<p>I think I will go into economics and my financial aid for all of them made the prices almost exactly even. Which should I go to?</p>
<p>Are you looking for a bigger school or smaller?
School spirit?</p>
<p>I’d pick Macalester for the personal attention and the quality of education from overachieving students + small classes.
However if you want Div I athletics, go with U of M. :)</p>
<p>Frankly I’ve been hearing a lot about people who just fell in love with the school atmosphere or have always dreamed off a big or small school but I have not been able to connect with any school on an emotional level at all. I really don’t know if I prefer a small school or a big one. I’m pretty quiet and not very outgoing socially right know but I want to change in college and I don’t know which school would be better for that. I also don’t really know which school would be more impressive to employers, the smaller schools are a little more selective but the U is better known. Please help me I’m freaking out like crazy!</p>
<p>I’m sure Employers know Macalester.</p>
<p>I agree with MYOS1634. Macalester will have a more intellectual vibe. But does it offer the majors/classes you are interested in? Will you like the liberal atmosphere? Would you prefer to be more anonymous in a large institution?</p>
<p>I don’t think I would like the liberal atmosphere all that much but it would not be a deal breaker. I think it has all the classes I would want to take and the economics major which is what I think I will stick with. I have also heard that with the U of M you can get stuck being taught by TAs instead of professors and I am not sure that would be a good experience. I would not like being anonymous all that much but I would like all the additional opportunities for different clubs and meeting a ton of people at the U.</p>
<p>“with the U of M you can get stuck being taught by TAs”
Correction: you WILL be taught by TAs. The professors will lecture from large halls where you’ll be one among 200 or 300 (I am NOT exagerating), then you’ll have one period per week with a TA where you’ll discuss the material assigned for that day. Basically all your classes will be structured like this, except language classes which will be entirely taught by TAs. You will be able to take a freshman seminar taught by a professor and with a cap at 20 students.
(Essentially, at Macalester, all classes will be like freshman-seminar like).
So if you like to be quiet and sit in a large room, U of M is better. If you like smaller classes and lots of interaction, Macalester will be better.
Research universities’ priority is research. So the professors’ priority is research. Makes sense, right? And about to become professors or researchers are second in line: Grad students. Next are the undergrads deemed worthy of doing research: seniors, sometimes juniors. Freshmen and sophomores are way at the bottom. So, once you’ve reached your 3rd or 4th year, you reap benefits, but you have to make it through the first two years.</p>
<p>Economics at Macalester is very well-regarded, and students at Macalester are very engaged in their studies. The students who major in Econ and the sciences are generally a bit more conservative than students majoring in other fields. Macalester students tend to be liberal, but middle-of-the-road and conservative students will find others with similar outlooks. Usually shyer people do well in smaller groups where they can get to know others and others get to know them. At Macalester your professors will get to know you. You will not be able to hide in the back of a lecture hall, because classes are small. The school works hard to help students get internships both in the Twin Cities and nationally. If you want to work hard in college and learn a lot from both your peers and your professors - pick Macalester. If you want a big school environment - go to U of M. Don’t know enough about third school to voice an opinion.</p>
<p>Alright thanks everyone, it sounds like Macalester is the place to be, at least compared to the U of M. I’ll definitely think about what you all said. Thanks!</p>