<p>Can anyone compare two mw Lutheran schools, St Olaf and Augustana in Illinois?</p>
<p>I know usnews rank is olaf 50 something and Augustana is 90 something.</p>
<p>Beyond that, anyone have impressions between the two schools?</p>
<p>My perspective is partly dated, but here goes. I have the sense that in general, St. O people just tend to "range farther" than people from Augustana (or Luther, or Gustavus Adolphus, maybe other Lutheran schools in that category). I have not been on the campus of Augustana in over 20 years, but I remember that it is pleasant. I have several good friends and have known others over the years, in my profession (which requires a graduate degree), and in a location far from the midwest, who have done well, gone places, and are a credit to Augustana. But I have known far more St. Olaf people--also friends, same stature, same solidness of personality and intelligence--who have "gone far." When we visited St. Olaf the visitors were from all over the country. Visiting other Lutheran schools, visitors were mainly from the upper midwest. (We even saw a St. Olaf car sticker in the middle of the Central Valley of California, between Stanford and Reed College). St. Olaf students show up regularly as graduate students in a variety of graduate schools at the HYPM institution with which I am acquainted. My sense is that St. Olaf and Augustana are reasonably similar, all things considered, but that St. Olaf tends to attract students with a slightly wider perspective (they would go to college over 500 miles away) and with a wider horizon for their dreams.</p>
<p>Is that USNWR ratings? Who knows? And clearly St. Olaf has access to more money than several of the other Lutheran colleges.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to find out the percentage of students that go into the Peace Corps, from St. Olaf, Augustana, Luther, Gustavus Adolphus, and so forth. That is one of the measures of "ranging far" that I am referring to.</p>
<p>thanks, radimom. olaf has significant more money in its endowment, $256m vs $106m for Augustana.</p>
<p>Our Olaf student guide was a Catholic from Boston (great accent)</p>
<p>Our Augustana guide was a lutheran from a suburb of chicago, so definitely agree on the wider variety of students.</p>
<p>both were nice kids. </p>
<p>Music is big on both of the campuses. but, again, olaf has the pbs gig, as well as copious references by G Keillor (that is where I first heard of olaf).</p>