Copyright 2026 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html Life at SOC - Comments en http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html The students here are great, I've found lifelong friends here at Olaf that I don't believe I would've found anywhere else. However, almost all professors I've had classes with on campus (usually wi... Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:22:18 GMT StudentsReview 728-184517 728-184517 728 15 Education Female Undergraduate Class 1921 2nd Year Negative The students here are great, I've found lifelong friends here at Olaf that I don't believe I would've found anywhere else.

However, almost all professors I've had classes with on campus (usually within the Education and English departments) have been extremely arrogant & self absorbed. I receive disability & accommodations for both physical and mental ailments and found it rare to have a professor that actively worked with me. I was very open to communication with faculty, including deans, multiple advisors, etc. and wasn't receiving the help I needed. It got to the point where even my psychologists and docotrs from Northfield (very familiar with the school) were recommending me to drop out, especially with the school's reputation of being less than accommodating.

For such a small school, I was sincerely hoping there would be more of a connection between the staff and students. Very disappointed & do not recommend any student attend this school. Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:22:18 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html I came out as transgender and I do not feel I was accommodated well enough. Olaf used to only have gendered floors in every dorm--you also have to apply to live off campus--but now they have a couple ... Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:50:17 GMT StudentsReview 728-174631 728-174631 728 49 Music Education Male Undergraduate Class 2019 1st Year Negative I came out as transgender and I do not feel I was accommodated well enough. Olaf used to only have gendered floors in every dorm--you also have to apply to live off campus--but now they have a couple mixed gender floors that were taken right away by upperclassmen in room draw. I was offered a single on a male floor, but that still made me sort of uncomfortable to live on a floor with only cis males, who I might have never met before. You also have to pay an extra $1000 for a single. When I emailed the dean of students back saying that I was considering transferring, instead of trying to help me find a better solution or talk me into staying, she seemed pretty happy to just let me go. Also there are only a few gender neutral bathrooms on all of campus. Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:50:17 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html This school sucks. Honestly it sucks. It is beautiful and the other students are amazing, but it still sucks. The administration and professors are honestly so terrible its unreal. Registration doesn'... Sat, 22 Nov 2014 06:15:24 GMT StudentsReview 728-154065 728-154065 728 52 Undecided Male Undergraduate Class 2016 2nd Year Negative This school sucks. Honestly it sucks. It is beautiful and the other students are amazing, but it still sucks. The administration and professors are honestly so terrible its unreal. Registration doesn't allow students to get into any of the classes that they need to for their majors. Administration is far more worried about alcohol on campus than they are making sure students can actually take the classes that they came here to take. Professors are very arrogant despite actually not being very good. In one class a 20+% grade on a test ensured a B.... how does that help anyone. Save yourself $30,000 and go to a better school. Sat, 22 Nov 2014 06:15:24 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html I honestly have mixed feelings about attending St. Olaf. I did two years of PSEO (which included living in dorms, and the whole college life) at a state college before I came here, with mixed results.... Thu, 23 Oct 2014 06:26:50 GMT StudentsReview 728-150081 728-150081 728 12 Computer Science Female Undergraduate Class 2018 1st Year Neutral I honestly have mixed feelings about attending St. Olaf. I did two years of PSEO (which included living in dorms, and the whole college life) at a state college before I came here, with mixed results. Academically I faltered at my last school for personal reasons and lack of ambition. That was not a problem here. The quality of academics at St. Olaf is top notch. Even the worst teachers here are better than the teachers that I had at my previous college. I have no complaints about the faculty here.

However the thing that caught me off guard at St. Olaf was the snooty culture. It really shouldn't have, given that literally every review of this school mentions it in one form or another, but to be honest I didn't research schools as much as I should have when I applied. In any case, the fact of the matter is that while 99% of people here are well intentioned, a lot of students here are sheltered and kind of clueless when it comes to diversity. This is despite the fact that pretty much every student here has visited another country at some point in their life (The first week I heard about so many "life changing mission trips" I wanted to gag). Even the school I went to before (which was smaller than St. Olaf!) had more of a cultural landscape than here. I'm a Minnesota native, so the "Minnesota Nice" thing didn't throw me off, but it is something to be aware of. Passive aggressiveness paired with clueless rich people can paint a pretty gruesome picture for some. The worst part is most students have no clue that they're doing it.

There are some perks to being a weirdo attending a school as homogeneous as St. Olaf though. You stand out in a good way. Professors are more likely to remember you and talk to you outside of class. People find you interesting and want to know about your life and ideas. If you don't mind being judged every now and again I would say that it is worth the perks of standing out. It's a lot harder to fall through the cracks. That was a huge factor in my decision to come here.

As far as life outside of school is concerned, I've personally never been much of a partier, though I can see how the intense focus on academics paired with the small town culture makes people stir crazy. It can actually be a pleasant experience if you're like me. I was looking for a community that allowed me to get my life back on track, and St. Olaf has been a perfect environment for that. If you are looking for a chance to "escape reality" while still remaining ambitious and studious, this is the school for you. Thu, 23 Oct 2014 06:26:50 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html Let's face it, St. Olaf is the local college for kids who couldn't get into Carleton. St. Olaf kids' parents have the money, but the kids don't have the brains, so they come here. They have a huge i... Fri, 10 Jan 2014 05:26:59 GMT StudentsReview 728-99947 728-99947 728 41 History/Histories (art history/etc.) Female Undergraduate Class 2016 2nd Year Negative Let's face it, St. Olaf is the local college for kids who couldn't get into Carleton. St. Olaf kids' parents have the money, but the kids don't have the brains, so they come here. They have a huge inferiority complex about Carleton, which is a constant topic of discussion. St. Olaf is not known around the country, except for its Christmas festival which is very quaint. Not much diversity here, nor intellectual imagination. The type of car you drive, what your parents do for a living, etc. are far more important than what kind of mind or heart you have here. I worked hard, got good grades and have since transferred to a far more challenging school in Maine. Do not miss St. Olaf at all. Fri, 10 Jan 2014 05:26:59 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MN/SOC_comments.html