<p>My son's got a good friend who is considering St. Olaf. She's a little worried about the religious bent of the school. She has in the past been very religious (southern baptist, I think), but is going through the opposite as a high school student, so she doesn't want to go to a school that would be too religious. I know that visiting is the best way get a feel for these things, but it's also really unlikely she'll get to visit the college, because her parents don't support her college search, and have no money for trips anyway. (She'll need full financial aid wherever she goes, I imagine.)</p>
<p>While St Olaf does require each student to take two religion course, one mandatory and the other elective, that is the extent of any mandated activity. Chapel is held each day for an open 15 minute span. Not required to attend at all. We are not connected or participants in any organized religion and looked closely on our three visits for any overt or covert pressures from the school in this area.</p>
<p>None were found or even hinted at. So from that standpoint your son's friend should not be concerned in the least.</p>
<p>However, on the financial side, she needs her parents to provide the financial data on the FafSA and the Profile so that St Olaf could evaluate her Financial need. If her parents do not cooperate at least to fill out the forms and supply their tas returns, there is slim chance for her to even be able to apply most anywhere.
and certionaly no chance for any college to consider her for need based awards.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. That was what I thought, but I promised I'd ask to make sure. </p>
<p>As far as financial aid, I am sure they will provide info, it's just she has divorced parents, both of whom are unemployed, etc. She's in the first generation of her family to go to college -- her older brother just started this fall. He got full financial/scholarship to a small southern college. </p>
<p>Her family is traditional enough that they don't think girls should go to college, and at her high school, she is being pushed to go to community college or public university. I suggested that she look into the "Colleges That Change Lives" program/schools, and that's how she found an interest at St. Olaf's. She's exactly the kind of student the CTCL schools are great for.</p>
<p>May I suggest some other schools who give decent merit air as well as financial aid. A woman's college in Lynchburg, Virgina (Randolph Macon Woman's College) might be more acceptable to her parents, very nice place, excellent academics.</p>
<p>Beloit College in Wisconsin has decent merit and need based aid and Knox COllege in Illinois the same (both Beloit and Knox are in Pope's book). Good luck to the young lady.</p>
<p>I'd suggest Agnes Scott, too, but she won't have anything of women's colleges. (I went to one, but she won't consider it.) </p>
<p>She's actually my son's ex-girlfriend, long distance, which makes our being helpful a bit awkward. Son wants her to do well, at least.</p>