<p>The dust is now settling on the college admissions process, and I find myself with the dreadful honor of deciding between two really awesome schools. I received a wonderful finaid package from Oberlin, and I expect Mac to do a good job too (from what I've heard), so I'm approaching this decision as a "money is no problem" perspective for now. </p>
<p>So, I'm just curious if anyone has any thoughts on comparing these two schools? I've read all the guide books, and visited Oberlin, so I know a lot I think; I just need some extra help.</p>
<p>Specifically, I'm curious about:
-Drinking/Party scene (how prevelent really?)
-Workload (how much homework (dormwork) should I expect)
-Food (quality and flexibility)
-Profs
-Dealing with administration
-Dorms
-Anything else you can contribute.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help guys; this board is an invaluable resource!</p>
<p>Redknight, my son is in exactly the same boat, with a really tough decision to make between Oberlin and Mac. He will be very interested to see what people have to say on this thread. One other question to add to your list: quality of classroom experience? He visited both schools, and happened to sit in on a couple of great, discussion-based classes at Mac, but only got to sit in on one class at Oberlin, and he said the teacher was not very good. I'm hoping that one teacher was an anomaly... Does anyone have any insights on this?</p>
<p>I'm sorry that I don't have any insight on the question above, but I posted a reply to redknight's thread over on the Oberlin board. I applied to/visited Oberlin and visited (but ultimately did not apply to) Macalester. I've done a fair amount of research on both, as I'm sure both of you have as well. I hope my response on the Oberlin board is helpful. :)</p>
<p>Sorry, I'm not a student, but I have a daughter who's a student at Oberlin and one who will be starting at Macalester in September. I'd do a better job of responding to this question next year!
At any rate, I can give opinions about Oberlin on parts of your post:
-The drinking/partying scene seems to be what you make of it. It's not hard to avoid at all.
-My daughter has a LOT of work. There seems to be an incredible work ethic at Oberlin.
-She was fine with the food last year. This year she switched to a coop for meals (do you know about the coop system?) and she's liking that more.
- She's had some professors who have felt ordinary and some who have been outstanding.
- I can't answer for her on the administrators question, but as a parent I've had a very easy time dealing with financial aid administrators. They've been very helpful. (And you're right -- both Oberlin and Macalester have been generous in terms of financial aid.)
- She didn't live in a freshman dorm last year. She had a divided double which was ok, not great. This year she's in a really nice - just renovated - dorm. There are many choices of dorms and program housing.
Hope that's slightly helpful. She is loving Oberlin and I'm loving it vicariously. The people are smart, interesting, and involved. I'm guessing Macalester will be similar (if not exactly the same), with the primary difference being its location in a city.</p>
<p>Supportive Mom, I bet there are more than a handful of people deciding between Mac and Oberlin. It's going to be such a tough decision, because both are so awesome. I feel very lucky to be in this position!</p>
<p>One element of the decision is location and setting. Macalester is in a vibrant urban area (although many students do not stray far from campus for awhile). For my dd, that was a big plus and she uses the public transportation system to get around the Twin Cities. And she loves her fellow students and nearly all of her professors. From a parental perspective, we have found staff extremely competent and together.</p>