http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html Life at VCOM - Comments en http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html This is an amazing school! The faculty is very helpful and will make their time available whenever possible. The surrounding area of Chicago was getting worse when I graduated a year and a half ago, b... Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:18:26 GMT StudentsReview 2126-89943 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 2126-89943 2126 49 Music Education Male Undergraduate Class 2011 4th Year Positive This is an amazing school! The faculty is very helpful and will make their time available whenever possible. The surrounding area of Chicago was getting worse when I graduated a year and a half ago, but so was most of the country. The biggest downfall is the size of the school, which is also the biggest positive. You really get to know everyone there, which means they know a lot of your business too. After graduation graduates really help each other out and there's a real sense of belonging, instead of fierce competition. I've run into other graduates at interviews and we were always cordial, despite how much we talked while in school. Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:18:26 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html Most Racist school i have ever attended.... Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:31:51 GMT StudentsReview 2126-79252 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 2126-79252 2126 49 Music Education Female Undergraduate Class 2015 1st Year Negative Most Racist school i have ever attended. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:31:51 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html My VanderCook education was very complete -- at the time I went to VanderCook, student teaching was done only on Monday's during your Senior year so I did not get the complete teaching picture but I d... Tue, 11 May 2010 11:06:15 GMT StudentsReview 2126-67970 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 2126-67970 2126 49 Music Education Female Undergraduate Alumna Class 2000 Positive My VanderCook education was very complete -- at the time I went to VanderCook, student teaching was done only on Monday's during your Senior year so I did not get the complete teaching picture but I did have a variety of teaching experiences at different levels because of this type of student teaching experience.

I liked that we were taught all brass, woodwind, string and percussion. Now that I also teach chorus I wish I had had a few more vocal classes or some private vocal lessons but with what was offered when I graduated, I feel confident in my current teaching assignment. Tue, 11 May 2010 11:06:15 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html What more can I say about the school I dropped out of? Let's first start off by saying that if you are looking for a normal "college" life, this is not the school for you. Attending VCM will take up a... Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:33:28 GMT StudentsReview 2126-63090 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 2126-63090 2126 49 Music Education Female Undergraduate Class 2012 1st Year Negative What more can I say about the school I dropped out of? Let's first start off by saying that if you are looking for a normal "college" life, this is not the school for you. Attending VCM will take up almost every waking moment you have. Even when you think you'll have a free weekend, on Friday they'll announce, "Don't forget about ______ tomorrow!" Then when students say, "Well I have to work and you didn't tell us!" They simply say "It was on the calendar, and having to work is no excuse to miss."

Don't let them fool you into thinking you'll get a "quality" education by teaching you all the instruments. Sure. They teach you the instruments but all your final will really consist of is, "Do you know how to play this scale? And you need to know Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

VCM is a job, not an education. You have to kiss ass for the "important" professors. If you are going here for band, be prepared to deal with Charlie Menghini - easily the most laughable man I have ever met. He makes racist comments to a racially diverse group of students, puts down the students, and then demands that the students respect his authority. His musical repetoire is suitable for advanced high school musicians, not college musicians. Oh, and if you don't get something right, prepare your ears for the verbal assault that will follow.

Let's move on to the student body. The majority of the student body here would not be qualified enough musicians to make it into most other music school programs. There is no reason to have a "music fundamentals" class at a music college. If you cannot read music or understand the basics, then you should NOT be in music school. I have been to countless senior recitals and thought to myself, "How can these people go out to teach when they haven't even mastered their own instrument?" Sure, VCM does produce a few high-quality teachers, but if you don't come in as a high-quality musician, don't expect to leave as one. I've met quite a few vocal majors who cannot hold pitch, they have absolutely no understanding of basic technique and yet they are still going to pass through this school. That is completely unacceptable. If you aren't good enough, you aren't good enough. These people should be flunked on the basis of lack of talent, not passed through because they did well in their other courses.

Most of the faculty treat the student body like high-schoolers, and a really good portion of the student body still acts like they're in high school! Dean Rhodes frequently calls the students "kids". They don't respect us, they don't respect our time, and yet they demand respect back. No thanks.

The financial aid department is home to D Denny, the most unknoweldgable, fattest most disgusting excuse for a human being I have ever met. Don't expect her to answer your questions! She won't know how. Oh, and don't expect to get refund money from student loans back in a reasonable amount of time, because they won't be ready until at least mid-December. Every other college I know of has a deadline of mid-September to give you your refund money. Nope. Not VCM. D Denny is too busy taking 2 and a half hour lunch breaks to McDonald's and drinking 6 packs of soda behind her desk to simply just sign the damned checks.

The students do not put in the time to be considered college level musicians, and then they blame the faculty for not teaching them well enough. A good portion of the faculty should just be done away with, but there are a few great teachers here. Dean Clements is the most professional, understanding and kindest woman you will ever meet - but don't expect her to go easy on you! She demands your absolute best at all times, and is one of the rare few who runs her class like a college class.


I do not reccomend this school to ANYONE. There are tons of other highly qualified schools to give you a music ed. degree, don't waste your time here. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:33:28 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html You won't get this quality education anywhere else. While others study one woodwind instrument, one brass, one percussion, etc. At VanderCook, we had to learn them ALL, and still be able to play them ... Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:02:37 GMT StudentsReview 2126-37194 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 2126-37194 2126 49 Music Education Female Undergraduate Class 1979 4th Year Positive You won't get this quality education anywhere else. While others study one woodwind instrument, one brass, one percussion, etc. At VanderCook, we had to learn them ALL, and still be able to play them all as seniors approaching graduation. And, you learn how to TEACH in a separate class from where you learn how to PLAY. Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:02:37 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/IL/VCOM_comments.html