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Macalester College
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Macalester College - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Diversity

A-
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 4%
Asian American 8%
Hispanic 4%
International 11%
Native American 1%
White 67%
Unknown 5%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 83%
Common States of Residence
  • California
  • Foreign countries
  • Illinois
  • New York
  • Wisconsin
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 2%
18-19: 48%
20-21: 44%
22-24: 5%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 47%
Male Faculty 53%
Faculty Diversity African American: 2%
Asian American: 10%
Hispanic: 5%
International: 4%
Native American: 1%
White: 79%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Shockingly, Macalester College is one of the most internationally-inclined schools in the state of Minnesota and even in the Midwest. Stepping onto campus and making friends is an instant ticket to a global perspective, since Macalester students hail from 87 different countries and every state in the Union. Many students branch out of their initial comfort zone and end up becoming lifelong friends with people from around the world, with numerous reports of running into other Macalester alumni on their travels after graduation.

With that being said, students won’t feel like they’re going to another country when they get to campus; although the student body creates a mini-global community, Macalester is still firmly rooted in Twin Cities culture. Professors tout the significance of diversity on campus, sometimes placing more emphasis on it than truly necessary. However diverse Macalester may seem, white students do make up the majority of the community. Macalester also prides itself in being one of the most gay-friendly campuses in the nation. With a very prominent, proactive Queer Union and similar organizations in the surrounding community, Macalester has proven itself to be very open and accepting of students of all genders and sexual orientations. This openness has extended to the availability of dorms for students wishing to be in All-Gender Housing, with no divide between coeds living quarters. Overall, Macalester shines as a beacon of diversity in a state that screams white-bread, European ancestry.

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Macalester Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Macalester College

citytostpaul

'14

International Studies

4.6
A

Diversity at Macalester

Diversity at Macalester is contended. While it is true that racial diversity is lacking, geographic diversity is incredible. It has been invaluable to my education to live and work with people from across the country and across the world. Learning about the exotic lifestyles of my peers from Nashville AND Nigeria, Seattle AND Senegal, Florida AND France, has been absolutely amazing. Learning about everyone's education, upbringing, family and culture is so enlightening and fun. Whether seeing cultural dance and music at the MIO showcase or eating ethiopian food at the Club Afrika! annual dinner, there is always an opportunity to learn from your peers at Macalester.

Dec 20, 2011

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Diversity at Macalester College

chickadee22

'15

Foreign Languages and Literatures

4.2
A-

Diversity

Mac always talks about how diverse the student body is. Sometimes, it can seem that everyone's done or been so many unique things that they're practically the same. Focus on each person to discover Mac's diversity, not the statistics.

Dec 18, 2011

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Diversity at Macalester College

ekschulz24

'14

Education

4.2
A-

Win Some, Lose Some.

I'm from a pretty homogeneous hometown, so Macalester is hugely diverse to me! I love the ethnic diversity-- for the first time I've had a chance to work with people of numerous different ethnic backgrounds and countries of origin, and I find it very enriching. Religion is pretty diverse as well, although I'd say most of the campus doesn't claim a religion. There are a number of kids who are very spiritual and people are always willing to discuss ideas. Sexual orientation is diverse and very accepted. Compared to the rest of my life, I think Macalester is made up of a very rich demographic.

Jun 18, 2011

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Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

The gay community is widely accepted on campus. There are many openly homosexual students, and discrimination of any kind is unquestionably taboo.

Political Activity

Macalester students take pride in being politically aware and vocal. The one group that students would be hard-pressed to spot would be the far-right conservatives. Macalester’s political pendulum has swung both left and right in the past, depending on the nation’s political climate; however, it seems that students have leaned toward the left in recent years.

Economic Status

Macalester draws students from a variety of states and countries, so everybody comes from a relatively different economic background. While Macalester is expensive and does bring in a good amount of students from wealthy families, the College has a very generous financial aid policy, which allows for more economic diversity on campus. In fact, 70 percent of Mac students are on some type of financial aid.

Most Common Religions

While there is a multifaith chapel on campus and several religion-based student groups, there is no single popular religion at Macalester.

Minority Clubs on Campus

A number of active minority clubs exist on campus, and if you don't find what you need, you can always start a club of your own.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Macalester

Name: Tatiana Craine

Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN

Major: English with emphasis on Creative Writing

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