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Inside Scoop

Quick Stats

School Slang
  • C@L: Christmas at Luther; choral music’s large show in the weeks before Christmas.
  • Caf: The college cafeteria and largest dining facility on campus.
  • Chips: The student-run newspaper of Luther College, it puts out weekly issues.
  • Dining Dollars: An allotted sum of money that can be used specifically in campus restaurants.
  • First-years: Luther’s gender-neutral term for freshmen.
  • J-Term: During the month of January, students only take one class for a few hours a day, leaving much time for partying.
  • K-Dub: KWLC AM 1240, the campus radio station.
  • Legends: Luther’s fitness center, open to all students free of charge.
  • Main: The ugliest academic building on campus.
  • Meal Transfers: The ability to transfer a Caf meal on your student ID into purchasing other meals at allotted times in Luther’s campus restaurants.
  • Nordic: Nordic Choir, the most selective Luther choir, often thought to be the best and the most traveled; they tour yearly all over the country and often overseas.
  • Nordicash: Money on a student ID that allows students to purchase food, clothing and supplies from any campus vendor.
  • Novemberfest: Large week of fraternity- and sorority- sponsored parties and balls.
  • Orange Day: Meal in the cafeteria consisting of grilled cheese, tomato soup, and Cheetos.
  • Paideia: A mandatory first-year course involving English and history that covers ancient Greece and contemporary literature. Generally despised among students, but a common bond among everyone.
  • RA: A Resident Assistant, in charge of certain floors of a dorm.
  • SASC: Student Academic Support Center, a network of student tutors and other academic help, located in Preus Library.
  • SPO Cops: Student Police Officer; the campus police force. Not to be confused with SPOs (see above).
  • SPOs: The Student Post Office, and location for all student mailboxes, located in the Union.
  • Towers: Miller and Dieseth, the main housing units for sophomores and juniors. Thought to be the most awful dorms on campus.
  • Townies: Any adult (18– 50) who can be found in places Luther students find themselves, most often heard in bars.
  • Trout Fry: A huge day-long party held off campus every April. Frowned upon by the administration.
  • Wellness Floors: Specific dorm floors that emphasize fitness, regulated quiet hours, and no underage drinking.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
  • All the dorms feature close quarters and paper-thin walls, so pick your roommates carefully and be sure not to say something bad about your neighbor: they might hear you!
  • Don’t come with a significant other—it’s easier to meet people, and you’ll regret it if you come with “baggage.”
  • Iowa weather is crazy, and that’s putting it mildly. It will be freezing and hellishly hot, and you’ll have to deal with it in your daily routine, in the way you dress, and in your dorm room.
  • Learn to love your computer; most classes are run through it, and the KATIE Web site is becoming more a part of class every day.
  • Meet your first-year roommate ahead of time, either through Facebook or e-mail. Getting to know them will allow you to work out rooming arrangements and other important issues, leaving more time for bonding in the first few days.
  • People will be very friendly. Embrace it.
  • The school is small, so you’ll see the same people all the time. Try taking new routes to class to meet others.
  • There are a lot of parties at Luther; you just have to be friendly, and you can get in with ease.
  • There will be homosexual students. They’re people, too, and many of them are no different than straight students. Don’t ever judge them until you get to know them.
  • Your professors are people, too. Many of them have the same outside interests when you get out of the classroom, so if one of them asks you about a book or T-shirt you’re wearing, give them a chance.
Tips to Succeed
  • But don’t go overboard: A lot of Luther students go nuts partying in their first year. Just keep yourself under control.
  • Find a tutor: If there’s a subject you’re not doing as well in, the SASC (Student Academic Support Center) has student teachers in almost every subject who are willing to help. Many professors recommend them, especially for general-education requirements where students are less likely to be motivated to learn about a subject they could care less about.
  • If there’s a class you want to get into and you don’t have the pre-requisite, make an appointment to talk to the professor and see if there’s anything they can do.
  • Keep up with the readings: If you get behind, it can be hard to catch up.
  • Notes and assignments are not suggestions: If you don’t take class notes, you can’t do the assignments. If you don’t do the assignments, professors aren’t just going to pass you for showing up.
  • Once you do that, get to know your professors. Schedule meetings with them to talk about your progress or subjects you’re interested in. Many of the professors are eager to discuss ideas with students, and are easily approachable, especially when you have interest in their subject.
  • Once you’re done with schoolwork, relax. Students can sometimes overload themselves with too much work, but taking a break is necessary for good health and a nice experience in college.
  • Shop around for professors by talking to other students or advisors. Course titles are sometimes misleading.
  • Speak up in class: Most classes have participation points, and they won’t reward the person who sits in the back quietly.
  • Work all the time for an A: There are very few “easy” graders at Luther, and some teachers will look for reasons not to give you the best grade possible.
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Inside Scoop at Luther College

smorch

Social Work and Youth Services '12

4.6
A

Safe Community

Luther is in a very safe community which supports the college.There are also very unique stores in town and Luther is also very sustainable and energy efficient.

May 16, 2012

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Inside Scoop at Luther College

Luther101

Psychology '15

3.5
B

Luther Life

SAC (student activities council) is great about bringing events to campus. There are also hundreds of groups to get involved with from student senate to volunteering to ballroom to yoga. Music is a bigger part of life here then many sports, but sports are still part of life. Christmas at Luther is a fantastic musical performance. Go anywhere on campus on the weekend and you are bound to find students having fun in some way, playing in the snow, talking, or playing games like apples to apples. It allows time to play away from studying.

Feb 02, 2012

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Inside Scoop at Luther College

tjosan01

Psychology '13

5.0
A+

Super Friendly

The students are all very open, friendly, and accepting. There is no feeling of cut-throat competitiveness when it comes academics. Everyone is willing to help out.

Oct 09, 2011

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User rating for Luther College - Inside Scoop is 4.6 out of 5 based on 5 user reviews.

Facts

Traditions
  • Christmas at Luther : This four-day, six-performance event is a cornerstone of the music program, particularly for the choirs.
  • Flamingo Ball : A dance that happens over Homecoming, often with a live band and a theme.
  • Nordic Fest : This gathering happens in the summer, and is a great reason for students to travel to Decorah for a reunion between academic years.
Urban Legends
  • “All Luther students are liberal.” – Of course not all Luther students are liberal, and indeed the College Republicans have a strong presence; nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Luther students tend to lean to the left more often than not.
  • “Luther hates Wartburg.”: True in every way.
  • “Luther is a gay school.”: True. Luther does have a larger than normal homosexual population, at least visibly. The campus PRIDE group is very active on campus in promoting tolerance and raising awareness.
  • Luther is thought to have ghosts in both Larsen Hall and in the Regents Center.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
William Morris
Hometown
Wausau, WI
Major
English (with minor in Secondary Education)

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.