Current Oles Q&A/experiences

Colleges and Universities A-Z Saint Olaf College
1

<p>Hey guys! I wanted to answer the newest question from the Class of 2013 thread about what Olaf is like, but I thought it deserved its own thread. Now, I'm actually in the class of 2014, but I figure some info is better than none, right?</p>

<p>So, what's it like now that we're at St. Olaf...</p>

<p>It's pretty darn AWESOME if you ask me! I am absolutely in love with the college, and I feel like that is the general consensus among the students I've met here. The main stereotypes are fairly true, but I feel like they're good stereotypes, ya know? There are tons of religious, musical, science/math people everywhere (yes, many are blond/Scandinavian), and the majority of people are extremely nice, non-confrontational, thoughtful, well-groomed and social. </p>

<p>Some things I was not expecting: how easy it was to transition into college life, how internationally diverse the school is, and how hard it is to fit everything in. Seriously, I've only felt homesick (and even then, only slightly) TWICE since I got here, and I was a complete homebody & very attached to my parents. On diversity: there's a significant number of Asians here, and I've also met people from Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Argentina and Costa Rica that I can remember. I think the class of 2014 is about 15% international. On fitting stuff in: there's SO MUCH to do!!! And then there's homework to think about too! Darn profs, don't they know we're too busy to study? :) Just kidding, classes are fine. </p>

<p>Here's a typical weekday for me:
Wake up at 7:30-8 for a 9 or 9:30 class, do last minute reading/maybe bkfst in room, mixture of classes/studying/lunch until 2pm on MWF (just one class on TTh, ends at 11), then back to the dorm. Procrastinate/watch TV shows with friends for a couple hours, do some homework, go to dinner, then a tossup between more homework, hanging with friends & going to a club meeting. I've only been to sleep before midnight twice (usually 1-1:30), but that's because I'm still working out time management & I get my second wind at 11:30pm. I definitely don't have a typical weekend - only constant is no partying (though parties/alcohol are available if someone looks).</p>

<p>Some background info: I was NOT social in high school. I was the quiet nerd with plenty of acquaintances, but no real friends. Here, I pretty easily formed a truly great group of hallmate friends, and I finally feel like I'm living for something. I was a wreck in high school, but now I've got a pretty constantly positive outlook on life. I feel like St. Olaf does a great job of developing the whole person; we aren't overwhelmed by homework but we also don't lack in philosophical conversation/intellectualism outside of class. I'm just incredibly content and hopeful for the future. Olaf was definitely the right choice for me, though I'll admit that it may not be right for everyone.</p>

<p>I'm running low on steam and time right now, but I'd love for other Oles to contribute their current feelings/experiences about Olaf for the prospies & parents. And I'd love to answer any more specific questions if you've got 'em. Although I'm not religious, musical, math-inclined or from Minnesota, I've got friends/hallmates who fit all those descriptions (and more) if you want a different perspective. </p>

<p>Um Ya Ya!</p>

2

<p>Great post and it is wonderful to hear that you have had such a great experience. We visited St Olaf with our D last year and thought it was the best overall fit. It was my personal favorite. Unfortunately, D was worried about the distance from home and how she would handle the Minnesota winters. She was accepted into her dream school and all has worked out well. We have another D that will be looking at colleges in a few years and St Olafs is at the top of our list to visit.</p>

3

<p>This is such a helpful post. Thank you for confirming much of what we expect to be true about St. Olaf. We have not been able to send our S to visit, but this school has risen to his short list after a top notch interview here in TX last week. He is hoping to be invited to Buntrock Scholars weekend in March and I am hoping that hilltop-Northfield weather will be mild enough by then that he won’t be scared off by it.</p>

4

<p>Glad to hear others are interested in St. Olaf! And BobbyCT, I’m glad your D found her perfect school - happiness is awesome. :)</p>

<p>:) @niceday - I wouldn’t be too sure about having mild weather on Buntrock Scholars weekend; I came up this March and it was about 40 degrees and peasoup fog. But I still fell in love with the college, and when I got the scholarship I visited again in April when it was 70 degrees and sunny (like it’s been all fall). And I completely agree about the Olaf interviews - I had a really great time at mine. If you get invited to the weekend & can do an overnight stay, I definitely recommend it. That’s really what sold me on the college, even with awful weather. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>I was searching the Iowa public radio site and it seems that about 75% of the stories relate to the chorus. Also, Manitou Messenger student newspaper does not have much info. Where would I find info about speakers, student activities, faculty talks and opinions, things like that?</p>

