St. Olaf, Macalester, Carleton: thoughts, differences, experiences?

[Anonymous]

Always happy to hire a St Olaf graduate with a Math or CS degree. They are very solid at least with those. (No experience with students who took different degrees from St Olaf.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we *loved* St. Olaf, but I'm hesitant because we're Jewish and our son has been at a super diverse HS with Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Eastern Orthodox peers and their religious diversity is like "look we have some Unitarians." 5 Jewish students in each class for a total of 20 Jewish students. But loved that they have running club for kids who want to keep running after HS but don't want to try to walk on to the team and commit that kind of time. My kid is also a choir kid who doesn't want to major in music, which is great at St. Olaf. Campus Rabbi is shared w/ Carleton and seems really great. , BTW, Carleton does have Jewish students, but I don't think my kid with a 32 ACT (35 English, but 28 math) and unweighted 3.7 could get into Carleton, despite his super nerdiness (plays history-related board games for fun.) Prbably History or Poli-sci major. I mean...maybe? He's got lots of APs and great EC's but it would be a *very* high reach. He does go to a HS where only 60% are 4-year college bound. We Loved Macalester but 4 years of HS language is important to them and he only took through level 3 of Spanish for various reasons. Also has ADHD but didn't use many/any accoms in HS. But may need to consider that in college. I love Beloit and Knox but they are getting so tiny and I'm a bit concerned about where that story is heading. I think 2,000 or more is ideal. Visited Wooster and liked it--it is a little small, but there is def a small and remote but active Jewish community and nice choir culture there. All of these seem OK for studying History, but a little small if like you might run out of classes after a while? Wish I could combine aspects of several of our favorites.

Interesting, where did he end up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession with ROI and high paying jobs on this board. It's all fear based. Plenty of people without trust funds major in education or social work and live full lives. But maybe they don't drive fancy cars and take expensive ski vacations every year. This area is so out of touch with how most Americans live.

Wrong. There is no way that you can raise a family in the DMV as a social worker or a teacher without marrying rich or having family wealth

If only it were possible to live in other areas of the country that weren’t as expensive as the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone considering these three schools but not Grinnell has a screw loose.

why? just because schools are rural, it doesn't mean they're actually compatible. It's not like Grinnell and Williams are similar.

Well, that’s where you’re wrong (or just simply a cuck for the WASP schools). If Grinnell was in Upstate NY, more kids who are into Williams and other NESCACs would look at Grinnell. Its location 90ish minutes outside of Des Moines definitely chills interest.

This shrill bickering about small college details is very un-Midwestern. You want to get pissy about Colby vs Hamilton, or Ohio State vs Michigan, fine. But pretty much the whole point of considering Midwestern slacs is to avoid such vitriol.