I’ll second this and give some info re why my D chose St. Olaf and what’s she’s enjoying there. The following were important to my D:
- Wanted to double major in math and a performing arts. Wanted to go to a school where that was common.
- Wanted strong study abroad programs. St. Olaf is very good in this aspect. If your D is interested, then do some searching on St. Olaf's website and look up their interim and semester away courses. This is not the full list but will give you an idea of the options.
- She wanted, it turned out, a little more 'traditional' and structured distribution requirements.
- Wanted many opportunities to participate in performing arts of various types. This part has been great! She's had many opportunities to be involved in music, theater, radio, dance. She is not part of one of the music groups that one auditions for btw, but she's been involved in multiple student and department productions.
The religious affiliation part: My D is not religious however yes at St Olaf she has quite a few more friends who are religious than she would have at other schools. She is sure there are atheists (as she is), but no one else has openly identified that way in her friend group. This is probably the biggest distinction for her, as she came from a part of the country where atheism is extremely common. Part of St Olaf’s mission is to encourage an ‘examination of faith’. From my discussions with many different St Olaf alums (it’s a popular LAC option where I come from), there is no pressure to conclude one thing or another from that examination, but rather it is an environment in which that examination is supported. D says she does experience this: she might hear a group of students discussing their different ‘relationships with God’. St Olaf is not a “Christian college” by the normal definition; it is not part of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
http://www.cccu.org/members_and_affiliates
Yes, it IS more religious and examination of faith is part of the mission but it is in a different ‘category’ of religiously affiliated. Here some concrete ways you see this
- The school mission is not 'Christ-centered'--like you'd find at a Christian college.
- Rules: The campus is dry. The students are not. Floors are generally single-sex in the dorms (D's not a fan of this). There are no rules about chastity and it is probably as widely practiced as you would expect on a college campus.
- Bible courses required: 1-2. The requirement of Biblical Studies seems to scare off many, however D's course is no different than the 'Western Civ' course that I took in college (secular). We also studied the Old and New Testament (along with many other religious texts). The course that D is taking is scholarship oriented and not 'evangelical' in any way.
- Chapel is available daily at the center of campus. Completely voluntary. Those who want to attend can.
- Professors are not required to be Christian.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ECLA) is one of the more liberal (religiously) mainline Protestant churches. You can see this in the church’s stance on homosexuality. Since 2009, the ECLA allows openly (meaning practicing) gay pastors and higher leaders. D’s friend group includes LGBT men and women. It wouldn’t surprise me if they actually more religious than the average student given the supportive nature of ECLA on that topic. Does that mean St Olaf as supportive and welcoming as say Macalester, in this aspect? I’m guessing that’s unlikely given the different student bodies, rural/suburban versus urban environments, and religiously affiliated versus non-affiliated.