6

<p>If you go to the very bottom of the St. Olaf home page there is an “Events Calendar” with a good number of the more widely-publicized events like faculty talks, speakers, panels, concerts, college-sponsored activites, etc. There are many, many other activities and club meetings though, and those are just advertised on posters and in email aliases.</p>

7

<p>Hi, i’m a current undergrad at another university and was considering the possibility of applying to transfer, I have a few questions if you don’t mind…
St. Olaf is a Lutheran affiliated school, do you feel like the religious aspect is overarching on campus?
Can you just talk more about the whole Lutheran/Scandinavian/Minnesotan culture?
What are some things you dislike about the school? (or if not you personally, what are somethings people don’t like in general?)
And if you know any transfers students, how did they feel the transition was/why did they transfer/how do they like it now?
This time around, I want to make sure I know exactly what I’m getting myself into before I go, thanks!</p>

8

<p>Religion is everywhere here, IF you want to see it. It’s definitely available, and plenty of people are (very) religious, but there are also a ton who aren’t. And it’s not like there’s a separation between religious and not; usually, I don’t even know what people believe unless they bring it up in class or say they’ve got bible study/chapel to go to. I have had some really great discussions on religion outside of class too though. It’s kinda fun to be able to talk about it and hear others’ opinions on it. “Available” is really the best adjective for religion here.</p>

<p>Hmmm, the culture. Well, we’re coming up on Christmas Fest, so elderly Norwegians will soon be swamping the campus in their adorable sweaters and lutefisk will be served in the caf! (Not sure how I feel about the latter.) I like the feeling of having such strong ties to an entire country; not sure how many other colleges have that. There are tons of opportunities available to intern/travel/learn the language because of our connections to Scandanavia. Not sure if this is Lutheran or Minnesotan, but it’s a very live-and-let-live kind of place. Everyone’s nice and well-dressed and nice and friendly…and nice. Not sure what else to say; it’s just very welcoming, and I’m still making new friends 3 months in.</p>

<p>Dislikes…sometimes I feel ugly next to all these gorgeous people, but no one else seems to think so. Oh, and it’s pretty cold up here right now. :slight_smile: And it’s expensive. And because they had so many freshmen this year, work-study jobs were a little difficult to get. I think the cold is the biggest thing though. I feel like most problems are just college problems in general (work, stress, etc), but St. Olaf does a good job of helping out.</p>

<p>I may have an answer for you on the transfer question sometime soon - there’s a transfer student I know semi-well.</p>

9

<p>So, I just talked to the transfer student, and he says that the transfer/transition process is GREAT and he has no regrets about coming here. He came for more personal reasons (close to family, friends, the cities, good programs, etc). He does suggest that you wait for second semester to see whether your current situation gets better, but he also said that the feel of the school needs to be right, and he knew he would be happier here, so he came. So, what will make you happy? </p>

<p>Hope this helped!</p>

10

<p>I graduated in the dark ages (1966) but I have a friend here in Colorado who transferred as a sophomore from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. He took Great Con as a sophmomore and majored in philosophy (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), then went to the Daniels College of Law at the University of Denver where he graduated second in his class and is now a clerk for one of the Colorado Supreme Court justices. He graduated in 2001, and said that the transfer was definitely the right thing for him. Since then his brother ('05) and sister ('09) have both graduated and his brother is in a five-year program at Duke/University of North Carolina in Advanced German Studies. He and his brother both got tremendous financial aid in graduate school (his bro. got 100% for five years) and his sister is now just getting ready for grad school. It was the right change for him and he says he made an entire St. Olaf family out of his siblings. He told me that financial aid was a bit better at Southwestern but he kept thinking about what he’d be doing if he were at Olaf and was glad he made the switch. He was much happier at Olaf.</p>

11

<p>cffreitag, thanks for that. One of my schools is Southwestern mostly because I’m in TX. But, it’s not high on my list. St. Olaf is high on the list, though. Your post confirmed some of what I’ve been thinking. I don’t know anyone with first-hand recent knowledge about the school, so I’m taking what I read on CC pretty seriously.</p>