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Macalester College campus

Macalester College

https://www.macalester.edu ↗

Small Classes and City Connections, But Culture Concerns

Macalester College presents critical mismatches across multiple priority areas. While it excels in small class sizes (10:1 ratio, 17 avg cla...

58.00
out of 100
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
POOR FIT

AI Recommendation

Macalester College presents critical mismatches across multiple priority areas. While it excels in small class sizes (10:1 ratio, 17 avg class size) and academic support that the student needs, it fundamentally fails to deliver on core requirements. The absence of business/marketing majors eliminates the student's primary academic interest - only Economics is available. The school has virtually no traditional school spirit (Division III with minimal attendance, no football), directly opposing the student's desire for strong school spirit. There is no competitive dance team, only casual student clubs. Most critically, Minnesota's brutal winters (5+ months of cold, Nov-March) severely contradict the student's love of sunshine. The social scene is activism/intellectual-focused rather than traditional spirit-based. With a total score of 58/100, this represents a poor fit despite excellent academics and urban location with nature access.

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Performance vs. Average College

Academic
31.0 +1.0
Avg: 30.0 78% of max
Culture
14.0 -8.0
Avg: 22.0 47% of max
Environment
11.0 -4.0
Avg: 15.0 55% of max
Special
2.0 -6.0
Avg: 8.0 20% of max
This College
Average

Score Breakdown

Academic Profile
31.0 /40 (78%)
Critical mismatch: NO business or marketing majors offered - only Economics available, which is fundamentally different from the student's primary interests. Psychology program is strong and well-ranked among liberal arts colleges. Pre-law advising is solid with high law school acceptance rates. However, pre-physical therapy has no specific track and would require self-directed Biology major planning. Only 1 of 5 academic interests (psychology) is well-served.
Program Strength
3.0 /10
Critical mismatch: NO business or marketing majors offered - only Economics available, which is fundamentally different from the student's primary interests. Psychology program is strong and well-ranked among liberal arts colleges. Pre-law advising is solid with high law school acceptance rates. However, pre-physical therapy has no specific track and would require self-directed Biology major planning. Only 1 of 5 academic interests (psychology) is well-served.
Student Faculty
10.0 /10
Exceptional 10:1 student-faculty ratio with 17 student average class size. 70% of classes have fewer than 20 students. Discussion-based seminar style with highly interactive teaching perfectly matches student's need for teacher support and smaller classes. This is ideal for students requiring academic support.
Applied Learning
9.0 /10
Outstanding internship opportunities with 80%+ students completing at least one internship. Strong Twin Cities corporate connections (Target, 3M, General Mills, UnitedHealth, Best Buy). Semester-long internship programs available with funding for unpaid positions. However, internships would be limited to non-business fields given lack of business major.
Career Prep
9.0 /10
Excellent 94% employment/graduate school placement within 6 months. Strong Career Development Center with individual counseling, alumni mentoring network, career treks, and on-campus recruiting. Active alumni network of 24,000+. Strong support for fellowship applications and graduate school advising.
Campus Culture
14.0 /30 (47%)
MAJOR MISMATCH: Division III athletics with minimal game attendance, no football team, and very low traditional 'rah-rah' school spirit. School pride centers on academics and social justice rather than sports/athletics. This is the opposite of student's desire for 'strong school spirit.' No traditional spirit culture whatsoever.
School Spirit
2.0 /10
MAJOR MISMATCH: Division III athletics with minimal game attendance, no football team, and very low traditional 'rah-rah' school spirit. School pride centers on academics and social justice rather than sports/athletics. This is the opposite of student's desire for 'strong school spirit.' No traditional spirit culture whatsoever.
Social Scene
7.0 /10
Active campus on weekends with 94% retention rate indicating students stay engaged. Strong residential community with numerous student organization events. However, social scene is non-traditional - focused on cultural events, speakers, activism rather than traditional parties/sports. Very liberal/progressive political climate may lack ideological diversity. Active but not the traditional social scene student may expect.
Greek Life
5.0 /10
0% Greek life - none exists. Student profile suggests wanting active social scene but not necessarily Greek life dependent. Neutral score as absence isn't necessarily negative, but eliminates one traditional social structure. Social life centers on residential life and student organizations instead.
Location & Environment
11.0 /20 (55%)
Excellent urban location in St. Paul with access to Twin Cities metro (3.6M people). Walkable neighborhood with coffee shops and restaurants. Outstanding public transit with free student passes, Green Line light rail access. MSP airport only 15-20 minutes away. Excellent nature access: Mississippi River gorge nearby, Chain of Lakes 15 min away, Como Park adjacent, 10,000+ lakes in Minnesota, extensive bike trails. Perfectly matches urban + nature preferences.
Location
9.0 /10
Excellent urban location in St. Paul with access to Twin Cities metro (3.6M people). Walkable neighborhood with coffee shops and restaurants. Outstanding public transit with free student passes, Green Line light rail access. MSP airport only 15-20 minutes away. Excellent nature access: Mississippi River gorge nearby, Chain of Lakes 15 min away, Como Park adjacent, 10,000+ lakes in Minnesota, extensive bike trails. Perfectly matches urban + nature preferences.
Climate
2.0 /10
SEVERE MISMATCH: Student 'loves sunshine' but Minnesota has harsh, long winters (Nov-March) with average January temp of 16°F. Only approximately 200 sunny days per year. While there's excellent nature access, outdoor activities are severely limited 5+ months due to extreme cold. Only truly warm/sunny May-September. This directly contradicts student's sunshine preference.
Special Requirements
2.0 /10 (20%)
NO traditional competitive dance team or spirit squad. Only Mac Divas student club (non-competitive) and Hip Hop Dance Club exist as casual student organizations. Division III means no athletic dance team for games. This fails to meet student's specific interest in walk-on dance team opportunities. Only recreational/club options available, not the competitive team experience desired.
Dance Team
2.0 /10
NO traditional competitive dance team or spirit squad. Only Mac Divas student club (non-competitive) and Hip Hop Dance Club exist as casual student organizations. Division III means no athletic dance team for games. This fails to meet student's specific interest in walk-on dance team opportunities. Only recreational/club options available, not the competitive team experience desired.

