Rasmussen College Transition FAQs

General QA on the merger

  1. Who is changing their name?

    2. Aakers College of North Dakota and Webster College of Florida are changing their name to Rasmussen College.

  2. When is the name change?

    3. The official date of the name change is October 15, 2007. However, both colleges are starting to refer to themselves as Rasmussen College already in advertisements and when working with new and existing students.

  3. 3. Why are Aakers College and Webster College changing their name?

    4. Aakers College and Webster College merged with Rasmussen College in April 2007 under the authority of the Higher Learning Commission. After the merger, Aakers College and Webster College were granted regional accreditation — one of the highest accreditation status a school can achieve — and technically became the same college with the same curriculum, student services, and overall operations. Aligning the name of the colleges will make the college more efficient overall and strengthen the name of Rasmussen College as it will now be present across 5 states and with a network of more than 7000 students.

  4. How are Aakers College and Webster College affiliated with Rasmussen College?

    5. Aakers College and Webster College have been in the Rasmussen College system of schools for several years. All of the curriculum, student services, and even some of the faculty have been aligned across all three schools. Essentially, the schools have been the same school with three different names.

  5. How will the name change affect the colleges and benefit students?

    6. The only effect the name change will have on the college itself is in the logo, signs, and colors of Aakers College and Webster College. The colleges’ degree programs, curriculum, faculty, and staff will remain the same.

    Students will benefit from the name change because they will be a part of a larger network of college students consisting of more than 7000. Rasmussen College students traveling from North Dakota to Minnesota to Wisconsin to Illinois to Florida will have the benefits of a degree from a well-known college that is regionally accredited and represents a strong contingent of graduates.

  6. Who do I turn to if I have questions about the name change?

    7. Any other questions about the name change can be directed to Kristy.Croom@rasmussen.edu.

QA for Students

  1. As a Rasmussen College student, will I be able to attend any campus?

    2. Rasmussen College students may only attend one campus at a time. However, students do have the ability to transfer to a new campus. For more information on transferring to a new campus, please contact your campus personnel.

  2. How will the name change benefit me, a student of Rasmussen College?

    3. The growth of Rasmussen College since 1900 has been immense. Today, with the combination of our twelve career college campuses, our online division Rasmussen College Online, and our partner universities, we have a network of more than 7000 students. Rasmussen College has worked to build a strong name for itself so that you can graduate from a reputable, respectable institution. By aligning the colleges, we are strengthening the name of Rasmussen College, your alma mater.

  3. How will the name change affect the accreditation status of Aakers College and Webster College?

    4. Rasmussen College is regionally accredited. Active students enrolled at Aakers College and Webster College since April 2007 are considered students of a regionally accredited college. Anyone who graduates after April 2007 will receive a regionally accredited degree.

    Past graduates’ degrees will maintain the accreditation status of the college from the time they graduated. Students who have a nationally or regionally accredited degree are welcome to apply to Rasmussen College to further their education and earn another degree.

  4. How will the name change affect admissions requirements and tuition?

    5. There will be no change in Admissions requirements or the tuition structure at the college due to the name change. Any changes will be subsequent to market changes, regulatory issues, or to program demands.

  5. I am a current student of Aakers College or Webster College. How will the name change affect such services as the student portal and my school email address?

    6. As Rasmussen College, the College will continue to provide the outstanding student support services it is known for and will strive to continually improve upon these services.

    The student portal will remain the same, but will see usability improvements over the next few months. Students will still be able to access the portal for grades, news and information, and all of the other fun stuff the portal provides.

    Students with email addresses that end in “@aakers.edu” or “@webstercollege.edu” will not have to make any technical changes. Rasmussen College is working to update all student addresses so that they will automatically have a “@rasmussen.edu” option in addition to their previous address. For example, Mary.Smith@aakers.edu will be able to use Mary.Smith@rasmussen.edu as well.

  6. Who do I turn to if I have questions about the name change?

    7. If you have any other questions about the name change, please see your Campus Director. We’re here to make your education successful, and we want to answer any questions you may have.

QA for Alumni

  1. I am an Aakers College or Webster College alumnus. How will the name change affect my degree?

    2. Alumni of the colleges will not be affected by the name change. Aakers College and Webster College will continue to exist, however they will be under the Rasmussen College name.

    Graduates requesting transcripts will receive transcripts with the names of Aakers College, Webster College, and Rasmussen College on them. As of October 15, 2007 all transcripts issued from the College will be issued under the Rasmussen College name. The transcript will identify the previous names of the Colleges.

  2. If I graduated from Aakers College or Webster College prior to September 2007, is my degree now considered to be regionally accredited?

    3. You should list the degree with the old name, and then include the new name. For example: " Webster College (now Rasmussen College), Florida, A.A.S. in Accounting, 2006."

  3. As an alumnus of Aakers College or Webster College, I would like to return to college to further my education. Are my credits transferable?

    4. The degrees granted by Aakers College and Webster College will maintain their value. If you are interested in returning to Rasmussen College, you may contact the Admissions department of the campus you are interested in and discuss degree options and requirements.

    If you are considering furthering your education at another institution it is up to the receiving institution to decide if credits are transferred and accepted.

  4. Who do I turn to if I have a question about the name change?

    5. Questions about the name change can be directed to your campus admissions department.


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