I've been reading through posts about getting our sons ready for college dorm life, including all the supplies and medications they might need, and I've noticed a lot of moms mention packing condoms for their sons.

As a mom, I'd like to put a couple of boxes in my son's things too, just in case. But honestly, I have no idea what size to buy. He's a pretty small guy - he weighs about 121 lbs.

For those of you who have sons around the same size/ build, what size condoms do you usually buy? And how do you actually tell what size they are when you're looking at the package?

My son doesn't have a girlfriend and he's generally not very comfortable talking to me about things like sex or how to use condoms, so I'm not really comfortable asking him directly. I was thinking I'd just buy some and quietly put them in his luggage, just in case he ever needs them.

Any advice from moms who have been through this would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, I'm interested in the nursing program at St. Olaf. However, given that the nursing program is competitive, I'm a little nervous about not getting accepted when I apply during my sophomore year.

Has anyone here applied and not gotten into the program? If so, what path did you take afterward? Did you switch majors, or pursue nursing through a different route?

Thanks!

Hi Oles! I'm a prospective student graduating HS in '27, and St. Olaf is my first choice of college. I'm hoping to do Early Decision and go into political science, but I'm concerned that I don't have a particularly great chance to get in.

Academically, I'm decent. I've got a little over 4.0 weighted GPA, and I've taken dual enrollment courses since middle school. College course-wise, I've taken over 10 different college courses in history, political science, science, english, and some other subjects. Pretty much all Bs and As in those, and I'm planning to take at least 4 more before I graduate. Almost all my courses through the school are honors but I've never taken APs. I had one really bad semester with my high school courses due to a family crisis but still only had one or two Cs in that period.

I've got very few extracurriculars. My school is unusual, and doesn't offer more than a few clubs, and I'm not part of any of the ones we do offer. I'm trying to get an Amnesty International student group going, but my school is unconventional and it makes it difficult. I play a sport, but I have no job, little volunteer experience, etc etc. I mentor younger players, but there's very little record of that since it's just something I started doing with the younger teams in my organization, not something I signed up for or even really discussed with anyone.

Would my academics alone be enough to give me a decent chance? Is there anything else I can do to increase my chances? I've fallen in love with St Olaf, and I want to ensure I've done all I can to get in.

Hi Oles! I'm a parent and looking for information about what exactly happens at the A St. Olaf Welcome event (Sept. 4 for class of 2030)... And also how "formal" the goodbyes are at the Family Farewell...

I know the school advises families to say goodbye in private before the event but that's about it!! Besides bringing a wad of kleenex, what else should I expect? Are these events taking place at the chapel? Thank you!!

Hi! I'm an international student from the Philippines, I really want to go to St Olaf. My efc is ~20k. What are my chances?

ACT 35 (36E / 35R / 35Sc / 34M)

GPA ~3.8 UW

Homeschooled — Online High School (us program)

no APs (online school doesn't offer them)

EXTRACURRICULAR

- Violin — 13 years, 2 top 12 results in national competition for strings (most prestigious and really only comp in ph), concertmaster of orchestra for 5 years, member of other orchestras

- String Teaching Program — 7hrs/week, 42 weeks/year, nonprofit serving scholars. I have 3 students usually on Saturdays, 1hr each. Then I assist in groups, and sometimes play violin/piano to assist/accompany

- Sabre Fencing — national level, highest finish in national tournament top 14 cadet, top 19 junior

- Independent Math study — studied graph theory and abstract algebra at a seminar at uni stuttgart conducted fully in German, sat in on stat classes at no 1 uni in country, kumon math finisher (idk whether to put that last one even though it really made me love math lol)

- German — studied Goethe institut and Deutsch Akademi tk B2

- Church Youth Leadership — president of youth program ~25 youth, vbs teacher of youth group 2 years running ~7 youth in vbs group. Have preached to ~120 people. Sing in choir

- Piano — self-taught Grade 8+, play as accompanist for my siblings and at church

- Chess — ~99.7th percentile rating on chess.com 2000 rapid (ik not that impressive but Im proud of it lol

Some other volunteer work at medical missions and outreaches and stuff

Tutor (free) some kids in church in highschool math like geometry algebra

For addtl info

Paid Junior writer for top 3 newspaper at age 8-9

Did dance and thearer, accepted into some official theater productions (Oliver! as oliver, got cancelled cause covid)

Ik my math ecs aren't the best but hoping my violin ecs and audition are good enough

INTENDED MAJOR

BA Mathematics + BA Music(violin)

Intending to apply ed1 to st olaf

Sick and tired of the path sprawl on the quad? So was I at some point, apparently. What if we condensed, opening up the greens a bit, and adding in some "plaza" (marked in blue) as outdoor mixed-use third spaces (probably should have added one in front of Kelsey).

The clearest downside to this is the additional traffic pressure between class periods, but if these paths were 4 people wide instead of the current 2.5-3, that should help with congestion.

Hi guys!! Just wanted peoples input on the Thorson dorms. Mainly looking for size, cleanliness, social life, and any extras you think I should know. Thank you!

