St. Olaf College (SOC)

St. Olaf doesn't produce ordinary college grads. It turns out Oles (Oh-Lees). St. Olaf's 3,000 students come from 95 countries, nearly every state, and a variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds. Oles choose from more than 85 majors, concentrations, and pre-professional tracks within the intense liberal arts academic program. The long-standing emphasis on global engagement broadens perspectives, and two-thirds of Oles study abroad. Oles aren't necessarily religious, but the college's religious tradition encourages deep self-reflection. Over 200 organizations flourish within an intensely residential setting. The vibrant Ole community accepts, supports, and encourages, generating lifelong friendships and invaluable connections. St. Olaf's beautiful 300-acre campus is located in Northfield, Minnesota, approximately 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul

St. Olaf College is entirely welcome to all students and faiths: "the chapel and college pastors, rabbi, [and] Muslim chaplain are very inclusive." Students feel that they are all united by "an interest and desire to learn" that often manifests itself "in deep discussions in and out of the classroom." Moreover, because the school is interdisciplinary, you're likely to get exposure to a wider variety of perspectives, as "it is not uncommon to be in a philosophy class full of biology and music majors." On the whole, Oles are "generally kind and cheerful, and with an unmatched respect for others and their property."

Though St. Olaf is only located 45 minutes from the bustling Twin Cities, 95 percent of students live on the beautiful, alcohol-free campus, a "marvel" that leads to "a lot of school programming with relatively high attendance." This is especially true of extracurriculars: students describe being "very involved at high levels" in things like music ensembles and sports. Academics are equally taken seriously, such that "studying is also a form of hanging out for many people." That said, students do find time for relaxing, especially on weekends, which are filled with seasonal activities like "going to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard ten minutes from campus," and a main student pastime is simply "going to dinner and seeing all of their friends and then going to each other's rooms afterwards." Oles are an outdoorsy bunch, and students "have access to hundreds of acres of forest and prairie on campus to run, bike, and cross-country ski," and "the natural lands and hiking trails are often used."

Students say that one of St. Olaf’s greatest strengths is its Piper Center for Vocation and Career. By maintaining “strategic relationships with employers, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and donors,” the center can “maximize opportunities for students and alumni.” These relationships yield hundreds of internships exclusively available to St. Olaf students, as well as a number of internship cohort programs that allow students to work with institutions such as the Mayo Clinic or a Norwegian biotech company during their breaks. Furthermore, students say that the “vocational retreats, alumni luncheons, [and] one-on-one coaching…makes sure that all the hard work put into classes pays off.” In recent years, the center has helped students by arranging thousands of appointments with coaches and peer advisors. According to PayScale.com, 53 percent of St. Olaf alums report that they derive a high level of meaning from their careers, and graduates earn a median starting salary of $64,200.