Reasons Twin Cities Students Choose Concordia

After touring Concordia College and exploring the community, I knew that Concordia was the place for me. As you start or continue your college search process, you may want to consider my top five reasons for choosing Concordia.

1. Best of Both Worlds

You don’t realize you’re in a metropolitan area when you’re on campus. When you head out to explore the Fargo-Moorhead area, you’ll realize that you have almost every major store and resource you would in the Twin Cities but without the hecticness of big city life. The F-M area has Fortune 500 companies, national leaders in healthcare, and valuable humanitarian organizations ready to offer you internships and jobs even before you graduate. Many of these businesses are also led by Concordia alumni who love to help out their fellow Cobbers.

2. Cobber Community

The Cobber network spreads far and wide, especially in the Twin Cities. Whether you are going to college with a group of friends or branching out on your own, you’ll become part of a wonderful family of students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Cobbers are by your side every step of the way to support your ambitions. As someone who came to Concordia knowing absolutely no one, I can attest to the fact that you will meet many new people who will become your closest friends and call some of them family. From Orientation and Homecoming in the fall to Cornstock in the spring, you will have countless chances to branch out and meet your fellow Cobbers.

3. Not Too Far From Home

At only about 3.5 hours from the Twin Cities area, it’s a short enough drive that you can go home as much or as little as you want. Even if you choose not to have a car on campus, you can still get home on your own by using the bus or catching a ride with another Cobber. For some students, it’s nice to not drive home and simply let the bus take you to where you need to go.

4. Edge of Adventure

State parks, small towns, festivals, and events are all just a short trip from campus. To the east of the F-M area, Buffalo River and Maplewood state parks offer a chance to explore without traveling more than an hour from campus. Both parks offer camping, hiking, swimming, and scenic overlooks. Even if you aren’t the most outdoorsy person, you can explore these parks from your car and capture some Insta-worthy shots along the way.

If the surrounding area isn’t enough adventure for you, consider taking advantage of Concordia’s study away program to explore other parts of the country or even the world. Concordia offers experiences for as short as a week or as long as a full semester to fit into your life as a Cobber and still graduate on time. Study away opportunities may be geared toward specific academic programs or for anyone just looking for a change of pace.

5. Land of College Students

Fargo-Moorhead is home to more than 30,000 fellow college students. The F-M area is one of the best places to attend college. To start off the academic year, there is a bridge bash where thousands of college students pack the Veterans Bridge between the two cities and celebrate the beginning of the new school year. Along with fun events in the area, Concordia is also part of the Tri-College University program with various surrounding schools. Tri-College allows you to take classes at other local universities while remaining a Cobber. This program can open up even more doors to add other minors that Concordia may not offer. The best part is that you only pay what you would at Concordia. There are several perks of being a student in the F-M area, including free bus passes, student discounts at numerous popular spots around the community, and events and festivals geared specifically for college students.

^{Published March 2021}