The Prepared Student

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School Spotlight: Macalester College

There are many great colleges and universities located throughout Minnesota. We’re highlighting some awesome local colleges and universities that we think high school students should know about as they begin their college search and what exactly makes these schools so great. Today, we’re taking a closer look at classes and life at the Macalester College.

Macalester College

Key Statistics:

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota

Year Founded: 1874

Mascot: Scots

Undergraduate Enrollment: 2174

Number of Undergraduate Degree Programs: 39 majors

Average ACT Score of Student Body: 30


School History

Macalester was founded in 1874 by Edward Duffield Neill and Charles Macalester. They planned a college that would be Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian, which was a differentiator for the college at the time. With funding from the Presbyterian Church and a Board of Trustees, Macalester opened in 1885 with just 5 professors and fewer than 60 students.

Throughout the 1900s, Macalester grew and expanded, adding buildings to the small St. Paul campus. During this time, Macalester dedicated itself to liberal arts education and increasing internationalism and global education.

Today, Macalester is renowned for internationalism and liberal arts education. Throughout its history, Mac has remained true to five traditional and distinguishing values: involvement of students with faculty in the pursuit of learning; creation of a diverse campus community; incorporation of an international perspective in the curriculum and campus life; involvement of the College in the life of the metropolitan area; and espousal of service as a way of life.

Key Specializations

Macalester offers over 800 courses with 39 major specialization options. Here are the most popular majors at Macalester:

Student Life

Macalester College is a small, tight-knit community. Yet, there are many ways for students to become immersed in this community. Here are some quick statistics about how students get involved at Mac:

  • There are 99 established student organizations for students to join, and if there is a club a student is interested in that is not offered, it can be created!

  • 125 students participate in theater productions

  • Over 400 students are student athletes at Mac

  • Students can be involved in Macalester’s radio station

  • Macalester has 3 student publications, including a weekly newspaper

  • Mac staff do a great job of keeping students informed about what is going on on campus. Events and news are shared with students daily via an e-newsletter called the Daily Piper


Estimated Costs

Undergraduate: $56,062 (Tuition only)

Estimated cost for tuition plus room and board is $68,884

*Note: Macalester is expensive. However, 67% of students currently receive need-based grants, and the average need-based financial aid package for Macalester students is $47,763.

Fun Facts

  • Currently, there are students enrolled at Macalester from 97 different countries around the world

  • 60% of Mac students choose to study abroad at some point during their time at Macalester

  • Macalester’s mascot is the Scots, so bagpipes can be heard and kilts can be seen often throughout campus, particularly for special events like graduation. Students even have the opportunity to take bagpipe lessons for free.

  • 94% of Mac faculty possess a PhD or the highest degree in their field of study

  • Macalester is a member of the Associated College of the Twin Cities, which means that students wishing to take a course that is not offered at Macalester can do so at any of these other Twin Cities schools: University of St. Thomas, St. Catherine University, Hamline University, and Augsburg University.

  • 96% of Mac students have engaged in community-based learning, service, or applied research in the Twin Cities


Undergraduate Application Requirements & Deadlines

Considering applying to Macalester? Here are the pieces you’ll need to include with your application and specific submission deadlines.

When applying to the Macalester, students are required to include the following pieces with their applications:

  • official high school transcripts

  • letter(s) of recommendation

  • ACT or SAT scores

  • essay or personal statement

  • $40 application fee

Application deadline:
Early Decision I: November 15
Early Decision II: January 1
Regular Decision: January 15

To apply to Macalester, students will use the Common App.

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Learn More

To learn more about Macalester College and becoming a scot, visit the Macalester admissions website.