Thanks! Yes, we’re from MN, which is certainly part of what makes her decision more difficult, given that there are both pros and cons to staying in-state. We’ve promised that if she chooses St. Olaf we certainly won’t be showing up uninvited! However, it would be wonderful to be able to attend concerts, etc.
Carlisle is a pain to get to for us, to be sure, and adds significantly to the cost/time factor. It reminded us of Northfield in many ways in that they both seemed to be great college towns.
I will say that my first impression of Dickinson was that they were trying a bit too hard to show that they were just as good or better than many of the more well known East Coast colleges. St. Olaf doesn’t give me that impression. They know who they are and are confident in that role.
Interim at St. Olaf is a huge draw in my opinion. I love that it gives additional options for off-campus study as well as interesting on-campus options. And to be honest, St. Olaf’s academic calendar would work far better with the rest of our family’s schedules. But…it has the (perceived, for her) downside of being closeish to home.
Right now she’s most strongly interested in environmental studies, social policy, and political science, which both schools seem to do well. She’s also very eager to do some study abroad experiences…and again, both schools do those extremely well. Each has a few factors that are stronger than the other. I’ve encouraged her to look through the specific course catalogs for both and will be doing so again.
I hope your son is loving his time at St. Olaf, and thanks again for your feedback!