You’re In! Congratulations to the Class of 2016!

Congratulations to the admitted Class of 2016! By now, St. Olaf admissions notifications have reached their destinations, and though there are always tough decisions to be made, we are excited about the students we admitted to be future Oles. My colleagues and I love this time of year, as we get to meet the students who are the future of St. Olaf. We look forward to meeting you on campus and during our Admitted Student Days on April 14 and 21; additionally, we’re always available via phone and email to answer questions that arise as you continue narrowing down to your college. The National Reply Date is May 1, so be sure you take all the time you need between now and May 1 to decide.

If you applied for need-based financial aid, the majority of those awards will be mailed by the end of this week. Merit-based scholarship notification occurred with your notice of admission; however, Fine Arts Scholarship awards will be mailed by the end of this week, as well as notification for students who interviewed for the Buntrock Scholarship on March 10. Thank you for your continued patience.

Click the image below to enjoy the “welcome” greeting from some of our students!

Check back to the blog in the coming weeks to hear from current Oles and learn about our Admitted Student Days on April 14 and 21. We look forward to welcoming you to campus to show off the place — and the people — that drive the passion behind the work we do.

– Maggie

Photo of the Week: Outdoor Dining in March

Students dine on Buntrock Plaza (some even played guitar) while weather warmed to mid-60s this week. Shorts, t-shirts, and outdoor activities are here to stay. (Photo by Caroline Wood ’14)

Countdown to Notification: March 15

Today, campus weather hit its warmest yet — it’s currently 61 degrees, and students have shed their winter gear for outdoor wear and frisbee tossing. The plazas and sitting areas not covered with melting snow have livened up with groups of students in t-shirts and shorts reading, talking, and enjoying lunch. What a wonderful preview for full-on spring!

Inside the Admissions Office, the admissions committee works toward finalizing the Class of 2016 as we welcome visitors to campus. I love this time of year, as it is always a thrill to meet (or see again) the students whose applications I read and who will form the next class of Oles. As we answer phone calls and emails, I would like to remind our applicants that we will be notifying students of admission to St. Olaf on the same day, by March 15 at the latest. While some schools have notified based on rolling admission notification dates, St. Olaf reviews applications on a holistic basis to ensure that we form the next class of St. Olaf students in the best way possible. This is why we have a single-notification application process. So, in the next week and a half or so, we continue to thank you for your patience. It won’t be too much longer!

Say hello to two of our Admissions student workers, Mary Claire and Sam. The one in shorts was especially excited about the balmy weather on campus today.

– Maggie

 

Only at St. Olaf!

Yesterday’s early spring snow and rain gave way to a few small ponds on the campus green today… so first-year students Michael Mayer ’15, Brian Craig ’15, and David Brendan Johnson’15 got creative and turned it into a beach party. Featured first on the college’s Facebook page, It was even caught by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s “Campus Connect” blog.

Photo by Thomas Dunning '15

 

– Maggie

 

Interim Chronicles: Healthcare in Peru

Part two of a series on Interim stories. Junior Aakriti Mehra shares what she learned – and a few photos – during her experience in Peru over January.

For three weeks in January, I was able to journey through the amazing country of Peru. The purpose of the program was to be a service-oriented healthcare opportunity for students. We spent the first week of January on campus learning about global health and disease, current healthcare issues in the United States, and Peruvian healthcare issues. When we departed campus, our first stop was Cusco, Peru, at a boys orphanage.  We were all placed in in different task groups – some people would be dental assistants, working the pharmacy, shadowing doctors, registering people, etc. My partner and I were assigned to “education” the very first day, where we were to teach the children proper toothbrushing techniques.

Aakriti and friend

I would have to say, I fell in love with children on day one (and I never thought I would be saying that!) and I also learned how strongly I feel about preventative care when it comes to medicine. Each day was such an adventure for me – meeting new people, learning how medical professionals communicated with their patients and experiencing the sheer beauty of Peru with an awesome group of Oles.

