Concordia College at Moorhead Top Questions

Go to the school, and tour it with only a tour guide and then walk around by yourself, then you can get the feel and atmosphere

No matter what school you chose, you will cherish your time on campus and the relationships you make.

Do not look at the sticker price of a college and decide based on if you can afford it or not, but make your decision based on the knowledge you can obtain from that instition. Depending on what you are striving to become in this world, it could and is in my opinion well worth the extra money you might pay in the long run for the added experience. One has to look at colleges that cater to the specific field they desire to study, but can not and should not focus on the price because no matter what walk of life they come from there is always scholarships out there to help them succeed.

Really research the school and go somewhere because you want to, not becuase your parents want to or because your friends are going there.

Be open and look at any hunches you think you might have.

Go with your gut feeling; if the campus feels "right," it probably is!

I would tell them to definately visit the campus. They all look great on paper but once you step on the right campus you will know. You just get this feeling that it is the right place for you. As far as making the most of college I would just encourage students to take full advantage of everything your campus has to offer. Don't just go to class. Join a group and two and really get involved. These groups will teach you more things about life than some of your classes!

Finding the right college to go to was one of the hardest decisions of my life. I had looked at many schools before choosing the one that I did. When I toured this school I realized that it just had a certain feel to it that I could not ignore, everyone was happy to see me, and they were actually interested in my concerns and questions. The college that one geos to does not need to have the best "name" such as Harvard or Yale, but the best feel, which is a kind of instinctual feeling. As for making the most of the college experience, all I can say is that one needs to get highly involved in campus activities. Of course, studies come first, but being involved in many different things exposes you to many different aspects of college life such as diversity, alcohol awareness, and almost anyhting else you can think of. I have found that being involved on campus has led me and my friends away from bad situations like drinking, and towards positive situations like campus entertainment events. In conlusion, get involved, have fun, and don't be afraid to be yourself.

My advice in finding the right college would be to choose one where most of the people seem similar to you. Concordia is a perfect fit for me because almost everyone here is as dedicated to their grades and their area of study as I am. I feel like I really belong here because there are so many other students who have goals and values similar to mine. About making the most of the college experience, I think that students shouldn't be afraid to step outside their comfort zone. I like to get all of my homework done early, but sometimes, I have to let it wait until the last minute to spend time with my friends. I feel like grades are a huge compenent of college, but if that's all I thought about, I wouldn't experience college at all. No matter how swamped I may feel, I have to take time to have some fun and spend time with people I'm close to. College is a time of independence, and students should make the choices they might not have been able to before. College is about learning, but it's about experiencing life as well!

Let your children choose what colleges they want to apply to. When I was finding colleges I wanted to apply for, my parents would only let me apply to two out of five of the colleges I wanted to submit applications to. Because I could only pick two colleges, and was being discouraged from applying to the college of my choice, I felt pressured to do what my parents wanted me to do. Even though I applied to the college they didn't like and was accepted, I felt I was letting them down even though I was accepted to a private college. I never found out my options, either, because I was limited to only two colleges in my application process; if I would have to transfer, I would have no clue what college would accept me now. Students: do what you feel is best for you. Parents: please understand that, in today's world, your children need many options in order to succeed and denying them college choices could possibly be crippling to their future.

Before visiting a campus, be sure that the school has potential majors that you are interested in considering, activities in which you want to participate, and opportunities to place you outside of your comfort zone. Visit the campus on a school day when school is in session. You can get a better feel of the community you will be entering. Choose the college that feels right to you when you visit the campus. Do people smile and say "Hi?" Do you feel welcomed? Do you have emotions that make you excited to return to this place? Once at college, get involved in the opportunites offered as soon as possible. Take your school work seriously so your education will be meaningful once completed, but get involved in co-curriculars. Choose one activity you know you will like and one that stretches your comfort level. Meet new people, immerse yourself in new cultures, and travel abroad. Money will work itself out in the end, but the experience is worth much more than the dollar sign says. Enjoy the years of college, they go by fast, and keep your relationships, they will make your experience last a lifetime.

