One of the nation's leading liberal arts colleges, St. Olaf offers an academically rigorous education with a vibrant faith tradition.A St. Olaf College education develops the habits of mind and heart that enable students to embrace the challenges of a changing world, leading to lives of professional accomplishment, financial independence, and personal fulfillment.This uncommon educational experience is grounded in intellectual rigor, residential learning, global engagement, and a deep commitment to the exploration of the important questions of faith. These pillars help St. Olaf students become fully formed and actively engaged individuals prepared to make a difference in the lives of their families, friends, colleagues, and communities.Many excellent colleges provide one, two, or three of the elements of the St. Olaf experience. What makes St. Olaf unique is the combination of so many distinguishing features working together at the highest level: an intense academic program that sharpens minds, and an emphasis on a global perspective that broadens them; the vitality of a residential community that engages thoughtful people across the full range of human experiences, and a faith tradition that encourages reflection and honors different perspectives.