When most people think of going to college, they picture attending one place. However, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy, nearly 40 percent of college students transfer at some point in their postsecondary education journey. Multiple Yutan graduates are among those ranks.

Yutan graduate Jude Elgert (class of 2023) previously attended Central Community College (CCC) before transferring to Concordia University in his junior year.

“I transferred to Concordia University because I wanted to complete my bachelor’s degree, and I also had the opportunity to continue playing golf while doing so,” Elgert said.

Because Elgert was able to continue playing golf, his coaches helped him through his transfer process.

“Both of my coaches—at CCC and Concordia—have made the transfer process really smooth, which has helped a lot…Both of my coaches helped me through it, and all I really had to do was apply and send over transcripts,” Elgert said.

It wasn’t just the coaches who made the transfer seamless for Elgert, as he knew some of the players on the golf team.

“I didn’t feel like I had to start over because I already knew some of the guys on the Concordia golf team. We had played in a few of the same meets before, so that made the transition easier,” Elgert said.

As he adjusted to life at Concordia, Elgert found the biggest differences were in size and class requirements.

“The two schools are very similar, but Concordia has a lot more students than Central does. Concordia also requires you to take a few religion classes in order to graduate, unlike Central,” Elgert said.

Although Elgert noticed some key differences between the two schools, the transition to Concordia ultimately provided the community he was hoping for.

“Concordia has been what I expected—a close-knit, faith-based community, which I really enjoy,” Elgert said.

Although Elgert transferred for academic reasons, Yutan graduate Zach Kraijcek (class of 2023) transferred from Concordia University to Midland University his sophomore year to be closer to home.

“Ultimately, it was just to be closer to family in Yutan. Being able to go back home to Yutan pretty much any day is a blessing,” Krajicek said.

As he adjusted to his new campus, Krajicek noticed several differences between the two universities.

“Concordia University is a lot more of a religious university compared to Midland University, even though they are both private schools. That was really a culture shock for me coming to Midland University. Another big difference is the town of Fremont compared to Seward. Fremont is quite a bit larger and has more of a traditional college environment,” Krajicek said.

Adjusting to those changes took time, but the transition ultimately gave Krajicek a chance to start fresh and find his place in a new college community.

“I definitely felt like I had to start over. I had spent an entire year at Concordia, and it really was a fresh start. I wouldn’t change that, looking back on the situation. College is an entirely different situation than high school, and having that second opportunity to ‘start over’ actually made it easier to adjust to my new environment,” Krajicek said. “The people at Midland are fantastic. Especially on the football team is where I’ve made some pretty awesome friends.”

Krajicek found a family on Midland’s football team, and like Elgert, sports involvement helped make the transition easier.

“College football is one of the hardest things someone can go through. Having people next to you going through the same things you are, such as long meetings and hard workouts, makes it 100 times easier,” Krajicek said.

Another Yutan graduate who transferred from a public to a private university is Kaitlyn Bisaillon (class of 2022). She transferred from the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) to Creighton University before her sophomore year because it was her dream college. 

“One of the main reasons I transferred is because I wanted to go to Creighton for as long as I could remember. At the very end of senior year in high school, I made a last-minute decision to attend UNO. I didn’t want to regret not attending my dream school later in life, so I made the decision to transfer,” Bisaillon said. 

Bisaillon was also drawn to Creighton for the community she would be able to become a part of.

“I found the individualized curriculum and sense of community at Creighton appealing to me. The professors care about each student and their success. Another pro is that most of the students are from out of state or even out of the country, so I am exposed to a diverse group of people,” Bisaillon said.

Once Bisaillon decided to transfer, she had to go through a specific process.

“To transfer, I had to meet with the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at the Heider College of Business. We discussed what classes would transfer over and how they would transfer over into Creighton’s curriculum,” Bisaillon said.

“After I made it certain I was transferring, I had to attend a transfer orientation to learn more about Creighton and meet other people who were transferring into Creighton as well.”

Like Krajicek, Bisaillon felt like she was starting over at Creighton.

“Most of the classes that transferred to Creighton transferred as electives, and I had to take their core classes that most students take as a freshman. Additionally, I didn’t know many people, so I had to meet new people in my classes.” Bisaillon said.

As she was meeting new people, she noticed a major difference at her new school.

“The main difference I saw between Creighton and UNO is the community and diversity. Creighton is such a tight-knit community because everyone is from all over the country, so everyone comes in knowing no one. Naturally, as a result of this, everyone gets to know everyone, which creates a big community as opposed to different small groups,” Bisaillon said.

This community is ultimately what made Bisaillon feel like the transfer was worth it.

“Creighton was even better than I had imagined. I have an incredible network of people from all over the world, and I haven’t even entered the workforce yet,” Bisaillon said.

As a result of their transfer experiences, these graduates have advice for those students who are still making their college decisions.

“I would say take your time in the process. Go on as many visits as you need. Also, know that college is the start of your adult life. With that comes a lot more responsibility that can be hard to adapt to,” Krajicek said.

While weighing their different options, Bisaillon advises students to go with their gut.

“My advice to students applying to college is don’t play it safe,” Bisaillon said. “Don’t go somewhere because you think that’s what someone else would want you to do or because you want to know someone else is going there. Don’t worry about not knowing anyone there. You will find your people.”