Grinnell and Macalester
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Anonymous
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East Coast mom here who has very little info on these two schools.
My son is a recruited athlete who works hard. Academics do not come easily because of ADHD but he gets good grades in his AP classes (mostly by not sleeping and working constantly). Any insights on workload manageability and general happiness at these two schools (despite extreme winters)? |
Anonymous
| My adhd, tons-of-activities kid was very happy at Grinnell. Met great friends, did lots of independent research. Worked very hard in classes but also fit in club sports, jobs, clubs, etc. Loved the small midwestern town and the vibe it created…but you should visit if you haven’t. |
Anonymous
| My kid applied to Mac but ended up at another school. My impression is that it's a hidden gem. It's very internationally focused, very liberal, and has a great location (notwithstanding the cold). I don't know much about Grinnell (other than it's a great school), but I reckon that travel for games will be easier for athletes from St. Paul than Grinnell, Iowa. Ditto for trips to and from home. |
Anonymous
My kid got in with top merit last year and also ended up at another school. But Mac was very appealing for all of the reasons you list. Kids seem happy, alumni seem engaged, location seems great. |
Anonymous
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My DC's HS typically send a student to both. There is some overlap of applications between these 2 schools. When speaking with one student last year who was deciding between the 2 - and a follow up conversation with the Mom, logistics were a major concern. Visiting Grinnell independently took a lot of effort and was almost a deal breaker. For this student, it was a toss up but Grinnell offered more money. I think if the merit aid was the other way, they would have been at Mac.
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Anonymous
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great schools, great teachers, happy students. better than many LACs on the coasts.
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Anonymous
| What about outcomes? Where do the kids end up? Do they get jobs (other than at Starbucks)? |
Anonymous
| Macalester is ridiculously expensive. |
Anonymous
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Mac is not a pressure-cooker school but is far more focused on things like study abroad, service projects, field work, etc. Academically it is probably a good fit. Culturally, sports are really not dominant at all. So if your kid is used to athletics being really centered, that’s not what he will find. He’ll be in a very small group of fellow athletes. But Mac is also not a judgmental place, so nobody will hold it against him. It’s just that athletics has no prestige and is not the center of campus social life. Like, the school is going to coalesce around a kid that comes up with a nonprofit that gets Somali immigrant girls swim lessons; not the kid who wins the swim meets!
But maybe that makes it all around a healthier environment for him? By way of closure I’ll relay the Mac football cheer from my time there “Drink blood, smoke crack, worship Satan, go Mac!” https://themacweekly.com/65626/sports/20-years-and-stronger-than-ever-drink-blood-smoke-crack-creator-revitalizes-quirky-cheers-in-soccer-stands/ |
Anonymous
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I have a kid at Grinnell. I think in your situation with a student athlete who has to work really hard to balance both, I would look at easier schools. The level of work required is a step up from AP courses.
I know an athlete at a much much lower ranked D3 school and he is finding college easier than high school. Both of our kids are going to graduate at the same time with degrees. |
Anonymous
| My D23 was accepted at Mac. Did not got there and is not an athlete, but we did go to an admitted students day in DC. In addition to a few administrators, the director of athletics came to meet the kids. He was the nicest guy - it seemed like he knows everyone on campus regardless of athletic status and lives near the athlete houses. It seemed like a really warm community. |
Anonymous
Same poster here. Forgot to add the athletic director had come from Williams - so he was used to a super high level of competition iin the NESCAC, but commented on how much nicer it was in Minnesota! |
Anonymous
Same! Top merit and picked another school. It just felt a little small to him int he end - but so happy! |
Anonymous
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We know a couple where all three of their girls went to Macalester, they are all different and they all loved it there. Two are currently in PhD programs and received fabulous professor support when they were at Macalester. The third has an excellent job/career with her BS.
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Anonymous
Mac grad here. Although it is a SLAC I think the hidden strength may be for STEM students. |