St Olaf College Top Questions

I guess I would say the most frustrating thing is something that doesn't relate to St. Olaf directly at all, and that is the scarcity of time I have in college. It's difficult for me to fit in everything that I need to get done, and will definitely require further development of my time management skills. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my college choice and don't feel that there's anything expressly frustrating about this school in particular.

The high level of academic stress. We have a lot of perfectionists and type-A personalities, so it can get really tense during midterms or finals. It's good to know that people take school seriously, but I have a lot of friends who need to relax and lighten up a little so they don't burn out.

How difficult the academics are. It's hard to enjoy life with all this pressure. People become extremely stressed.

The school only offers the benefits of the music program mainly to music majors. There is the option of taking private lessons, but it is strongly recommened not to because you will most likely end up in a class of music majors. I am unable to take Music Theory because I am not a music major, despite my interest in the course. The music program has a large emphasis on traditional and classical music ("modern" will become known as 16th century), which can be a blessing to some, but not to those who are looking for electric guitar lessons.

It can be hard to have a normal social life with such intense workloads and involvement. Another hindrance is people either get into really serious relationships and forgo friends, or are just crazy partyers and don't take people seriously. It can be hard to find the in-between.

It may seem silly, but the most frustrating thing about this school is that everyone has come here being the "best" from their school. There are so many that are the "best" that it's hard to find ways to make yourself stand out and distinguish yourself from others.

The most frustrating thing about my school is the length of winter/location. I love the snow for about two months, but it stays forever. Some people love it, but we get a lot of wind on 'the Hill.' Granted, it's liveable, but it's the only thing I wish I could change.

There is little diversity, both racially and socio-economically.

The meal plans?

Tuition.