Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Elementary School Teachers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Normandale Community College and University of Minnesota.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Metropolitan State, Minnesota State Moorhead, Saint Cloud State, and Bemidji State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider College of Saint Benedict and St. Catherine University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Hamline and MCTC.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Concordia, St. Catherine University, The College of Saint Scholastica, and University of St Thomas.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Martin Luther, Minnesota State Moorhead, University of Minnesota, and Crown College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Martin Luther, Gustavus Adolphus College, Bethany Lutheran, and Saint Johns University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Gustavus Adolphus College, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota-Morris, and St. Catherine University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Minnesota, Augsburg, and Concordia.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Gustavus Adolphus College, College of Saint Benedict, St. Catherine University, and Saint Johns University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Walden University • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Elementary Reading And Mathematics (completion in 2010)
• 6/27/2011
"The school gave me the tools that I needed to be a stronger teacher. I am thinking about returning for my Ph.D. since I liked the school so much."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I learned a lot, and think that others will too. It is a good place to gain the confidence that you will need in the classroom. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school turns out a lot of teachers. From what I have heard, they have a decent reputation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I learned a lot about how to best teach children about math and about literacy. The school helped me to gain confidence in my own skills, and in my teaching. It also emphasized social change, which was appreciated. |
| Instruction | 8 | There were some teachers that were spectacular. Much like in other schools, there were some teachers that should probably find different jobs. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The courses were filled with information, so you really needed to keep up or you were done. I also found most of the courses to be very writing intensive. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think that it is a mix. We were required to do a lot of work with children. However, we were also required to complete a lot of book and written work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The workload was very flexible. There were due dates, but since everything else was self-paced, you had the ability to work when you were able. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | We had access to everything that we needed. I could always get in touch with my professors and support services. We also had access to a wonderful library. |
| Social Life | 3 | There really isn't much school spirit. Everybody was more interested in getting their work done for class, their jobs, and taking care of their families. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I wish that the school was better with job placement services. It would be nice to have help figuring out reciprocity and what opportunities are available in different states. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The school does keep up with alumni. While they are good at keeping us in the loop with what is going on in the school, I wish that there was more effort made in job placement for students. |
University Of Minnesota • Minneapolis,, MN
Studying Education (completion in 1975)
• 7/5/2011
"I had a great time. I learned a lot and was well prepared."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was a great school then. I believe it still is an excellent institution. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The school of education is well regarded in the state. They produce many of the state's teachers. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school was very innovative at the time. Lots of experimental curriculum. |
| Instruction | 9 | Lots of good teachers. I learned a lot. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was a time of high teacher numbers. They wanted to prepare us for the competition. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very hands-on at the time. That was because we were emerging from the “hippy era.” | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Was fairly inflexible due to the early date of matriculation. Advanced learning has been better. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There were a lot of resources available. People were excited about helping you. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a lot of good times at school. People were more social back then. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Pretty much non-existent at the time of matriculation. Have gotten better. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I get some communiques. Not a lot, however. |
Walden University • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Master's Of Science In Education (completion in 2010)
• 7/3/2011
"I really enjoyed my experience at Walden. I got a lot out of the program, and regularly use what I learned with my students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Online learning isn't for everyone. You have to be self motivated. Some people need the one on one teacher support and interaction. If you need this then Walden isn't the school for you. It really depends on the person. For others this is the perfect learning environment for them. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I really don't know what people think about Walden University. I gave the rating because many people do not see online learning as real education. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Walden University was a great place to get my Master's. I was able to work on the classwork on my own time, and I didn't have to go to classes. I was responsible for my own learning. But I received lots of support from my professors and the university. |
