BY NOLAN KROHA / VN COLUMNIST
Choosing a college or university can be a daunting task for soon-to-be college freshmen.
With so many colleges at your disposal, finding one that fits your needs and wants can feel overwhelming.
I know I felt stressed.
Now into my third year of college and a transfer student at Detroit Mercy, I can say that I am happy with my decision to become apart of this community.
My family is deeply rooted here. Both of my grandparents attended the University of Detroit, as did my parents after the consolidation with Mercy College.
I originally didn’t want to attend Detroit Mercy because of these roots.
I wanted to go somewhere different, so I went to a larger university in Detroit.
At first, I felt content with my decision.
But as the semesters went on, I started feeling dissatisfied with the student service I was receiving, from the loss of my financial aid papers to being run in circles when trying to remove an unjustified hold on my student registration account.
It felt as if I was being thrown to the curb.
When I began to explore transferring, Detroit Mercy was still near the bottom of my list.
I visited colleges all over Michigan but they all had the same vibe.
One program was highly interested in me until administrators realized that my credits wouldn’t transfer. Then they wouldn’t even call back.
With all my choices exhausted, I was left with one option, University of Detroit Mercy.
I begrudgingly filled out the application during Christmas break when all the staff was out enjoying their vacations so I didn’t hear anything back for some time.
After a while, though, I was greeted with a call from an assistant dean.
He made it clear that he wanted me at the university and he would do his best to get the process rolling ASAP.
I sent him my transcripts, which were promptly accepted. When he asked for my previous college credits, he happily told me that all but two credits would be accepted.
The first week of the winter semester, I was now out of the large college, where classes were devoid of teacher-student relations, where advisors wouldn’t give a lick of advice and where most students were left to fend for themselves.
Detroit Mercy was completely different.
The first day I met with my advisor, who registered me for classes the same day, even though I was three weeks late.
When I joined the classes late, professors reached out to me and sent me the syllabus welcoming me to the class.
I felt like I was actually being considered as an asset to the school’s future and not just some number in a system.
Unlike other colleges that are centered around the program and its faculty, Detroit Mercy is focused on making sure the student is welcomed and happy.
It is truly a college built for students.
