Macalester vs. St. Olaf?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Macalester College
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Hello! I am trying to decide between these two schools. I understand the decision ultimately comes down to me, but I would appreciate any input or tips you may have.

A little bit of background info - I am from WA and have family scattered throughout MN. I’m not completely sure what I want to major in, but as of now I am thinking something along the lines of neuroscience. I have visited both campuses once and am visiting again within the next two weeks.

In general, I like the idea of being in a city rather than a smaller town. I am not religious or musical, so I am somewhat worried that I would not necessarily fit in with the St. Olaf community. The prevalence political activism at Macalester also intimidates me. I have not been very politically active throughout HS so I was unsure if that would be something that would set me apart from other Mac students.

I want to receive a well-rounded education, which is why I was drawn to a LAC, but I also want to go to a college that has different opportunities for social activities, clubs, and sports/inter-murals.

Thank you for any input you may have!

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I only applied to Macalester, but I did visit St. Olaf, and I ultimately didn’t apply because, like you, I wasn’t crazy about the area and was worried that I wouldn’t fit in with the community as well (even though I am fairly musical and Lutheran :)) ) From your post, you seem to have more cons for St. Olaf than Macalester. As for the political activism at Macalester, I’m sure you would find many other students who aren’t overly political. I’m 98% sure that I’ll be going to Macalester, and I am not the most politically active person either (if that helps lol) Hopefully, once you visit these schools again, you’ll be able to gauge your personality fit more. Good luck on making a decision- they’re both really good schools!

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I have a daughter at Macalester who is not super politically active. She participates in things that matter to her (for example, she attended the March For Our Lives last month) but doesn’t feel intimidated by the students who are more active. Overall, she has found the students at Mac to be comfortable with themselves, and therefore comfortable with everyone else being themselves too.

The location really can’t be beat. To have a defined campus in the middle of a great neighborhood with restaurants and shops literally across the street, and a great public transportation system, means you can go do whatever you want easily. Shopping, sightseeing, clubbing (quite a few are 18+), nature, it’s all easily accessible.

The school is not lacking in on campus activities just because it’s located in the city. That was a worry we had and it turned out to be totally unfounded. There are always things going on on campus, whether they are guest speakers, fun creative opportunities, outings organized by the program board, social events within different academic departments, clubs, sports, musical and theater performances, you name it.

Those are all the pluses about campus life. Academically, experience for my daughter has been excellent so far. She finds her classes stimulating, the professors engaging and accessible, and her fellow students seem to care about learning as much as grades.

Best of luck with your decision! Feel free to pm me if you have questions!

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My daughter is a sophmore at Macalester, and one of my best friends has a daughter who is a sophomore at St. Olaf. Both of us are from NY.

In terms of academics, both are great. My friend’s daughter is in the Great Books program (I think it is called) at St. Olaf. It is very interesting but also intense. If you are looking for an in-depth intellectual experience, look at that program. Friend’s daughter does science, but is also in the music program - which is the main reason she went there. Strong academics and strong music. I will leave it to others to comment on how people who aren’t musical fit in. The religious aspect of the school isn’t very overt, so I don’t think you will have many problems there. Religion does influence the campus, but in more of a thoughtful, be concerned about the world sort of way.

You say you have relatives in MN, so this may not be a problem for you, but one thing to consider about the relative locations is how easy it is to get to the airport. At Macalester, it is less 30-45 minutes by public transit. Even shorter by cab. At St. Olaf, you will have to more carefully plan when and how you are getting to the airport. Sadly, our family has had a couple of family emergencies that have required by daughter to get back to NY quickly. Being so close to a major airport made that a lot easier.

Macalester students can be politically intense and sometimes a little unforgiving of opinions that are outside of the “party line.” But there are tons of activities that aren’t at all political, My daughter was very politically active in high school. She hasn’t been as much so at Macalester, but has taken part in the community through things like tutoring local elementary school students, environmental activities, etc. I think you can find your niche.

Macalester’s location is a major selling point. It is in a quiet and upscale urban neighborhood, but just a short walk or ride away from all sorts of different activities and opportunities. If school or your classmates are starting to get on your nerves, you can easily get off campus and into the “real world.” My daughter takes part in activities at the local public libraries, has gone to free nights at museums and musical performances, goes to Minneapolis for street fairs, farmers markets etc. The Twin Cities are very vibrant and have a lot to offer. She hasn’t yet done any internships, but I imagine the possibilities are are lot bigger at Macalester than at St. Olaf’s.

However, some people want to spend their 4 years on a more typical college campus where the focus is mainly on college life. If that is your preference, St. Olaf’s is a better fit. At both schools, the faculty and administration are very supportive of students.

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I live in Minneapolis, and am familiar with both schools, especially Mac. S1 was considering going there. He had zero worries about it being an overly strident politically. The students there, even though they can hail from all over, tend to have that “Minnesota nice” thing to them. No comparison to, say, Swarthmore (S1 also visited there and didn’t want any part of the politics there)

St. Olaf is a good school, but Mac is generally considered to be better. It is quite strong in Sciences, though not as strong as Carleton. Mac has some nice athletic facilities. There are tons of students in the area, besides the two giant U of MN campuses. Small colleges such as Hamline, Concordia, St. Catherines, St. Thomas(not so small, 5000 students)are within a mile or so.

Have you thought about visiting Carleton?

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@TTStudent1484949

Are they equally affordable?

There is a somewhat more developed party scene at Mac than St Olaf. That isn’t to say there are no parties at St O, but they will be more low key and discreet.

Mac is somewhat higher ranked but St O is quite strong in STEM. I would dig deeper into the departments that interest you - check out the professors, where they were trained, what they teach, how many are tenure track, how many faculty there are. Maybe look further on Rate My Professor dot com to see how students review their classes.

If med school is a possibility, St Olaf does well placing its graduates.

St O has a slightly larger student population - I believe it’s closer to 3,000 as compared to Mac’s 2,000. As mentioned earlier, Carleton is in the same town as St O and there are a number of other LACs fairly close to Mac.

My impression at Mac is that the school prizes global citizenship. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are pressured to be a strident activist but that you are aware and engaged in what happens around you.

Both schools emphasize study abroad and have excellent programs. If that is of interest to you, take a look at locations that are supported by each and what the coursework is like. St Olaf also has a structured January term, which can involved study away for shorter periods.

As others have said, Mac is easily accessible from the airport. St O would involve a shuttle and is about an hour’s drive.

Two great choices! Good luck with your decision.

1 Like
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Looks like you got some good responses, esp. about Macalester. Did you get to visit both campuses? How did it go? My son is at St. Olaf, and I’ve toured Macalester and have friends with kids there. They are both great schools but the locations and vibes are quite different. Let me know if you have any questions! Both are wonderful schools, so you can’t go wrong with either. :slight_smile:

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My S went to Mac and is not political at all. Some of his friends were more engaged, but he was totally comfortable being lower key on that front. S loved his experience at Mac. He did club sports and some intramurals and had a blast.He played cricket with a bunch of SE Asian guys. He took bag pipe lessons. He became involved with the multicultural center. We’re from WA, too, and the Twin Cities has somewhat of a familiar feel – I think it’s the Scandinavian roots in both places. The people are so nice and welcoming at Mac. St. Olaf is a terrific school, but I know Mac much better. It might come down to what you want from your college experience and 'fit." They are different kinds of schools, so try to see which one is a better fit for you. Also, Mac is strong in sciences, Int’l, Econ – but all dept’s are good. You have excellent options!