I was previously fairly set on St. Olaf but Oberlin offered me more merit that I was expecting so now I don’t know what to do! Please look at my pro’s and cons and give me advice. (I know some of what I say is conflicting but please bear with me as I’m not entirely sure what I want). I’m looking at medical school so if one would give me a boost let me know. I’m interested in Biology, Spanish and Gender and Women’s studies.
Oberlin
Pros: ranked higher, better academics, more liberal and politically active student body, gets me to a new state, can design my own interim, better gender and women’s studies
Con’s: a 10 hr drive from my house, a little to hippy and pot smoking for my taste, would cost a little more than St. Olaf
St. Olaf
Pros: Prettier campus which kinda feels right to me, nice kids who seem happy, maybe not quite as competitive, 1 hr drive from my house, no music conservatory so I would have an easier time getting involved in music
Con’s: Not as well regarded, not as strong academically, too white, preppy and conservative, I’d have to take religion classes
Overall I think St. Olaf is the better fit for me personally but Oberlin is such a great school, might be better academically and I do like it a lot.
Visited both. Each of my kids liked and applied to a different one of the two. Music is plenty strong at St. Olaf. Think of religion as history, as that is what it really is in an college setting. Personally, I got the feeling St. Olaf is better run administratively but both are great schools. Many would argue that if you wish to go to med school you should save as much as possible when doing undergrad.
We are looking the same comparison - thanks for posting. But we are also considering Smith and Mount Holyoke.Ironically Oberlin came in with a much better scholarship offer than St. Olaf. Music and science are our interests. Not interested in pot/drugs/drinking but also lean liberal politically. Music, particularly old time, fiddle, folk etc. of great interest. Good luck on your decision - we’ll be visiting this month and will have more to add!
You are not going to miss ANY Med School opportunities coming from St. Olaf. They do beautifully with Med School placement and in MCAT scores for their students.
It is difficult to conceive of more different college environments than these two schools. Both are LAC’s with very strong music programs, but otherwise two entirely different college climates. I think you will know which one fits you.
It’ll be more difficult for you to get involved in music through Oberlin’s conservatory but there are non-conservatory opportunities. St Olaf has vocal, classical, and student-band venues (apparently there’s a thriving indie/folk scene in Northfield, I just saw a bit of a documentary about a blues musician from Michigan and it turned out to take place in Northfield MN!)
St Olaf is “regular college liberal” and Oberlin defines the left of the political college spectrum. If politics is important to you and you’re definitely on the left of Bernie Sanders, then Oberlin is a better choice for you.
For science/premed, I’m not sure one is better than the other.
Religion: St Olaf requires one religion course titled “the Bible in the community”, with many different sections going from a comparison of the way Jews and Christians read the same Old Testament texts, to the way the Apocalypse compares to Dystopian novels, to African Americans and the Bible+ one course in ethics as it applies to your major + one course of your choice although it’s recommended you choose a religious tradition different from your own.
I agree that an overnight on campus would probably make things clear - ask to sit in on a freshman class, a biology class; read the campus paper, see what concerns the students, whether they handle disagreements with sophistication and respect; eat in the cafeteria, not just for the food but to see if students are social and friendly.
I think they are about the same for pre-med. That said, most of the onus for success in getting into med school is on you. I know two kids who were pre-med from D1’s class who went to St. Olaf. One graduated from med school recently. The other is managing a coffee shop (can’t find a job related to their bio degree and can’t get into med school). Have a backup plan at either school.
This is a tough question. If you do not jump in and audition at St. Olaf early, it may be too late to fully participate in the top music ensembles. It is not a conservatory, but spots in the top orchestra are competitive and I have found that they are promised to incoming scholarship recipients and also are political. You cannot audition later in the Spring or Summer. They are strict on this point. You have to wait to audition for the “olie orch” in September when it is too late to accept an offer from another school music department. Once you miss this first round of auditions you can not apply for music scholarships again (ever). It is disheartening to work all summer on an audition and find they do not have a spot for you. The Philharmonia is a poor substitute and is obviosly for non-serious musicians. As a musician, your time at St. Olaf will be vastly different if you are in the orchestra. If you are not, you are decidedly an outsider and miss participating in inspiring rehearsals, tours and performances and being exposed to the other high caliber musicians. Research this and don’t make the same mistake we did!
In addition, it’s the first I’ve heard of auditioning only once, in the Fall freshman year. Audition dates are announced clearly and you may audition in the Fall sophomore or junior year.
It is a music department with an abundance of string players, especially violins. There are not many violin openings in their top orchestra, so it is a big disappointment if you do not get in. Your violinist or string player will have to watch as the “Ole Orch” players go on multiple tours and hear about trips to Argentina, etc. The 2nd tier orchestra does not get to perform in the Christmas program, the big event of the Ole year. It is not a top conservatory and is touted as a small liberal arts college with an inclusive, thriving music department. This is very true, but there are some who are left out. It is upsetting if you chose this school for the orchestra program. Then it does not feel inclusive. It is also an expensive choice. Oberlin was an option for my child as were several good schools that offered music scholarships. If your student gets into the Orchestra or one of their great choirs, it is an exciting and invigorating music filled school year. If they don’t get in, they will be on the outside and St. Olaf is simply a small expensive liberal arts school out in rural Minnesota. This was a mistake for us.
If you miss the winter entrance audition the previous year, you can not audition again for music scholarships for the rest of your years at St. Olaf. This is different from schools who offer substantial music scholarship opportunities for upper class students based on merit as was the case with our older child.