Hanging out at a llama farm

Traveling around to different parts of the country showed me the incredible diversity that is present in the country, but it also highlighted the problems that Peru is having in terms of people accessing healthcare. One of the most challenging experiences for me was during our last week in Arequipa when we shadowed a social worker named Maria to various parts of a barrio (community). We visited a few families at their homes, and some of the living conditions/familial situations that were presented were truly heartbreaking. I had conflicting emotions at this point, mostly because the families were so willing to let us into their lives and give us so much love even though they had such limited material resources. I have such admiration for the people of Peru; they are truly such welcoming and giving people. Through all of these experiences, it’s difficult to pick out one day that was my “favorite” because each day was so unique and valuable in its own way. I can say this, however, I will be returning to Peru in the very near future.

Aakriti and classmate with their dental health education props

– Aakriti Mehra ’13

Snapshot: Early Spring Sunrise

Current Ole Nura Younes ’13 captured the morning sun as it made its way to the Hill this morning. The light snow covering will more than likely give way to mid-40s temperatures by the end of the day. Spring must be coming!

– Maggie

Interim Chronicles: Spanish in Ecuador

Part one of a series of stories from Interim 2012. David Hastings ’14 shares his experiences in Ecuador as a first study-abroad experience.

As a sophomore here at St. Olaf, my trip to Ecuador for Spanish 233 was my first study abroad experience, and it certainly did not disappoint.  My group of 22 (10 guys and 12 girls) arrived in Ecuador on January 2nd and departed on the night of January 27th.  Our home base was Quito, nestled in the Andes at about 10,000 feet, where we were placed with host families to stay with for the month.  Everybody was in their own home, and personally I absolutely loved this experience.  Although it was a bit nerve-wracking initially, I quickly became comfortable with my host grandparents and the entire extended family.  Not only did my Spanish improve leaps and bounds (nobody in my family really spoke English, so I was forced to communicate with Spanish), but I created awesome relationships with people whom I would have never met without this experience.

Ellie Anderson ('15), Hope Sexton ('14), David Hastings ('14), and Steph VanDyke ('14) visiting with schoolchildren in the Valley of Chota, Ecuador. (photo courtesy David Hastings)

Every day we were in Quito, we would attend class at the Andean Study Center, a school in the Mariscal District of Quito that St. Olaf has been affiliated with for years. Between 8 a.m. and about noon each day, we would have class with Professor Kris Cropsey, have a half hour for break, meet with our “conversation groups” led by a native Ecuadorian professor, and reconvene again for class with Prof. Cropsey. After class we would return home to lunch with our families, and depending on the day, we would either hang around at home for the night or meet up somewhere in the city to go out for dinner (and occasionally karaoke).

Every weekend, we had an excursion planned outside of Quito.  Our first weekend we traveled to Otavlalo, an indigenous community about two hours outside of the city, where we had the opportunity to spend two nights with an indigenous family to learn about their unique way of life and community.  We were given tours of their gardens (eating passion fruit directly off the vine as we walked along), attended mass with the entire community, made fresh bread, and visited the largest artisan’s market in the world, where we walked through mazes of scarves, bracelets, bags, fresh food, and just about anything hand-made you could imagine.  This weekend excursion was my favorite of the three, because we were truly immersed in a culture completely different than that of our families in Quito and in the United States.  Although our visit was brief, I really felt close with my family when we left, and would have loved to spend more time getting to know them and their way of life better.

The next two weekends were our more adventurous weekends.  The second excursion was to Santa Lucia, a lodge located at the top of a mountain in the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest that is accessible only by way of 3 hour hike up a muddy, steep mountain.  Once at the top though, the hike was worth it.  We were able to hike through the rainforest, aid in the process of making sugar (from cane to grain), and spent time with an international community who has dedicated their lives to conserving and preserving the amazing environment that surrounds them.  The third weekend we bussed 5+ hours to the outskirts of the Ecuadorian Amazon, where we stayed at a lodge owned and operated by an indigenous clan.  While at Iyarina we swam in an Amazonian tributary, visited a town for the sole purpose of getting ice cream and seeing the wild monkeys that roam the area, and were witness to a traditional shaman ceremony in the middle of the night.  Once again, both of these weekends contained incredible experiences that truly immersed us in diverse cultures and environments, and provided us all with an understanding and appreciation for cultures so very different from our own.