| Instruction | 9 | Everything I learned or read about in my program can be directly translated into something I do in my classroom. I was able to learn many new and different strategies to improve the ones I had already been using. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was a difficult program. There was lots of reading to do, and we wrote many many papers. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did a lot of reading and watched a lot of discussions and lectures on DVD. But for each lesson there were things we had to take back to our classrooms and try, and then write about in our papers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | It was an online program. We had due dates each week, but as long as we turned the work in on time we could do it whenever we could find time to. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I didn't use many resources at my school. There was a writing center online, and people you could take to, to help support and improve your writing. I used the online library regularly. |
| Social Life | 1 | There was no social experience at this school. All my interaction was online. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not take advantage of this because I was already employed when I was in the program. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't know much about the alumni association. This is more my doing, I think, because I'm not really interested in it. |
University Of St. Thomas • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Special Education (completion in 2003)
• 6/28/2011
"It got me where I needed to go. I think the experience at most local schools would have been similar."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The school was expensive. Conservative views were hard for me to deal with. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | They are an aggressively involved institution in taking mid life professionals into education careers. They are pretty conservative in outlook, however, which was hard for me to deal with. |
| Program Quality | 6 | It was accessible (evenings and weekends). You really don't learn this job in the college classroom. You learn it in your students' classroom. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some instructors were very motivating and encouraging. Several were "on their way out" or so far away from teaching children themselves that they were not realistic or helpful. |
| How Difficult | 5 | If you worked hard, you did well. Most instructors were flexible and fair in their grading. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did have to student teach, but the school experience was mainly book based. I was able to use what I was learning in the classroom I was working in, however. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Evenings and weekends were offered. I was able to student teach in the classroom I was currently an aide for. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | It's located downtown near parking and other amenities. Professors were available in person and online. |
| Social Life | 5 | I wasn't looking for much. I was married and raising three teenage boys. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I have not had to use this--I took classes from them while employed by my current employer. Not fair for me to guess. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not used it. It would seem inappropriate to rate it one way or the other. |
Minnesota State University Mankato • Mankato, MN
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2004)
• 6/28/2011
"I learned a lot from MSU, especially while student teaching. It is a very fun and outgoing school to attend. The school prepares you for life."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Anyone interested in teaching should go to MSU Mankato. You will learn all you need to know to become a teacher and have fun while doing it! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | MSU Mankato is one of the best teaching colleges in the country. I have had interviews in other states just because I went there. I just couldn't pull my child away from family! |
| Program Quality | 10 | I enjoyed the state school very much. All of my classes were offered at reasonable times and the professors were all very helpful. Most of the professors were teachers previously so it really helped to have them talk about their experiences. I did continue into the graduate program but of course ran out of money before completing. |
| Instruction | 10 | The classes were all related to my field of study. The professors are helpful and always pleasant. Student teaching was amazing. I had the most cooperative teacher. She prepared me for having my own classroom. I am still in contact with her today. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was an average workload, well worth the time and energy you put into it. The classes weren't too difficult or too easy. Each class is unique and geared toward your specific area of study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It all depends on the courses you have to take. The teaching courses are all very hands on. You teach to your peers and observe actual classrooms. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I had such a variety of classes available. I took summer, evening, weekend, and day courses. There are many different times to choose from. You can go at 8am or 6pm if you so desire. They offer many different times and days for each course. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library is very large and easy to find. They are very helpful in locating items for you. Advisors were available on a regular basis or by appointment. The school has many programs to help you become successful in your path. |
| Social Life | 5 | There were always many social events and parties around campus. I just didn't go to very many because I was focused on graduating and getting a job. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I went to a lot of job fairs during my time there. The school has a resume building class as well. They are very helpful and willing to assist in any way possible. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I still receive emails from the alumni association. They are very involved with each student. The support was always helpful, from phone calls to email to one on one support. |
University Of Minnesota • Duluth, MN
Studying K-12 Physical Education / 5-12 Health Education (completion in 2009)
• 9/30/2011
"Choosing to attend UMD was a smart move for me. I feel that my education there has adequately prepared me to be a very successful Physical Education Teacher."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | After seeing how much my professors wanted me and my peers to be successful in their classes and in the Physical Education setting, I would definitely recommend the UMD Physical Education program to anyone who wants to be a teacher. I am very lucky to have had my experience at UMD. No regrets. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The Physical Education program at UMD is known for rigorous training of its teaching candidates. The program is well respected in this region. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The University of Minnesota prepared me well. The most beneficial aspect of my college preparation was getting teaching experience early on in the program. |
