North Idaho College and the University of Idaho have created a partnership through VandaLink, a program set to streamline the process for NIC students looking to transfer to UI.
VandaLink guarantees admission for NIC students with an associate degree and also provides students with 45 credits a fee waver, said Corey DeLeonard, a recruitment and advising coordinator at UI Coeur d”Alene.
“The program also allows the students access to exclusive scholarships and first choice at picking classes,” DeLeonard said.
VandaLink provides admission without fees upon completion of an associate degree from participating schools.
“The goal is to get students thinking beyond getting an associate degree,” said Jocelyn Stott, a UI spokeswoman.
DeLeonard works with transfer students from NIC and said the program allows transferring to be a smooth and easy process.
Stott said NIC wants is to see their students achieve more than an associate degree, so the college is trying to help the students as much as they can by offering them opportunities to achieve.
Students looking to transfer should utilize this program and talk to councilors about what they need to do to take advantage of the opportunity, DeLeonard said.
“It”s tough for students because they feel lost and try to figure things out on their own,” DeLeonard said. “The transfer process is difficult and is usually a stressful situation.”
NIC also offers Oars, a program designed to help students with transferring along with helping them in the process of getting a job. Both of these programs were created to help the students save time and money and to allow a smooth process.
Both schools have an articulation agreement that allows students to transfer credits they have already earned, DeLeonard said.
By having this agreement, students are motivated to come to UI because they are guaranteed that the credits will count, he said.
“The thing is we are really trying to make this a smooth and easy process for the students so with the help of this program they can succeed” DeLeonard said.
Kristen Bertoloni can be reached at [email protected]