The entire group after helping an indigenous community clear debris and plant yucca plant for the upcoming season (note the machetes!) (Photo courtesy David Hastings)

Of course, there are difficulties that come along with visiting a developing country like Ecuador.  In Quito, you really need to be on your toes and smart about how you carry yourself (which was not a problem for anybody from St. Olaf), and many conveniences that we are accustomed to at home are scarce (think constant hot water for showers, goldfish, etc).  By the end of the month, however, you hardly even think about your less-than-warm shower, or your cravings for American food, because the experiences that you gain on a trip like this one are worth possibly not being 100% comfortable with every aspect of your environment for a month.  Because, after all, it is only one month of your life, and it truly is amazing the quantity of experiences and realizations that come packed in such a short month.  I learned things on this trip that I will likely carry with me for the rest of my life, and on top of that, I have a complete family that I can now call my own in another hemisphere, which is pretty cool too.

Drew Eid ('12), Steph VanDyke ('14), Henry Raether ('15), Andy Peterson ('14), Ellie Anderson ('15), Eric King ('14), Emily Kvasnicka ('15), David Hastings ('14), Sara Ryan ('13), Tom Freeman ('14), Casey Boudlin ('15), and Katie Hanson ('14) at 14,000 feet overlooking the city of Quito. (Photo courtesy David Hastings)

 

– David Hastings ’14

You Applied: Now What?

It’s January 15. You hit “submit” on your application, happy to finally be finished after writing, editing, soliciting recommendations from teachers, and figuring out exactly what an interim course entails. Then… what happens?

It comes to us. For the past few weeks or so, we in the admissions office have spent quality time with each application we receive. Each officer is assigned a specific geographic “territory,” and within that territory, we read students’ applications first. This is the first look we have at a student’s writing, teacher recommendations, and high school performance. Many times, we have already met you in person, or emailed back and forth, so finally reading your application is especially fun. Personally, I love reading well-written essays from the Common Application and the St. Olaf Supplement. I’m always amazed by what intelligence and creativity is demonstrated.

After your application is first-read, it is passed to a second reader, and then considered by the scholarship and admissions committees. We put a lot of work into reviewing each student’s application holistically. We also understand that our office doesn’t operate like some others; there are colleges and universities who are on a rolling admission basis, and you may already have a few letters of admission. However, as St. Olaf is single-notification, we will notify all of our Regular Decision applicants on the same day, around March 15. Early Decision 2 students will be notified earlier, at least by February 15.

While you wait, continue your research! Schedule a visit to St. Olaf — we’ll arrange an overnight, classroom visits, and meetings with professors if you desire. Connect with other 2016 Oles on the Facebook page. Be in touch with your admissions officer with updates and questions. We are excited to get to know you even better. If you are interested in applying for financial aid, be sure to complete the required forms by their respective deadlines.

On campus, students are wrapping up their first week of second semester classes. I always like this week, because students return re-energized from their Interim courses, with new perspectives and stories. So, this coming week, I’ll share some guest posts from students excited to share their Interim experiences. I’ve enjoyed reading about their experiences — and seeing some awesome photos — and look forward to sharing with you.

– Maggie

Interim: One Month, Multiple Options

As authentic January weather finally kicks in, St. Olaf students round the corner to prepare for the last week of Interim. Chilly temperatures are just what students need to focus on their finals for Interim; following finals, Interim Break brings a week of optional travel, post-study abroad re-entry adjustment, or preparation for what is usually an eventful second semester. Our office is still open, as the admissions staff balances application reading with visiting prospective students.