| Instruction | 9 | The majority of my professors were very effective. My professors truly wanted me to be successful. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The Physical Education program at the University of Minnesota Duluth was strongly practicum-based. We presented lessons and were graded on how well we reached our objectives and on our delivery. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The lower classes relied on book learning but a majority of the upper level classes focused on hands-on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | UMD offers some night classes and summer classes. I benefited from these alternative class schedules to help me finish my degree sooner. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | UMD is an older University, but they have recently added a new Business school, a state of the art Library, and a new Science building. Most professors at UMD were very willing to advise students to ensure that they receive the best experience. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was very satisfied with the social atmosphere at UMD. I was a regular at sporting events such as UMD hockey. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I have not had any contact with the career services at UMD since being a student. I did attend one Education job fair, but had to travel to Minneapolis, not stay Duluth. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I have not received many benefits from being a UMD alumni. I would like to see the UMD alumni program provide more outreach to alumni. |
Metropolitan State University • St. Paul, MN
Studying Elementary Education And English (completion in 2004)
• 10/6/2011
"I got the degree I wanted and the classes fit my lifestyle. I was able to get a good job at a school that I had wanted to work at. The instructors were wonderful as well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to anyone who would like a degree in education, especially if they are going back to school. It was great to meet so many people in the field and to be able to network so easily after graduation. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | There are pretty popular for this program. There are several education programs that you can take at Metro State and they are great because you can really tailor them to fit your needs for what you want to do after you graduate. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school that I attended was great over all. The teachers were very helpful and were mostly professionals in the field so it was a great way to get real questions answered. The school was also good about helping with placement after graduation. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of the instruction was everything that you would expect it to be. While there were things that I wish that I had learned in the classroom, some of the things could not be learned without real job experience. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It was pretty difficult. I thought that it would be a lot of work but I didn't realize how much work it would be outside of the classes and how much hands on learning you had to do aside from the classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school is really a mix of hands on and book learning. My program required many hours of working in a school so it was a lot of that and a lot of book work as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This is a very flexible school. They offer day, evening, and weekend classes all year long. They also offer online classes and combined classes where you go in sometimes and have online learning sometimes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The school has a lot of great facilities but it is really spread out between their campuses. While the library and media sources where great, it could be a hassle to actually get to these resources. |
| Social Life | 6 | The school does not have a lot of school spirit or athletics or parties because it is more of a school for working adults then people that just graduated from high school. You also can't live on campus, so it is harder to meet people and build lasting relationships with them. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Since they helped me find a job I would give them a perfect ten on this. They really try to talk to you about what you want and only help you to get interviews at places that really fit your needs. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | There is a lot of support from the alumni. If you ever have any questions they are there to answer them and they are always willing to find someone who can help you if they cannot. |
University Of Minnesota • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Art Education (completion in 2009)
• 10/12/2011
"They prepared me well, and got me my masters. This led to a good bump in pay."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was a good school, and an easy program. This did prepare you for life. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Lots of people like the initial licensure and masters at the same time. Overall reputation is good too. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school was unique in that it offered an initial licensure and masters all in one program. This was great, and a real time saver. |
| Instruction | 8 | We were very well prepared for real life. I was very happy with our program. |
| How Difficult | 5 | This was not a particularly difficult program. As long as you tried you could get good grades. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did hands on work as much as possible, which was good. It was a good mix of book and hands on work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | We had a small cohort of 12-15 students. All of us took the same classes at the same time. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Professors were extremely accessible to us. Facilities were average or above average. |
| Social Life | 8 | Got along great with my cohort, and we studied/worked on projects together a lot. We did not party much as it was a masters program. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not use them, but I think they are average. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | They are very good at sending me literature and asking for money - not that I am interested… |
Saint Cloud State University • Saint Cloud, MN
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2010)
• 11/7/2011
