Academics
With roots in a “Norwegian heritage,” St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, provides students “a wonderful liberal arts education” with a strong focus on “classical music appreciation,” while still offering “academic opportunities for everyone.” St. Olaf emphasizes the need for “globally conscious citizens.” To help them “[build] a global perspective,” St. Olaf encourages students “to ask questions and explore their beliefs.” Students agree that “the professors here are simply phenomenal in every respect, and their approachability is absolutely a hallmark of this campus.” Nearly everyone we heard from praised their professors as “readily available to help,” offering “late night review sessions,” encouraging “academic conversations outside of the classroom,” and “[extending] office hours to all five days a week the week before” major projects are due. St. Olaf students feel their professors “care about their students as whole people.” But “this does not mean that they are lax and let students walk all over them.” St. Olaf faculty maintain “high expectations” for their students, “but [they] want to see students succeed” as well. “Being a professor isn’t just a 9-to-5 job for them,” one student explains, “but a life they truly enjoy.” While the school is affiliated with the Lutheran church, students assure us that “even if you aren’t religious, you won’t feel out of place at St. Olaf,” explaining how “the religious aspect of the school” is rooted in its history “and allows those that are religious to find a community of people who are religious as well.”