Top Strengths 6

  • 1 Outstanding 10:1 student-faculty ratio with 17 student average class size - perfect for needed academic support
  • 2 Excellent urban location with outstanding nature access (Mississippi River, Chain of Lakes, 10,000+ lakes) and public transit
  • 3 Strong internship opportunities (80%+ participation) with major Twin Cities corporate connections
  • 4 Exceptional career placement rate (94% within 6 months) and comprehensive career services
  • 5 Strong psychology program and pre-law advising align with some student interests
  • 6 Active residential campus (94% retention) - definitely not a commuter school

Things to Consider 7

  • 1 CRITICAL: No business or marketing majors offered - only Economics available, eliminating primary academic interest
  • 2 CRITICAL: No competitive dance team - only casual student clubs (Mac Divas, Hip Hop), not walk-on team opportunities
  • 3 CRITICAL: Minimal traditional school spirit - Division III with very low game attendance, no football, pride centers on academics/activism not sports
  • 4 CRITICAL: Harsh Minnesota winters (Nov-March, 16°F average in January) severely mismatched with 'loves sunshine' preference
  • 5 No pre-physical therapy track - would require self-directed Biology major planning
  • 6 Very liberal political climate with limited ideological diversity
  • 7 Social scene focused on activism/cultural events rather than traditional spirit/sports activities

Detailed Research

Internships

Strong internship programs through Career Development Center, extensive Twin Cities connections, 80%+ students complete at least one internship, semester-long internship programs available

Avg Class Size

17 students average, 70% of classes under 20 students

Teaching Style

Discussion-based seminar style, emphasis on collaborative learning and critical thinking, minimal large lectures, highly interactive

Academic Support

Comprehensive support: Writing Center, Quantitative Resource Center, Academic Excellence Peer tutoring, faculty office hours strongly encouraged, MAX Center for academic support

Career Placement

94% of graduates employed or in graduate school within 6 months

Program Rankings

  • Strong pre-law advising, high law school acceptance rate, no formal pre-law major
  • No business major offered - Economics major available but not business/marketing
  • Not offered as a major
  • Strong program, consistently ranked among top liberal arts colleges for psychology
  • No specific pre-PT track, would need Biology major with self-directed PT prerequisites

Student Faculty Ratio

10:1

Greek Life

0% - No Greek life whatsoever

Social Scene

Very active but non-traditional - focused on cultural events, speakers, activism, student org activities rather than parties; social life centers on residential life and Twin Cities exploration

School Spirit

LOW traditional school spirit - Division III athletics with minimal game attendance, no football team, limited traditional rah-rah culture, school pride centers on academics and social justice rather than sports

Retention Rate

94% freshman retention rate

Graduation Rate

87% six-year graduation rate

Weekend Activity

Active campus on weekends, students typically stay on campus, strong residential community, numerous student organization events, access to Minneapolis/St. Paul activities

Political Climate

Very liberal/progressive - one of the most politically liberal colleges in the US, strong social justice and activism focus, limited ideological diversity

Setting

Urban residential - located in St. Paul's Macalester-Groveland neighborhood, residential area with easy access to both downtowns

Sunny Days

Approximately 200 sunny days per year, BUT very cold winters (average Jan temp 16°F), Minnesota winters are long and harsh (Nov-March)

Nature Access

Excellent - Mississippi River gorge nearby, extensive Minneapolis park system (Chain of Lakes 15 min away), Como Park adjacent, Minnesota has 10,000+ lakes within driving distance, extensive bike trails

Transportation

Excellent public transit - Metro Transit bus lines on campus, Green Line light rail accessible, free transit pass for students, bike-friendly city, Zipcar available

Nearest Airport

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) - 8 miles, 15-20 minutes

Surrounding Area

Twin Cities metro (3.6M people) - vibrant arts scene, professional sports, diverse dining, music venues, theaters; St. Paul campus location offers walkable neighborhood with coffee shops and restaurants

Dance Team

NO traditional dance team. Mac Divas dance team exists as student club (not competitive), Hip Hop Dance Club, various cultural dance groups, NO pom/spirit squad. Division III - no athletic dance team or cheer squad for games

Recreation

Leonard Center Athletic Complex - fitness center, pool, indoor track, courts, climbing wall, group fitness classes, intramural sports (broomball, soccer, basketball, volleyball), outdoor recreation trips program

Food Quality

Above average - Café Mac dining hall with diverse options, emphasis on local/sustainable food, vegetarian/vegan options, late-night café, generally positive student reviews

Campus Beauty

Attractive traditional campus - 53 acres, tree-lined quads, mix of historic and modern buildings, well-maintained grounds, compact and walkable, beautiful in fall, less appealing in long winters

Housing Quality

Good to very good - guaranteed housing all 4 years, mix of traditional dorms and apartments, newer residence halls well-maintained, older dorms more basic, most have A/C, strong residential life programs

Dance Team Contact

Student Organizations Office: stuorg@macalester.edu, 651-696-6220 for student club information

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Data Quality & Confidence

Confidence Level
HIGH 88/100
Last Updated
Oct 25, 2025
1 week ago
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