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Choosing a college is a big decision. Here are 12 good reasons to consider ours:

  1. Huge variety with 17 options
    Consider the range of degree programs — in traditional disciplines or fields such as Cinema and Media Studies, Sales or Reconciliation Studies. Choose urban or rural locations, single-sex or coeducational, church-affiliated or non-denominational, small or medium-sized campuses (undergraduate enrollment ranges from 615 to 6,164 students). See college profiles.
  2. Benefits of a liberal arts education
    Broad exposure to many fields and disciplines prepares you for work in a variety of jobs and gives you an understanding of how things are connected. See what is a liberal arts education?
  3. Focus on teaching 
    You'll find that the focus is on teaching and personal attention, with one professor for every 12 students. Most classes have fewer than 20 students.
  4. Values
    Our colleges help you clarify your values and experience personal growth. See the value of values.
  5. Community 
    You'll experience a sense of community and find many opportunities to get involved.
  6. Satisfied alumni
    Private college alumni deeply value and appreciate their college educations. In Comparing results 2004: Alumni perspectives on college PDF (171 KB), 78% said their private college professors challenged them and personally helped them meet the challenge compared to 39% of regional public college alumni. Another study found that graduates felt that their education was worth the price they paid.
  7. Affordability
    Listed prices do not necessarily represent what you pay. 91% of students receive grants and scholarships that do not have to be paid back. See affording a Minnesota Private College education.
  8. Vibrant and diverse
    You'll meet students from many backgrounds who report family incomes in every bracket and arrive on our campuses with wide-ranging life experiences.
  9. More than academics
    You'll gain life experiences and workforce preparation through off-campus study, faculty-directed research and internships. See beyond the classroom.
  10. Best four-year graduation rates in Minnesota
    66% of our bachelor’s degree-seeking students graduate within four years and 75% graduate within six years. See all the facts.
  11. Graduate school opportunities
    One-fifth of our alumni pursue graduate-level education immediately upon earning their bachelor's degrees.
  12. Great employment prospects
    Three out of four private college and university graduates go immediately into full-time employment, many for leading Minnesota companies. Contact career services offices for more information.
Our colleges
Augsburg College
  • Located in Minneapolis with abundant opportunities to gain experience both inside and outside the classroom.
  • National recognition for an effective first-year program and for combining learning with service.
  • Top majors are business, science, teaching
  • A diverse community of 3,000 students
Bethany Lutheran College
  • Located in Mankato overlooking the Minnesota River Valley
  • A community of 540 students -- most live on campus
  • Popular majors include business administration, communication, psychology, and elementary education
  • Focus is on a solid, Christian education
Bethel University
  • Located on a residential, wooded campus in a Twin Cities suburb
  • Enrolls 5,600 students in 100 undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs
  • Integrates faith, learning and the translation of Christian belief into global service
  • 20 international programs; top 3 percent ranking of students who study in foreign countries
Carleton College
  • Residential campus in the small community of Northfield
  • Ranked one of the country's top liberal arts colleges
  • Noted for its bright and talented students and strong faculty
  • Enrollment of 2,000 students of diverse backgrounds
College of Saint Benedict
  • Together with Saint John's -- 3,800 undergraduate students have many opportunities
  • Located on 3,200 acres of woods and lakes west of St. Cloud
  • A focus on globalism includes an extensive international study program
  • A commitment to experiential learning, research and internships
St. Catherine University
  • Largest and most comprehensive Catholic college for women in the U.S.
  • Beautiful campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis
  • Committed to meeting the educational needs of women of all ages; offers liberal arts, healthcare and professional programs in traditional and weekend formats
  • Serves 5,000 students
College of St. Scholastica
  • Main campus in Duluth; also in St. Paul, St. Cloud, Brainerd
  • Undergraduate and graduate programs in traditional, accelerated and online formats
  • Top majors: Health information management, management, education, nursing
  • 3,200 students; 1,940 undergraduates on Duluth campus
  • U.S. News ranking in top tier of Midwestern universities
Concordia College
  • Located in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area that includes 20,000+ college students
  • Serves more than 2,700 students
  • Top programs include the sciences, education and music
  • Recipient of NAFSA Simon Award for Campus Internationalization
  • Home of world-renowned Concordia Language Villages
Concordia University
  • Located in the St. Paul metro area
  • Serves 1,500 undergraduate and 300 graduate students of all ages and backgrounds
  • Top majors include Christian education, business and teacher education
  • A laptop university with 24/7 Web access
Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Oldest Lutheran college in Minnesota; Swedish heritage; home of the Nobel Conference
  • Beautiful residential campus located in St. Peter, overlooking the Minnesota River Valley
  • Prepares 2,500 undergraduates for lives of leadership, service and lifelong learning
  • Recognized science, writing, music, athletics, study-abroad, and service-learning programs
Hamline University
  • Ranked first in Minnesota among comprehensive universities according to U.S. News
  • 4,400 undergraduate, graduate, and law students
  • Located in residential neighborhood of St. Paul
  • Intimate environment of small classes and personal attention along with the opportunities of a comprehensive university
Macalester College
  • 1,900 undergraduates come from every state and 90 countries
  • Located in a friendly St. Paul neighborhood
  • Emphasis on global perspectives; more than half study abroad
  • Produced many Fulbright and Rhodes scholars
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
  • 700 students; 14 majors in fine arts, media and design
  • Located next to the Children's Theater and Minneapolis Institute of Arts
  • Studio-based and business-oriented programs; BFA, BS and MFA degrees
  • Only art and design school to be named a Best Midwestern College by Princeton Review
Saint John's University
  • Together with Saint Benedict -- 3,800 undergraduate students have many opportunities
  • Located on 3,200 acres of woods and lakes west of St. Cloud.
  • A focus on globalism includes an extensive international study program
  • A commitment to experiential learning, research, internships
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
  • Values-based, results-oriented education in the Catholic, Lasallian tradition
  • Outstanding environment for learning, living and recreation
  • 400-acre Winona campus in the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley
  • 1,300 traditional undergraduates, with 4,100 graduate and professional students at other locations
St. Olaf College
  • Environmentally aware, 300-acre residential campus in historic Northfield
  • 3,000 students; top majors are music, mathematics and the sciences
  • Nation's top liberal arts college for study abroad
  • College of the Lutheran church -- where conversations about faith are part of daily life
University of St. Thomas
  • Minnesota's largest private university with 10,500 students (5,500 undergraduates)
  • 95 undergraduate majors
  • Main campuses located in a stately St. Paul neighborhood and in downtown Minneapolis (other campuses in Owatonna, Minn. and Rome, Italy)
Contact Admissions