<p>I posted this same thread on the College Search forum, but thought I'd try the Parents forum as well. My daughter applied to 7 schools and although she has 3 left to hear from, in her mind it's really down to Macalester and Earlham as her two top options. We visited Earlham 2 weeks ago and she absolutely loved it, to the point that she said "that's it, I'm done looking", and we cancelled out a second visit on our trip and headed home. The only school that she said she'd like to re-visit would be Macalester, if she was accepted. Two days ago she received an early-write acceptance from Macalester so now plans on visiting there during one of their accepted students' days in early April.</p>
<p>We had visited Mac in April of her junior year and she really liked it, but she definitely wants to return now that she's a senior and has a lot more to compare it with. At Earlham she loved the strong sense of engaged, socially aware students, their Peace and Global Studies major, the Quaker vibe, and the large percentage of international students. At Macalester she loved the location of the school, the friendly students, the large percentage of international students, the International Studies major, and the awesome food in Cafe Mac. Both schools offer tremendous opportunity for study abroad experiences.</p>
<p>I'd be curious to hear from any parents of students and/or students at these schools for your thoughts and insight. Ultimately it will be her decision, and I'm sure she'll have stronger leanings once she visits again in April, but I'm wondering how this will all play out! One other note is that we've received the financial aid award letter from Earlham, which looks doable, but haven't yet received the award letter from Macalester, so that might factor into the equation as well. Thanks -</p>
<p>Macalester first year parent here. I also live in Indiana. I say without any hesitation that your daughter should go to Macalester. Absolutely. As a life-long Indiana resident, I will tell you that the joys of living in Richmond, IN will pall very quickly and your daughter will find herself stuck for entertainment off campus. Of course, I can’t speak to the vibrancy of the social environment at Earlham but I will say that even the most dynamic campuses can become old, or the students just want to change things up every now and then. Not much opportunity for that at Earlham.</p>
<p>Macalester’s location in the Twin Cities is a huge plus. My daughter learned almost immediately how to navigate the bus system with friends and has taken full advantage of concerts, theatre, and volunteer opportunities nearby. Additionally, when she needs things she has only to walk a short way off campus or take a quick bus ride to the nearest Super Target. Very easy for a student who does not have a car to participate fully in the life of the city. She was there for the Republican National Convention, theatre in itself, and is now very active volunteering in two different community settings.</p>
<p>Your daughter should check out the new concentrations Mac offers in addition to its majors. My daughter is focused on International Studies and though she hasn’t yet declared her major, she has declared a Human Rights and Humanitarianism concentration. She intends as well to declare a Media Studies minor. As your daughter realizes, Macalester is a very globally-focused school which demonstrates itself not only in the number of international students on campus but in the number of study abroad opportunities and a mission to prepare students for service and participation in the larger world and its issues.</p>
<p>As a parent, and one who has been through sending a child to college before with an older daughter, I must rave about the Parent Orientation that ran concurrent to the First Year Student Orientation. This college is definitely family friendly, and beyond the orientations, we have been given every courteous assistance we’ve needed from each and every office with whom we have been in touch. Midwestern friendliness is at its best at Macalester.</p>
<p>(And, incidentally, when your financial aid package arrives, I believe you will be well-pleased.)</p>
<p>Please feel free to pm me if you or your daughter have specific questions or interests that I might help you with. I wish your daughter all the best as she considers her options and happiness at the college of her choice!</p>
<p>Just to keep the dialectic going here, I’d say stand back and see what her own inner gyroscope says. An adult’s sense about “location” is different from a kid’s and I have seen kid’s steered away from more rural schools by adult fear’s of “boredom” who were then not happy in their urban setting. I have a friend whose very cosmopolitan daughter is very happy at Earlham and she loves the intense community that being in “hinterlands” generates there. My kid who is in an equally rural setting (also from the suburbs) loves small town qualities. The important thing is a kind of ineffable “chemistry” the kid feels and where they can best imagine themselves being comfortably and happily “out of the nest” and in the next phase of their life. Mac is a great school and it is very different from Earlham and she will probably know in her inner wise mind which is the best fit once she has visited both and let the experiences percolate a bit…</p>
<p>I’m with mmaah. If I were choosing for myself, I’d choose Mac, with the vibrant city life. But after a visit, Fang Jr decided on a different school, and I’m not going to argue with his intuition for himself. Nor, if I were lotsofquestions, would I argue with my daughter’s intuition. Many, many kids are happy at isolated colleges, and chances are, if she went to Earlham, she’d be one of those happy kids.</p>
<p>Bottom line, both schools are great choices. She should pick the one that feels right to her.</p>
