Concordia College - Moorhead

Date: Apr 30 2013
Major: Music Education (This Major's Salary over time)
I first found out about Concordia when I was a member of the 2010-2011 Minnesota All-State Symphonic Band. The band camp took place at Concordia and I felt drawn to the place.

As a student going into K-12 Instrumental, Vocal, and Classroom Music Education (also known as Dual-License), I would not have come to Concordia if I knew they no longer offered that program of study. When I visited Concordia my senior year of high school, I asked different music faculty whether they offered Dual-License Music Education and I could not get a straight answer. By the time the music and education departments informed me I could only get one license, I was already halfway into my first semester. I wish the department could have been straightforward and to the point about which majors are offered and which are not.

With that said, Concordia was a mistake and I will be going elsewhere to get my Dual-Degree. Concordia was however, the best mistake of my life.

Pros: Great food, approachable faculty (especially in the music department), rigorous music classes (and lessons that improved my abilities 50% in one year), respect for my decision to leave, clean community bathrooms in Hoyum Hall (now a co-ed dorm just in case alumni ask

Wait. Isn't that a women's dorm?

), very helpful residence staff, awesome music program (my major aside).

Cons: Some students are not very approachable as it feels like they are thinking they are better than others. Outside of the music department, classes are kind of hit-or-miss rigor wise (I totally BS'd my way through a test in Rel. 100 and still got an A-). Winter was longer than normal (and this is coming from a Minnesota resident). There is a lack of diversity in the student body (although I did not notice much as I fit the majority of white and Christian) (since most students are from Minnesota and the Dakotas, I am not surprised at all by this)

If you want to major in Music Education and were in both band and choir through high school, I would recommend looking elsewhere and getting dual-licensure (for this No Child Left Behind/Ahead world where license is key rather than skill). If you do not know your major yet, figure it out by the end of your first year so this school does not suck money out of you for a fifth year (another reason why I am leaving, as my major is a five-year degree).

Bottom line: If you know your major, and it is not the same as mine, you should look into this college (and be sure to have a back-up plan!).

It is not all bad!