St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College, a national leader among liberal arts institutions, prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world by fostering the development of mind, body and spirit. It is a residential college located in Northfield and affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The College is recognized as one of the nation's best values in higher education, providing highly personalized instruction and diverse learning environments. With more than two-thirds of its students participating in off-campus study options, St. Olaf is widely regarded for its prominence in both domestic and international field programs.
Contact
St. Olaf College
Office of Admissions
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057
(507) 786-3025 Phone
(800) 800-3025 Toll-free
(507) 786-3832 Fax
admissions@stolaf.edu E-mail
http://www.stolaf.edu Web site
Academic programs
Degrees offered: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music
Top five majors: Biology, English, Mathematics, Economics, Music
Faculty: 206 full-time, 128 part-time; 91% of full-time faculty members hold the doctorate or highest degree in their field
Student/faculty ratio: 12.5:1
Average class size: 22
Average lab size: 18.6
Number of library volumes: 668,796
Academic calendar: Semesters, January interim, optional summer sessions
Accreditation & approval: American Chemical Society, Council of Social Work Education, National Association of Schools of Dance, National Association of Schools of Music, National Association of Schools of Theater, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, National League for Nursing, North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
Teaching licensure programs: Majors can include: communication arts/literature, vocal and instrumental music, dance/theater arts, math, visual arts, science (life science, chemistry, physics), social studies (economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology/anthropology), French, German, Spanish, Latin.
Pre-professional programs: 17 programs offered including: dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, social work, veterinary medicine, accounting, architecture, journalism
Inter-campus agreements: A cooperative agreement with Carleton College enables St. Olaf and Carleton students to take courses on either campus. This can be difficult because St. Olaf is on semesters while Carleton is on trimesters.
Independent study: Students may take up to three independent study courses and two independent research courses.
Non-traditional/adult education programs: The college's continuing education program provides regular course offerings and specially designed programs for parents, alumni, congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, businesses, professional groups and local residents.
International study opportunities
Among the specialized International Study opportunities are: The Global Semester, Term in Asia and Term in the Middle East. Students also may study in China, Germany, Spain, France, Tanzania, and other countries. Specific programs include: Environmental Science in Australia; Interim Abroad Programs; Study/Service Abroad; University of Oslo Summer School; Mathematics Semester in Budapest; Year at the University of Lancaster, England; Year at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, England; Irish Programs in Dublin, Galway, Maynooth; Scandinavian Seminar; Semester at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Semester at the University of East Anglia, England; Semester at the School of Irish Studies, Dublin, Ireland; Term at the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Oxford, England; Year in Rennes, France or Oslo, Norway; Danish International Study Program. Other programs are also available through the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and other organizations.
Student organizations
Over 137 student organizations, including academic, musical, political, recreational, religious, intramural sports, special interest and social and environmental concerns groups.
Athletic programs
Conference membership: NCAA Division III, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). St. Olaf housed the NCAA cross-country championship for the last 2 years.
Men's varsity: Baseball, basketball, cross-country, diving, football, hockey, golf, skiing (alpine, Nordic), soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, wrestling
Women's varsity: Basketball, cross-country, diving, hockey, golf, skiing (alpine, Nordic), soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball
Intramurals: 33 intramural and club sports are available.
College services and facilities
On-campus housing: Students choose from coeducational residence halls, honor houses, language houses, first-year residence halls and quiet floors. Disabled students are accommodated in the residence hall of choice.
Fitness/recreation facilities: Two athletic complexes, a field house, five indoor tennis courts and outdoor courts, a 6-lane indoor track, a soccer field, softball and baseball diamonds, two weight rooms, 48 foot climbing wall, 6-lane swimming pool, an 8-lane all-weather track, 18-hole Frisbee golf course, a football field, plus practice and recreation space. The Tostrud Center, open Fall 2002, is a 95,000 square foot building for recreation, wellness, physical education and athletics.
Technology: Students have access to almost 800 desktop, laptop and UNIX-based workstations in various public and department labs on campus; access to e-mail, the internet, software servers, laser printers; user support and an award-winning web site.
Internships: The college's internship program provides planned, supervised experiential education course projects which integrate study and practical work. Internships are undertaken to acquire and apply knowledge through direct experience in a field related to the student's academic program.
Career services: The Center for Experiential Learning provides information and assistance to students and alumni through professional career advising, on-campus interviews; a resource center with information on graduate schools, career planning, employment opportunities, and internships; a career advising network of alumni.
Counseling and guidance services: St. Olaf offers academic advising, career counseling and personal counseling services to its students.
Undergraduate enrollment
Full-time: 3,040 students
Part-time: 4 students
Women: 55%
Men: 45%
All undergraduate students: 96% live on campus
Racial/ethnic distribution: 1.3% Black, non-Hispanic; 4.9% Asian/Pacific Islander; 1.5% Hispanic; 0.2% American Indian or Alaskan Native; 1.1% International, non-resident alien; 84.8% White, non-Hispanic; 6.2% Unknown
First-year student profile
First-year students: 48% from Minnesota, 96% live on campus
Scholastic aptitude test: Approximately 46% of first-year students submitted the SAT. The median verbal scores were 660, the median math scores were 650. Overall, the middle 50% of enrolled students had SAT scores of 1210-1410, including math and verbal scores.
American college test: Approximately 90% of first-year students presented the ACT as part of their applications. The middle 50% of enrolled students had composite ACT scores between 26-31 with the median being 29.
High school rank: 87% of first-year students reported their high school class rank. Of those reporting, 54% were in the top tenth of their class; 82% were in the top quarter of their class.
Admissions
On-line application: http://www.stolaf.edu/admissions/applying/
Application deadline: Early Decision 1 – November 15; Early Decision 2 – January 15; Regular Admission – January 15.
Application fee (amount): $40 (waived with online applications)
Admissions tests required: ACT or SAT
High school preparation: An academically rigorous high school program that emphasizes creativity, writing and critical analysis, as well as analytic and quantitative skills developed in such courses as pre-calculus or AP Calculus. Advanced Placement or enriched courses, when available, are particularly helpful. We recommend a program consisting of a minimum of four years of academic work in English, three in mathematics, two in science (with labs), two in a foreign language and three in history and/or social studies.
Advanced placement credit: Individual departments determine credit/placement for CEEB Advanced Placement program participants. Accepted scores vary for each exam with a maximum of five equivalent St. Olaf credits that can be obtained.
Transfer process (deadlines and materials): March 1 is the deadline for fall enrollment. Students must submit official college transcripts for each college attended, statement of good standing from prior institution(s), college transcript(s), high school transcript, and an essay or personal statement. For more information regarding our transfer policy and process, contact our transfer coordinator at transfer@stolaf.edu.
Transfer criteria (credits, GPA): A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.
Campus visits: Campus visits are encouraged. Visits can be made by appointment, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., September through May, excluding school breaks. Contact Visit Coordinator Anne Donahue at 507-786-3026 or 800-800-3025.
Financial assistance
Percentage of new-entering students receiving financial aid from any source: 82%
Financial aid applications: To apply for financial aid, families are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile (CSS/Profile Code: 6638), and the Noncustodial (Divorced / Separated) Parent's Statement.
FAFSA code: 002382
Financial aid deadline: CSS/Profile completed and returned by a priority date of November 15 for Early Decision 1, January 15 for Early Decision 2 and Regular admission students. You can apply for your FAFSA beginning on January 1 of each year. The priority deadline is March 1 for incoming first year students.