<p>If I could do it ALL over again, I would seriously consider MAC has it has the best of all worlds – except if your faint hearted about weather. :)</p>
<p>Both great schools. I’m a big fan of Mac which is certainly better known and more selective, but I wouldn’t rule out Earlham by any means. Both have strong academics. I think a lot has to do with how well your child relates to Quaker values. We’re not Quakers but the emphasis on community, personal integrity, mutual respect, and social justice at the Quaker colleges has great appeal to my D. Not to say that these things are absent at Mac, but there’s a kind of intentionality and prominence about them at the Quaker colleges that’s unique. On the other hand, there’s a lot more off-campus life at Mac. I think these are matters of personal preference and values. Your D has to listen to her inner voice and decide on that basis.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great thoughts so far! In response to LindaCarmichael… Earlham came through with a $9,000/yr. Presidential Scholarship, which apparently is about as big as their merit awards get. In addition, they’ll give her a small ($1,500/yr.) Earlham grant. We have a fairly high EFC, so there’s also a small bit of work study and loans offered. It’s manageable for our situation. Merit aid at 2 other schools she was accepted to (Beloit and Hendrix) was much larger, but those schools don’t seem to call out to her the way Earlham and Macalester do. I am very interested to see what Macalester will come up with since they’re primarily a need based school. </p>
<p>In response to #1travlr… I was looking through the Mac catalog last evening and I noticed the concentration in human rights and humanitarianism and it looked like a good fit for her interests. If it was my decision to make, I think I’d totally agree with the benefits of living in St. Paul, but she just loved the Earlham community in spite of the location</p>
<p>If you have no demonstrated financial need, the only merit money available at Macalester is $5000 for NMF’s ($2000 National Merit + $3000 DeWitt Wallace). However, they really do meet full financial need.</p>
<p>My sophomore daughter has been very happy there. She has enjoyed all types of concerts, festivals, museums, sporting events and volunteering in the Twin Cities. However, she still feels part of a campus community and is involved in on-campus activities too. She has especially enjoyed meeting fellow students from literally all over the country and the world. She tells me that the energy of the place motivates her.</p>
<p>As far as academics go, she’s really enjoyed her classes and professors, as well as the open curriculum–gen eds are minimal and easy to fulfill with classes that really interest her. She has also been fortunate to find good mentors along the way.</p>
<p>Student and parents are both happy with her choice.</p>
<p>A happy update to the question… my daughter just returned with my husband from the Spring Sampler for Admitted Students at Mac, walked in the door, and said “I made up my mind and I’m going to Macalester”. She loved her second visit to the campus and came away very impressed with the students, academics, and the opportunities available in the St. Paul area. She thought she’d major in International Studies, but found that the Environmental Studies program really excites her. She still thinks Earlham would have been a great choice, but after having lived her life in a rural area thus far likes the idea of striking out into a more urban area. Thanks to all for your responses to my initial question!</p>
<p>loq, I live within walking distance of the Mac campus, and my D has been taking classes there this year (PSEO as a HS senior). I <em>love</em> Mac. Then again, I’m an aging hippy who lived abroad several years, so I’m attracted to the liberal mindset and international focus. D, though, would not consider for college. Way too much of a nonconformist vibe for my kid.</p>
<p>ChiSquare, you gave us some helpful info about the St. Paul area when we visited Mac for the first time last year - thanks. I laughed when I read your comment about being an aging hippy… my daughter said she was a bit surprised by the lack of a more “hippy vibe” at Mac. She just had her blonde hair dreadlocked (by friends, and it’s just hair) and said that she received lots of compliments about her dreads, although she was the only person she saw who had them! She definitely considers herself a hippy and is thrilled with what she perceived to be a real activist feeling to the campus. This morning she spoke with a couple of her best friends, and I heard her tell them that location was the deciding factor in her choice of Mac. She likes the idea of the many speakers who come to campus (Howard Zinn will be there this week) and all of the internship options and other ways to be involved. I know she’s relieved (as am I) that her decision is made and she feels it’s the right choice!</p>
<p>My kid received a “Macalester College Grant” offer ($4225/year). It is not labeled “merit money” in big red letters but that’s what it looks like.</p>
<p>loq, congrats on your d’s acceptance! Especially from your description, I’d say Mac would be perfect for her! And a great place for parental visits, with all the restaurant choices on Grand Avenue. (Let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll direct you to the best finds.)</p>
<p>Congratulations, loq. Your D sounds like just the kind of kid Mac is looking for, and the kind who will thrive there. It warms my heart anytime I hear about a kid who finds that perfect “fit” defined by the culture and atmosphere of the college and not by its US News ranking. I think the college selection process would be a lot less stressful and produce many more happy outcomes if more kids took this sensible approach. </p>
<p>And as a Saint Paul resident, I’m happy to have your D join our community!</p>