Interim offers many possibilities for students on and off campus. To give you an idea, I asked our Registrar, Mary Cisar, for some statistics for this year’s Interim. Here are a few numbers:

* 2,156 students enrolled in classes on-campus (such as “The Age of Goethe” or “Politics of Human Rights”)
* 120 students in off-campus domestic courses with St. Olaf faculty (like “Art in Manhattan” or “Multicultural Education in Hawaii”)
* 459 students in off-campus international courses with St. Olaf faculty (for example, “Medical Care in Peru” or “Classical Studies in Greece”)
* 57 students in off-campus domestic and international programs not with St. Olaf faculty (such as “Development and Community in Bangladesh” [a HECUA program] or “Engineering 380: Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Circuits” at Washington University)
* 58 students in independent study or independent research (on the evolution of church music or the continuation of a science research project through the Behrents Family Endowment)
* 80 students involved with internships (such as a media studies internship at 101.3 KDWB in Minneapolis, or a Ken Olsen Grant through the Sociology/Anthropology department)

Though study abroad and off-campus during Interim is very popular — and will be profiled on this blog in an upcoming post — there is still a ton to do on-campus. Students’ class time is two to four hours a day; homework assigned accordingly. There are also a ton of activities planned by student organizations and the Student Activities Committee, such as:

*Mini Golf in the library
*Grocery Bag Bingo
*Korean Pop Dance in the Lion’s Pause
*Second City Improv Troupe with student involvement (The comedic troupe where Amy Poehler, Steve Carell, and Tina Fey all started)
*Music Mayhem (Battle of the Bands)
*After Dark Committee Dance
*Intramural Competitive and Non-Competitive Broomball
*Ice Skating at the Depot in Minneapolis
*Showings of the movies 50/50, I Don’t Know How She Does It, and Moneyball.

For students who just submitted their St. Olaf application, the term “Interim” may still be fresh in their minds — the St. Olaf Supplement to the Common Application essay prompts students to design their own interdisciplinary Interim course, based on their interests and goals. To the excited student, it sounds too good to be true: design a class about any subject, or subject combination, and determine where it would take place. As I have already read a number of applications, I can say this: our future 2016 Oles are excited, well-rounded, and utterly creative. Next January, between classes and homework sessions, it could be you on a winning mini-golf team or onstage with a world-renowned improv group.

If you want to keep up on the last month — and last semester — of activities at St. Olaf, check out the After-Dark Committee and goings-on in The Lion’s Pause on Facebook; while you’re at it, “Like” the Class of 2016 page to keep updated!

– Maggie

Happy Birthday, Blog!

A year ago today, the St. Olaf Office of Admissions launched itself into the online world of blogging. As the main writer for the blog, it has been a great year! Professionally, I have enjoyed the chance to connect with more students and colleagues about life on campus and within their work; additionally, I’ve noticed a lot more intricacies about daily life at St. Olaf that prompt me to share online. Hopefully, the blog has shed light on life at St. Olaf — and in the admissions world — that has been helpful to our readers. Now that it has been around for one year, it is time to see what else we can add and what other information we can provide.

Our friends at WordPress provided a New Year’s report on the blog; from it, I learned some interesting facts:

* Our busiest day of reader visits was March 14, 2011 with the post “48 Days!”

* The blog was viewed about 17,000 times; or, as the report put it, enough times to fill Sydney Opera House for six sold-out performances.

* Not surprisingly, the most readers came from the United States; however, it was followed by closely by readers in India and the United Kingdom.

* The blog posts that yielded the most traffic related to student life and deadline-oriented questions regarding the application process. That makes sense!

The last bullet point brings me to my hopes for the next year of this blog. Today is the application deadline for the majority of our applicants seeking admission for the fall of 2012. High school seniors: once you hit “submit,” you become an applicant. You officially declare your hope for admission to St. Olaf College. From now until May 1, this is the time to continue your research — visit campus for the first time (or again); do an overnight; interview with an admissions officer. We understand the factors that contribute to the big decision, and want this blog to be a valuable resource. From now until our notification date of March 15 and on until the National Candidate Reply Date of May 1, we’ll work to provide perspectives, stories, and facts to further educate you about this college and its people.

Thank you for reading! Here’s to another great year in the blogosphere.

– Maggie