St. Norbert College (SNC)

St. Norbert College is a small Catholic liberal arts school just outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin that “focuses on service and community” and boasts “a very personal educational environment.” “Professors know your name” here. A broad core curriculum emphasizes writing and includes “a couple” of mandatory religion courses. “Study abroad is incredible,” enthuses one student. “You can go pretty much anywhere in the world.” Also, “most students graduate in four years, many with double majors.” Some faculty members are “very nice people” but “terrible at teaching.” However, most “really work hard for the students” and are “incredibly approachable.” “It’s totally normal to go to a professor for help.” The biggest academic complaint at SNC is the “slim” course selection. “There are many courses that sound interesting but, when you are finally able to take them, they are not being offered and won’t be again for another year or two.” Also, science labs are “worn out” and “terribly out of date,” explains one student. Administrators “can sometimes be frustrating.” “They like to deliberate on really inane things for inordinately long periods of time,” explains a philosophy major. That said, “most will sit and listen to you” if you take the initiative.

Students say that there are some “snotty” kids “from wealthy families” at St. Norbert, but it’s mostly “friendly, ambitious, and fun” “middle-class” students from “small town Wisconsin” and the suburbs of Milwaukee, Chicago, and Twin Cities. “Cultural diversity is definitely lacking.” “Pretty much everybody looks alike” except for a smattering of international students. They mostly “pack together and no one talks to them.” “A typical SNC student is usually either a studious individual or a hardcore partier,” says one undergrad. “Most students are your involved types,” adds a junior. “They were very involved in a number of activities in high school and continue to be involved in college.” Politically, the campus is “probably a little more conservative” but there are plenty of liberals, too. Half the student body is Catholic.

The campus is “beautiful, small, and clean,” while the dorms are less so. “My mom went to St. Norbert and says the same dorms that I have lived in were nasty when she was here,” gripes a junior. Also, “a revitalization of the athletic facilities would be a welcome change.” Students really rave about SNC’s “close-knit” community, where “You know everyone and they know you.” Clubs and organizations are plentiful. “If you are outgoing and love to get involved, you can go very far,” promises a junior. Athletics are “huge.” The football team is historically pretty good and “hockey games are a blast.” Religion is noticeable, but it’s not pervasive. A plethora of “service opportunities” allows students to volunteer locally as well as around the country and abroad. The party scene here is “somewhat lively.” There are “those who party hard and others who don’t at all.” For the drinking crowd, bars and parties thrown by the localized Greek system are popular. “Alternative nightlife” includes movies, concerts, and a decent array of on-campus activities. “There is no need for a car” at SNC but, if you’ve got one, Green Bay is just down the road.