Login Register

Macalester College
- Local Atmosphere

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Listings
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
Macalester College - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Local Atmosphere

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

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis was cited as one of the 10 most visited art museums in the country, and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden located right outside the museum is the largest urban sculpture garden in the country.
  2. Minneapolis was named the "Funnest U.S. City" in a Money magazine feature by game maker, Cranium, Inc. Minnesotans weren't surprised when they read some of the reasons for the high ranking, among them being the large number of theaters in Minneapolis. In fact, Minneapolis ranks second only to New York City in the total number of live theater seats per capita, the number of theaters in the area, and the number of symphony concerts per year. The Twin Cities are also home to numerous outdoor parks, and Minneapolis has more golfers per capita than any other city in the country. In addition, with over 10,000 lakes in the state, Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline—more than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined.
  3. The Mall of America is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the country. The Mall covers 4.2 million square feet and holds more than 400 stores inside. Moreover, avid shoppers will be happy to hear that, in the spirit of convenience, there is no sales tax on clothing in Minnesota.
  4. Masking and scotch tape, Cream of Wheat cereal, Wheaties cereal, Bisquick pancake mix, Aveda beauty products, Green Giant vegetables, and HMOs were
  5. all invented in Minnesota.
  6. Minnesotans love entertainment! Thirty-nine major motion pictures have been filmed or produced in Minnesota since 1990, including Mighty Ducks and Mighty Ducks II, Fargo, Grumpy Old Men, Grumpier Old Men, and Feeling Minnesota. In addition, the climate-controlled Metrodome is the only facility in the country to host a Super Bowl, a World Series, and a NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship.
Notable Natives
  • Bob Dylan – singer/songwriter
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald – author "The Great Gatsby"
  • Joel and Ethan Coen – filmmakers "No Country for Old Men," "Fargo," many others
  • Josh Hartnett – actor
  • Prince – rock musician
Points of Interest
  • “Eat Street” on Nicollet
  • Chain of Lakes
  • Dinkytown
  • Guthrie Theater
  • Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
  • Science Museum of Minnesota
  • Wabasha Street Caves
  • Walker Art Center

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Dorm life for students at Macalester can provide some of the best views of the surrounding neighborhood and campus. On one side, residents can admire the famed, historic Summit Avenue, often named by local publications as one of the best streets in the Metro area. Also convenient for dorm residents and those living in close proximity to campus are the wide variety of shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and coffee shops littering Grand Avenue within walking distance from campus. Students soon realize that all of these businesses close to campus have become packed—and ultimately pseudo-appropriated—as quintessential Mac hangout spots. Farther north and south on Snelling Avenue, students can also find an assortment of vintage boutiques, bars, and diners that are still frequented by plenty of Mac students, but far less so than the ones on Grand Avenue.

However convenient the “Macalester Bubble” may seem with all of its entertainment, studying, and munchie-satiating value, there’s a whole world outside of the Mac-Groveland community that offers amazing sights and experiences for those adventurous enough to explore. Though it might not appear so at first, the Twin Cities area has so much to offer in terms of internationalism, culture, and entertainment—all you have to do is step out of the bubble and find it.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Macalester Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Local Atmosphere at Macalester College

chickadee22

Foreign Languages and Literatures '15

3.8
B+

In St. Paul -- but Not the City

Don't be misled by its website. It's residential St. Paul. Almost everything within walking distance closes at 10pm. Grand Avenue has quite a few unique shops though, and it's not too hard to get off campus.

Dec 18, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Macalester College

dontkidakidder

Political Science and Government '13

4.6
A

Comfortable, Quaint Neighborhood

The Mac-Groveland neighborhood is in a great spot. The immediate surrounding area is very residential with some great independent restaurants, tea/coffee shops, and stores. A few more blocks away you have even more of a selection of shopping and eating. A mall (Rosedale) isn't that long of a bus/car ride away. You're pretty evenly situated between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis (although taking public transit to Minneapolis can be a pain - with a car it can be less than a 15 min commute.) You kind of get the best of both worlds since you're in a very safe residential neighborhood, but have the benefits of a mid-sized city (good restaurants, lots of internship opportunities, nightlife, plays, shopping) in close reach.

Apr 20, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Macalester College

trotskysoup

Neuroscience '14

3.8
B+

Mad Underrated

Crazy awesome music scene, lots of neat culture (art and theatre all over the place), I don't shop but that seems fine too, lakes and **** everywhere. Cons are that it can be hard to "get into things" in the Twin Cities since there isn't much go-to well-known stuff. Downsides: public transportation is not the best it could be, the cold, and the deadness of downtown at certain times.

Apr 19, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 6
User rating for Macalester College - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 17 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Calhoun Square
  • Mall of America
  • Nicollet Mall
  • Roseville Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: NBA
  • Minnesota Twins: MLB
  • Minnesota Vikings: NFL
  • Minnesota Wild: NHL
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities Minneapolis: : 15 minutes

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

AMC Rosedale 14
850 Rosedale Center
Roseville
(888) 262-4386

Mann Grandview 2 Theatre
1830 Grand Ave.
St. Paul
(651) 698-3344

Riverview Theater
3800 42nd Ave. S
Minneapolis
(612) 729-7369

Science Museum of MN
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
(651) 221-9444

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Tatiana Craine
Hometown
Eden Prairie, MN
Major
English with emphasis on Creative Writing

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.

Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Search College Prowler

Company

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.