Transfer to Ripon College sparked confidence, opportunities

Current junior Rose Hogmire of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, wasn’t sure college was for her at first, but eventually found her niche at Ripon College.

She says she wasn’t an excellent high school student, but the University of Minnesota Duluth was close by and accepted her. “My first year of college was the first time in my life I decided to put my head down, work hard and believe I was capable of doing great things,” she says. Her educators helped build her academic confidence and reinforce her love for studying politics and economics, but the large university was not the right fit for her.

“I thought seriously about what aspects of college I liked: group discussions, connecting with professors and participating in class with others,” she says. “A friend from high school attends Ripon College and told me that Ripon College had all of these things, while being affordable. I was sold on Ripon when the admissions counselors showed genuine interest in hearing what I wanted out of my education and expressed a level of attentiveness you can’t easily get from a larger university.”

She says the transfer process was very easy. “The admissions counselors would personally contact me via phone or email to check my progress along the way,” she says. “Ripon’s admissions were quick and responsive to any questions I had. Simple as that.”

All of her credits transferred except for a freshman seminar required at her previous school. “You hear stories of students ‘falling behind’ in their degree progress due to transferring,” she says. “My credits were accepted and reviewed to ensure I could easily transition into a new school without fear of being behind.”

Hogmire felt comfortable as a transfer student right away at Ripon College. Previously, her classes often had more than 100 students and participation wasn’t expected. “I feel like my education at Ripon College is so much more valuable being able to hear from other perspectives and interact with professors and students,” she says.

“I genuinely feel like transferring to Ripon College was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It’s hard to put into words, but I feel more prepared for a life outside of college because of Ripon’s commitment to providing a high-quality liberal arts education. Ripon has given me all of the resources available to be challenged and succeed. I am very grateful.

“Ripon College helped me lead confidently and feel comfortable to pursue opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise felt prepared for. I interned for the United States Senate after my first year at Ripon, which I wouldn’t have seriously considered applying for if my academic advisor hadn’t given me encouragement and guidance. Because of Ripon’s structure of small classrooms and close relationships with your professors, I felt I had an advantage as an intern because I was confident in working side-by-side with industry professionals, I wasn’t afraid to express my ideas to colleagues, and I was prepared to produce high-quality outcomes for any task.”

Hogmire is majoring in economics, and politics and government.

Posted October 28, 2016 in Transfer.

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