Hi there - wondering if there are any current Macalester College parents out there who can give some insight into what the overall vibe/social scene is like? My son was admitted and we are trying to get a better sense of the the school and whether it is a good fit for him. For context, he is on the quiet side and sporty - loves playing and watching sports - will not be playing at college level. Not a massive partier but enjoys going out/hanging out with friends. He enjoys learning but is not one to stress about academics, not sure how intense the academic culture at Mac is. Thanks so much!
Congrats on the admission. Have you look at niche reviews - if you get no response here?
76 people responded:
9% say sports are a big part of campus life
62% say are attended but not a huge part
29% says no one pays attention
27 people answered on drugs/alcohol:
41% said you can have a great life without drugs or alcohol.
44% said most partake but don’t care if you don’t
7% said you’ll feel awkward if you don’t drink
7% said you’re left out if don’t partake
On the bottom of each section and overall, there are comments - some recent. If you don’t hear back from parents, that might help you.
You might also ask your student to speak with an ambassador/student where they can ask questions.
thanks!
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Has he visited? A visit is a must, IMO, as Macalester has become more of a ‘fit’ school, (meaning the school might not be a fit for as many students as some other small schools.) A few thoughts (not making any judgment on these qualities but mentioning them as part of assessing fit for a given student.)
The ethos at Macalester is quite liberal including the student body, profs, courses, course content.
There isn’t a very high level of school spirit or interest in sports. I’m sure there are plenty of parties/social events, your S should do some research regarding parties to find out if they tend to be open to all, or limited to those playing athletics or members of a certain group.
There is a relatively high proportion of students identifying as lgbtq. It’s important for students to assess whether the dating pool/potential romantic partners will be adequate for four years, however they identify (this is an important measure of the social fabric of any school.)
Hopefully he can visit. He might also read the student newspaper and look at the list of clubs. He should do these things for any school that he’s thinking about attending.
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thank you!
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Parent here. My sophomore son plays club soccer, and it’s been a pleasant surprise with grassroots soccer! Lots of club players. It’s not a large state school but there are plenty of sports.
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Thanks so much for the feedback that is great to hear!
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It’s funny but the kids I know who went to Mac were all recruited athletes!
Totally agree that it’s a fit school but those that I know who went had a fabulous experience both academically and socially. And great career outcomes too ; )
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I have a kid at Mac. It seems to me that the academic and social atmospheres are both pretty chill– lots of engaged and curious kids. My Mac kid is a natural intellectual who seems to study a lot out of interest as opposed to external pressure, and is not the type to enjoy stressing about school, so I don’t really hear anything about intensity.. I’ll note that the course load seems very manageable in comparison to some other schools, a fact I did not appreciate until my other kid went to a very different college– the norm is 4 courses/semester not 5+ like some schools. There are parties, but my kid just hangs out with friends and is not a drinker. I would also encourage a visit– my kid is having a great experience but agree it is a “fit” school.
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thank you!
thank you for the response!
My daughter will be attending Mac - and it seems like a very kind environment with professors who want to help. It is not -perhaps - the most dynamic or party-heavy school but I’ll report back next year with more insight!
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(it’s a bit delayed reply, sorry for that!) One thing to note is that Macalester’s location: it’s between two downtowns (Minneapolis and St Paul) in a nearly 4M metro (the second largest after Chicago in Midwest.) Also there are several other colleges (almost a dozen) nearby which Mac kids can have additional socializing opportunities. This comment felt like it is an only college in a small college town, which is far from true.
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Agree with this! And students can take classes at University of Minnesota and some of the other small local colleges. I don’t know how often this happens -but it DOES appear that students often do STEM research at UM -so that’s a chance to socialize with a bigger group of students as well. I’ll let you know how all of this works in reality next year!
Best of luck! My kid has been thriving and we have been very pleased. We are also local, and let me know if I can answer any specific questions about the area.
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What was your decision? Inquiring minds want to know. 
Thank you! I think she is just really anxious right now - we are literally waiting on her roommate assignment right now! It is supposed to come out today. She has lined up a work study job - and has what appears to be a good first year course - so fingers crossed for a good roommate!
I guess as a parent -I’m worried about the course selection process -but as long as she gets Chemistry - I suppose the other classes are pretty flexible her first year.
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