St Olaf College

I'ts a powerful education for someone willing to be brutally honest with themselves about their level of understanding and willingness to study. Slackers will not survive, but if you try hard and miss the mark, you won't fail. They will help if you ask and are willing to do the work to help you understand more clearly. The campus is amazingly beautiful, but cold. Be able to handle the temperature and discomfort, and appreciate the brilliance of nature in return. Faculty have a job to do and do not take kindly to those not wanting to work hard, but will help if you are genuine. They also are some of the smartest people I've ever met and the opportunity to learn above average knowledge is there. Students mostly come from white upperclass families, and once reminded that they are not better than others because of it, usually are easy to befriend, but there will be those bluebloods who have no time for the commoner. They stick out though, and most of the rest of us just work around them. Northfield is a town that won't exist in fifty years, take advantage of the quaint small town life while it's still available. This particular one is a gem. And if you're like me, the lack of nightclubs and fraternaties is a blessing. You will live in a bubble and the tendancy is to baby the students in every way except academically, so the transition to the real work can be tough, even if you could make it on your own before you entered, the years there will soften you to the harsh realities. The abroad programs are amazing, and even if you don't attend, some transfer for a year just to be part of the Global Abroad program and then transfer back to their original school.I also worked full time, which I wouldn't do again. More loans would have been preferred than the effort it took to make the most of the education.

4th Year Female -- Class 1997

Education Quality: A+, University Resource Use/ spending: B