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Macalester College
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Inside Scoop

Quick Stats

School Slang
  • The LenCen: Leonard Center
  • The Nard: Leonard Center
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
  • International students don't get scholarships to go abroad unless their major requires it.
  • It's easy to fall into a routine; be sure to mix up your academic pursuits and social life as much as possible.
  • Minnesota weather can get extremely cold.
  • Minnesota weather can get extremely hot.
  • People are friendly here.
  • Professors like it when you talk to them outside of class.
  • Subjective professorship happens, so be prepared to be up-front and honest with faculty members for the best possible classroom experience.
  • The parties are inclusive.
  • The reality of Midwestern living isn't similar to anything you'd see in a big, metropolitan area like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago.
  • The school is small; you’re going to start recognizing people quickly.
  • The tuition usually gets hiked between 4 and 7 percent each year, so that educational price tag will go up each year.
  • The walls are paper-thin in the dorms. Don’t say anything bad about your neighbors and be considerate about noise-levels when partying or hooking up!
  • Throw away any cutthroat, grade-grubbing tendencies you developed in high school.
  • You probably won’t end up joining all of those student organizations you signed up for during orientation.
Tips to Succeed
  • Be open-minded and try not to be just another total idealist or staunch conservative.
  • Be prepared to work hard and be prepared to have to turn down a few party invites in favor of that term paper that's due tomorrow at noon. There will always be more parties, but fewer opportunities to hand in late assignments.
  • Be sure to hand in assignments on time.
  • Branch out of your normal social circle—there are so many people worth knowing on and around campus!
  • Commit seriously to no more than two to four student organizations.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask a professor for help.
  • Don’t be afraid to join a discussion or speak up in class.
  • Don’t have such a good time at Mac that you forget to do your homework.
  • Go to the labs.
  • Go to the Macalester Academic Excellence (MAX) Center for help with academics.
  • If the class you want is full or requires a prerequisite that you don’t have, talk to the professor before giving up.
  • Keep up with the reading.
  • Parties aren't the only way to let loose and have fun.
  • Study abroad—no matter what!
  • Take advantage of all that the Twin Cities have to offer; most people don't and end up missing out on incredible experiences!
  • Take notes.
  • Talk to students who have already taken the classes you’re in.
  • Try to get ahead of classwork as early as possible; it will help in the long run—promise.
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Macalester Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Inside Scoop at Macalester College

macalestergirl

'12

Psychology

4.6
A

Unique at Macalester

One unique thing is that Macalester doesn't have Greek life. While the athletes might be the next closest thing, most everyone is down to earth and really has a work hard play hard philosophy. Internationalism is something that's also really stressed here. We fly the U.N. flag and have international flags in the campus cafeteria. What I like best is that there really isn't a "typical" Macalester student. We are all curious about the world and eager to learn but everyone's interests, personalities, styles, and backgrounds are so different that you could never be bored with the people you meet here.

Apr 19, 2011

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Inside Scoop at Macalester College

iambatman

'11

International Studies

4.2
A-

Sometimes You Gotta Deal With Hipsters

I've definitely enjoyed my time at Macalester, socially and academically, but man, sometimes the dynamics of 2,000 socially conscious, self-reflexive nerds can be a little much. To quote a friend of mine, "If it were impossible to compliment yourself through a seemingly self-deprecating statement, Macalester students would lose like 50% of their means of communication." Not saying I don't love it, but it's a thing you have to get used to. Also, self-righteous hipsters. But seriously, these are my only complaints.

Apr 19, 2011

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Inside Scoop at Macalester College

ewestras

'13

Hispanic American Studies

4.6
A

Community Like None Other

Mac is the perfect size--you can be anonymous if you really want, but you can also be a well-known person on campus without that much effort. It's so empowering to walk around campus and constantly have people saying hi, and running into professors and students you know. It makes it hard to feel isolated and alone when you know you have a community that respects you and knows who you are as a person.

Apr 07, 2011

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Facts

Traditions
  • Bagpipes: If you live on campus, you’re bound to startle from sleep one early morning to the sound of bagpipes. You know there’s a special occasion at Macalester when you hear the unmistakable sound of the bagpipes playing. Macalester’s Scottish heritage is made all too apparent when you look outside and see the kilted bagpipe players themselves.
  • Christmas Candlelight Service: Every year during the holiday season, students, faculty, staff, and members of the Mac-Groveland community gather in the chapel for a night of special readings, carols, and seasonal music. Holiday treats are served at the end of the service.
  • Founders Day: Founders Day is a community-wide celebration of the anniversary of when the College was founded.
  • Nudity: Although there is no official tradition involving nudity, Macalester students tend to streak. The Primal Scream, for example, takes place during finals week. Be careful about joining in on this unofficial tradition, however; Macalester's administration has been taking disciplinary action against streakers.
  • Opening Convocation: This beautiful ceremony that takes place before classes every fall features a display of flags from the many countries that Macalester students represent. This is a great welcome to college for first-year students.
  • Queer Cabaret: Queer Cabaret is an event thrown by the Queer Union.
  • Sophomore Fiesta: At the beginning of the school year, sophomores are invited to attend a feast in the Smail Gallery. Live music and great catered food from local Mexican restaurants make this a good opportunity to socialize, learn who’s actually in your class, and grab a delicious, free meal.
  • Spring Fest: Every year in April, students gather on the spacious and grassy Shaw Field for a day of concerts and relaxation. Aside from great local and national acts that play Spring Fest, special features include a Beer Garden for students 21-and-up, a moonwalk, and other carnival attractions.
Urban Legends
  • A short-lived fight club was started in Dupre Hall, only to be thwarted by "The Man" (Macalester College Security).
  • An actor on the show "ALF" is an alumnus of Macalester.
  • Bob Mould, guitarist/vocalist of the band Hüsker Dü, tried to hang himself in the basement of Bigelow Hall.
  • Dupre Hall was built to withstand both hurricanes and riots.
  • Macalester’s football team once held the title of "worst college football team" in the nation.
  • Playboy Magazine listed Macalester as one of the least attractive colleges in the country.
  • The single rooms in Dupre are smaller than juvenile detention cells.
Did You Know? Some of the famed alumni/attendees of Macalester College include: Kofi Annan (Nobel Peace Prize winner), Charles Baxter (author), Julie Benz (actress), Peter Berg (actor/director/producer), Ari Emanuel (Hollywood agent), Walter Mondale (former Vice President of the United States), Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü rocker), Tim O'Brien (author), and DeWitt Wallace (founder of Reader's Digest).

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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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