St Olaf College Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Lacey

The academics are definitely tough, but I really like the community atmosphere here.

Matthew

The big picture of St. Olaf College is that it's a strong liberal arts college that is very affordable. Located in just south of the twin cities, it's a great location for going to school, although it can get cold! The food was very good there, and the cooking staff do their best to make sure everyone is happy. The students are generally a good group of people although it can feel a little small at times. People who are old enough associate St. Olaf College with the Golden Girls t.v. show. and also with the St. Olaf College Christmas concert. The administration is rather terrible in my opinion, they didn't even try to help me when I kept getting stuck with bad roommates, they gave me a list of people who had an open space, and I was expected to go around campus in the middle of winter knocking on strangers' doors. That wasn't a very good experience. Single rooms are hard to come by but I did finally get a single room the second semester of my senior year. St. Olaf College is a dry campus meaning that there is a zero alcohol policy on campus, although it's pretty easy to have fun behind closed doors. One experience that I will always remember is going over to Carleton College with one of my friends and finding one of their students passed out on sidewalk in the middle of winter! We carried him into the front porch of a random house, hopefully it was owned by the college, and we essentially saved him from freezing to death! There's really no diversity on campus when I was there at least, everybody is white and a lot of people are religious, but I think after 4 years of going there some of the shock wares off and I was able to find a niche. The Buntrock Commons was a great addition to the campus while I was a student.

Tristan

The best thing about St. Olaf is the community feeling. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, and the professors are amazing. Also the new science center is unbelievable! The academics are intense but the professors want you to succeed. Of course the music programs at St. Olaf are some of the best in the country. Even if you aren't in the choir, band or orchestra, you can always catch a concert. One can't deny how beautiful the campus is either. It is probably the prettiest college campus I have ever seen. The cafeteria food is delicious...not maybe the most important thing to look for in a school, but it is a definite plus!

Ryan

One thing people don't talk about too much is how rich the history is here. The school has done a remarkable job of sticking to its roots. Talking to older alumni is a treat. Even though it was so long ago, the things that make Olaf special are still there.