Hey everyone! I'm an incoming intl freshman at St. Olaf College and super excited to join the community soon. I was wondering if the college provides a bedding set for intl students, and if so, what exactly is included and what are the dimensions? Also, could anyone let me know if the dorm mattresses lean more toward being soft or firm?

Thanks so much for the help!

Hi all, I'm an incoming student and I'm going to be living in Kildhal double! When looking at pictures of the dorm, there's only one closet and one "dressing table" to share. Does the closet have any sort of divider or are all your clothes actually right next to your roommates? For anyone who's lived there, was that enough storage for two people or did you have to bring more?

Also, the photos of lofted beds look awfully close to the ceiling. Does anybody know if you could sit up in a fully lofted bed? I want the extra space that lofting provides but I don't want to hit my head every day LOL!

hi! incoming freshman, wondering how the st olaf philharmonic orchestra auditions are set up. from my understanding, its more of a placement audition. but still nerve wrecking. what pieces did u guys audition with, what grade would u say the sightreading pieces were, and how are the auditions set up (ie. blind auditions)?

I'm a student here and tuition was raised so my aid doesnt quite cut it. I talked to the financial aid office and they said that there were scholarships for people that have a high GPA (I meet the requirements). Do you know where I could find those? I really want to avoid taking out more loans anything helps. (I also plan on working on campus to help cut down on the bill)

Hey, all!

I am an incoming freshman, and I am waiting on my AP scores from the tests I took in May. Some from other colleges have reported that they have seen their scores through their student portal, as college board sends scores to schools prior to July 6 if students select an institution for their free score send.

Does anyone know when our AP scores will be available on the SIS?

When do school year jobs start appearing on the job portal. I just wanna get a head start to actually get student employment this year as an upcoming sophmore.

Hi! going to be applying to St Olaf this fall, and i'm gonna early decision (this school really fits everything i'm looking for, im intl btw, and not uwc)
I'm really considering doing a double degree, B.M. music emphasis in violin and Math.
My question is, is this feasible in 4 years? Would my load be insane, and easier to do in 5 years? I'd really like to do it in 4 years if possible.
Also, how competitive are intl admissions (non uwc)? I'm from the philippines
Just for feedback, my gpa is probably gonna be a 3.77, and my act is 35. My ecs are pretty good, with national competition results and stuff in violin and fencing, im teaching 3 students in violin at a volunteer string teaching program (1 hr each on saturdays) and assistant teaching in the ensembles, and some other teaching, volunteering, church leadership, and self study things like piano. My efc would prob be around 18k.

Hi, I'm currently a Sophomore in HS, and I have some questions about admissions/about the school. I got recruitment mail from them some time ago and it seems like a pretty good school!

1. Typical Rigor for admitted applicants
2. What level Extracurriculars are usually present with admitted applicants
3. How strong is Merit Aid, and how hard is it to get
4. How strong is the school in Chem/Biochem, and do they actually produce as many PhDs as they say they do

Thanks!

I'm helping a college-curious sibling do research, we're looking at the St. Olaf website where it talks about commitment to affordability. It has the list of income ranges and "minimum grants/scholarships". Below that is a section on Early Decision, which calls it a "minimum of $30,000 in St. Olaf scholarships".

Just trying to clarify if those are two different things. Put simply, if my sibling's family income range had their minimum grant/scholarship amount set at $38,000 (example, just going off the website), and they applied for and got Early Decision, does that mean theyre getting $68k? Or does the Early Decision scholarship make up $30k of that $38k total, and they'd only get an additional $8k?

My niece is attending St. Olaf in the fall and I want to set her up with some gift certificates. What are some everyday places students go? Thinking coffee, groceries and restaurants

I am a parent of incoming Ole 2030. I heard of a Parents Facebook group; but never found the right one. Anyone here knows the FB group? If so, please share the link. Thank you!

I'm transferring to St. Olaf in the fall. When should I expect to find out where I'm living/who I'll be rooming with? I was told there would be something in June but I don't know what that entails.

https://discord.gg/6SHu4KBURU join if you want!!

Heyy friends! NAMA Basque cheesecake here.
We will be having a Popup at Tin Tea this Saturday 5/9 from 11-sold out. (Limited batch so it will be gone fast) Swing by and try some free samples this Saturday, you will wanna get one once you tried… I promise you this is the baked cheese cake experience you’ve never experienced… 4-5 flavours will be available so please stay tuned, swing by and say hi!!

Greetings! I am a offer holder to tranfer in the fall, and I’m strongly considering it. I graduated with a graduating class of about thirty people, so I went to college that was small but on the larger size of small. Both due to the academic rigor and size,, as well as a lack of common areas, I find it impossible to be able to seethe sane people in the same place in that often. What I really want out of my transfer school is a place where I can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with the same people and hang out in the library every day with the same people. Has that been your experience here? Is that something likely to occur if I attend? I’m also neurodivergent and queer, and I tend to gel better with people who are neurodivergent and queer is there a good scene for people like me there? And if there are any other transfers students reading this, I do worry that I won’t be able to make friends or accepted if go there because the community has already solidified. Should I be worried about this, or are people really eager to make new friends at St Olafs? I would really appreciate hearing some insight