of study. Likewise, there are many students in computer science and other related studies who enroll in Web and Mobile Computing. Most often, students transfer to us from the second year of study, because by then they have already spent enough time at their first choice, and the time spent at the first university is not yet too long for them to change their choice. The subjects they have already passed, which also fit into the program they have chosen with us, will be recognized, so they will not have to take them again” explained Ivana Silić.

Transferring to RIT Croatia is different than transferring to any other college in Croatia. When someone wants to transfer to RIT Croatia, they must send a transcript of grades in English from their home higher education institution, a description or syllabus of completed courses in English, a motivational letter in English, and they must complete a motivational interview. Those who wish to apply for scholarships or financial support must mention this when filling out the online form.

“When we receive the transfer application with the specified necessary documents, we compare the syllabuses of the courses taken with the syllabuses of the courses that are taught at RIT Croatia and see if certain courses can be recognized. We admit those courses whose syllabi match”, Ivana Silić said.

Each course at RIT Croatia carries certain points, and within one year the student must acquire a certain number of points. The order in which the courses are taken depends solely on the student, except for a few main courses that must be taken in certain years, i.e. in a certain order. A student whose grades for certain courses have been recognized will not have to retake them but will have to make up for everything he did not pass in the last exam.

At RIT Croatia, there are two possible beginnings of classes, in September and January, when the semesters begin. Students who transfer can start classes in one of these two enrollment periods.

Read more about transferring to RIT Croatia HERE