The most important thing for me was visiting the college and meeting the students. Try to find people who aren't supposed to tell you it's great and get more than one opinion and experience. College is different for everyone but you have to come in with an open mind and step outside of your box. Make sure you feel comfortable and ready to learn. There are going to be things you don't think at every college but finding the one that fits you the best is possible and sometimes the college that fits you the best might surprise you. Don't listen to what you heard about the school either. Keep an open mind and make your own decisions after visiting. Good luck!

I would recommend that students take their time in order to find the college that will be able to meet their academic needs and career goals. Also, I would tell prospective students and their parents to take a look at financial aid and possible scholarships when looking at the prices of different colleges. I had a hard time trying to decide between two colleges because while I favored one over the other, the one I preferred was much more expensive than the other one. However, I worked hard during my junior and senior years of high school in order to earn a few scholarships, and that was what allowed me to attend the college that had been my first choice. Above all, I would recommend that students follow not only their minds when choosing a college, but also their hearts. When you tour a campus, be sure to check out the places, the people, and the atmosphere in general. You'll be able to tell if it all feels right to you, and when you feel comfortable with your choice it will be reflected in your entire college experience.

Visit the school, on a day when classes are in session, talk to students you run into, not just the tour guide. In fact if you can dump the guide so that the student can answer honestly without a fellow student judging that would be best. Talk to the faculty and ask students (not the tour guide) how easy it is to get in contact with them. Remember that the tour guide is there to make the school look good so they may not give you the best answers. Once in college participate in college activities, talk to people and work on making friends right away. Try to avid judging people by their looks, some of the most interesting people and those that make the best friends may not be who you would have hung out with in High School. Remember that this is not high school and if you act like it is, both acaemically and in your personal relationships, you will not get the most out of it.

Visit the school at least twice before coming. Once in summer where you will be able to enjoy this small, but picturesque campus. Then, come again in the heart of winter - say February. This will give you an indication of how brutally cold "cold" can be. This might also give you the peace of mind knowing that your son/daughter will certainly not be squandering his/her time - since no one really wants to go out in Winter.... Though this might not be the most ideal of college towns due to the generally small population of the surrounding area I believe that it is quite an excellent school. Concordia College does not give away A's - these are rewarded through hard effort. It is an institution that is making every effort to engage its students to deal with whatever the world throws their way. Granted it is not perfect, but despite the other Universities available to me I chose Concordia because it has showed that the people here care. I stayed the full time because this caring was shown in tangible manners of growth and continued development.

be happy

Find all the available resources and USE them

College is a time for growing and exploring. Students should arrive at college prepared not only to work hard academically, but also to work hard to become an informed and developed citizen of the world. Ultimately, people go to college to get a degree and eventually a job. It is considered a means to an end. This is a worthy goal, but it is even more worthwhile to find your vocation: your true calling in life. You'll buy tons of expensive textbooks, learn all sorts of obscure facts, and write seemingly endless papers in your field of study. These are all necessary components of a successful college career. It is even more important however, to step back at the end of your four years and realize how much you have changed. All the details fade into the background when you realize that you've been transformed. So, as you enter college, be sure to work hard, complete assignments and make new friends, but most importantly, remember to look at the big picture too. You aren't here to figure out if A is a better answer than B. You are here to grow into yourself.

Finding the right college is about finding a place where you feel at home. It is important not only to look at the academic programs available but also the campus life and what the faculty is like. Once you find the college that you feel like you can be at home at where the classes are the right size, the faculty want to see you succeed and are willing to go out of there way to help you, and where the extra curricular activities give you a sense of community then you can finally begin the college experience. To get the most out of your college experience you have to be open to everything the college offers. There are many sport, music, and theatre events on campus but there are also great leadership opportunities as well. It is important when you are in college that you get involved in the activities on campus, especially the leadership opportunities, because they could help you grow as a leader and help you to learn more about what you want to do after college. The most important thing, is to take classes that are of interest to you and give them your all.

Concordia is a great college - make sure your child visits several schools before deciding where to go so they have the chance to compare and contrast several places they may be considering. Let them know their options - hopefully they have the opportunity to go to a variety of schools so getting to know the differences between each school.