"I was very satisfied. I think it has a good education program and a good network of support."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to anyone pursuing a career in education. It has the best education program in Minnesota and tuition is low. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Saint Cloud State university has a great reputation for its education programs. I would say that it's the best in Minnesota. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Saint Cloud State University has one of the finest education programs in the state of Minnesota. I have heard from other people about their education program experiences and they do not seem to be as good as Saint Cloud State. |
| Instruction | 8 | For the most part, my instructors were very good professors. I had one or two that were below my expectations. |
| How Difficult | 9 | There were some challenges, but for the most part it was not terribly difficult. I struggled more with electives than with subject matter. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very much mixed. We had experiences where we went into classrooms and we had book reading and we heard from people already in the field. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | There are a lot of options for students. There are morning, evening, summer and online classes available. Most classes have multiple times and choices of when to take them. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library was very big and helpful. There were labs, tutors, professors and administrators that were helpful. There were writing labs, career services, study groups and other groups available on campus. |
| Social Life | 6 | I was not very involved in spirit fests. There is no longer a homecoming at St. Cloud State. I am not sure about parties and such. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Saint Cloud State has excellent connections. They have a career service program and job placements and job fairs. There are several local schools that hire only SCSU graduates. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I'm really not a part of the alumni system very much. I graduated not too long ago and have not had much time to be an alum. |
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1992)
• 11/26/2011
"I was very satisfied because I got a job quickly. I also made a lot of friends."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The University of Minnesota Twin-Cities is well equipped to prepare one for a teaching career. They will provide you with help if you need it. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The UofM Twin-Cities has a decent reputation, but it isn't great. There was a minor cheating scandal several years ago that didn't get a lot of media attention. |
| Program Quality | 8 | All of my college professors were professional and organized. They taught me a lot about teaching students and about the human condition in regards to classroom psychology. |
| Instruction | 7 | The quality was quite good. All of my professors spoke English and were helpful. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I found the degree to be very easy. Probably because teaching is something that comes naturally to me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program had you go and do classroom experience in conjunction with learning from a book. The instructors would also often pose interactive tests. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The flexibility was decent. They allowed me to change classes once since a class interfered with my job as a grocer at the time. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The facilities were in poor condition. Often the bathrooms did not have enough toilet paper and sometimes I felt unsafe walking to class. |
| Social Life | 7 | I'm a social person so it was easy to make friends. I went to a lot of parties both on campus, and off campus. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I found a job right away. Within 6 months of graduating I was teaching. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The alumni network is mediocre. There are a number of graduates from the UofM, but many are too busy with their own lives to help you. |
College Of Saint Benedict • Saint Joseph, MN
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2010)
• 1/8/2012
"I believe I received a high-quality education. I also made connections and friendships that have extended beyond my college experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The community is overwhelmingly supportive and friendly. The education received is challenging and something to be proud of. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The program is always looking to improve and maintain the reputation of one of the best education programs in the state of Minnesota. During my job search, numerous school districts made positive comments of my alma mater. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I believe the courses I was required to take were practical for preparing me to have my own classroom. All of my professors made themselves available and were more than helpful throughout my student and teaching experiences. |
| Instruction | 8 | The majority of my professors were supportive, caring, and made the content relevant to young teachers. They also challenged me to continually improve my teaching strategies. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Both the curriculum and faculty challenged me to grow during my college experience. They also provided me with tools to become a self-reflector during my teaching career, to continually improve. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The majority of my classes were with 25 students or less. This allowed the class to do a variety of different activities, including small group discussion, experiments, mock lessons, etc. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Evening classes were provided as an option. Weekend, summer, and online classes were not offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The availability of professors and support staff in the education office was incredible. The institution also had a library specifically for education majors, with up-to-date curriculum and technology. |
| Social Life | 10 | Community and hospitality are heavily emphasized throughout the campus. The majority of students live on campus all four years of their college experience. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I was given information on how to successfully search for a job with a resume, cover letter, and interviewing tips. I was not provided with connections to specific school districts or job openings, though. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Upon graduation, I was provided with alumni networking information. A banquet was also conducted for education graduates, where professors and past graduates demonstrated their continual support for us as young teachers. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.