Academics

Macalester is definitely not for you if you don't enjoy schoolwork. As a student, be prepared to read and write TONS. It isn't bad, though. Professors are very willing to work with you if you're having trouble and they genuinely want you to succeed. Also, even if you come in thinking you have a pretty well established set of opinions, expect to have them constantly questioned. Mac prepares you to think about things from every angle and constantly re-evaluate yourself. There is a meme for Mac that says Life used to make sense; now everything is a social construct, and it is very true, but it is a really fantastic academic environment there! Everyone is very passionate about what they are doing and Mac students are generally strong advocates for social justice issues. Mac definitely prepares you for the world, not just for more school.

Classes are challenging but not impossible. The amount of reading varies dramatically depending on the class, but Macalester has a lot of classes on very interesting topics. Go to the school's website and look at classes on the academic page to get a taste of the kinds of things Macalester students study.

seems like it has great undergrad studies!