Many believe that attending one of America’s top colleges means living in California or on the east coast. Carleton College, a private liberal arts institute in Northfield, Minnesota, shatters this assumption, proudly making its home in the city of “cows, colleges and contentment.”
Being located in such a quaint, charming town (in other words, the middle of nowhere), Carleton is still able to attract some of the country’s brightest minds with top-notch departments in a remarkably wide spectrum of academic fields. The strongest majors range from mathematics and computer science to the more traditional liberal arts such as English and history. The school also offers 3-2 engineering programs with Columbia University and Washington University in St. Louis, as well as unique programs like a concentration in cross-cultural studies or an opportunity to conduct environmental fieldwork at the local arboretum.
Students are also drawn to Carleton by its intimate yet intense academic setting. More than half of the classes have fewer than 20 students, something which is made possible by an overall enrollment of only 2,000. Classes are typically filled with spirited intellectual discussions and active student participation. This dynamic classroom environment is further enhanced by professors who receive highly favorable reviews. Because Carleton is an exclusively undergraduate institution, the entire faculty is completely dedicated to teaching instead of research. They make themselves accessible to students outside of class, often becoming friends rather than merely instructors.
Carleton operates on the trimester system, so the workload is notoriously heavy. Luckily, students can take their mind off academics with the abundance of activities available on campus. The Dacie Moses House, for example, always keeps its kitchen unlocked so students can go in and bake cookies, the only rule being that the cookies must stay inside so others can enjoy them as well. There are also popular traditions such as the annual Winter Carnival (which includes human bowling) and weekly barbeques for seniors in their final term (these are held on Mai Fete, an island on a lake on campus).
Admission to Carleton is highly selective, with only 27.5% of applicants being accepted in the fall of 2008. The most important criteria in determining admission are grade point average and rigor of secondary school courses.
Carleton’s annual tuition is hefty, but over half of the student population receives some sort of financial aid. In addition to need-based aid, Carleton also sponsors the National Merit and National Achievement scholarships.
Statistics:
SAT Critical Reading 650-750
SAT Math 660-740
SAT Writing 650-730
ACT Composite 29-33
Tuition: $39,777
Being located in such a quaint, charming town (in other words, the middle of nowhere), Carleton is still able to attract some of the country’s brightest minds with top-notch departments in a remarkably wide spectrum of academic fields. The strongest majors range from mathematics and computer science to the more traditional liberal arts such as English and history. The school also offers 3-2 engineering programs with Columbia University and Washington University in St. Louis, as well as unique programs like a concentration in cross-cultural studies or an opportunity to conduct environmental fieldwork at the local arboretum.
Students are also drawn to Carleton by its intimate yet intense academic setting. More than half of the classes have fewer than 20 students, something which is made possible by an overall enrollment of only 2,000. Classes are typically filled with spirited intellectual discussions and active student participation. This dynamic classroom environment is further enhanced by professors who receive highly favorable reviews. Because Carleton is an exclusively undergraduate institution, the entire faculty is completely dedicated to teaching instead of research. They make themselves accessible to students outside of class, often becoming friends rather than merely instructors.
Carleton operates on the trimester system, so the workload is notoriously heavy. Luckily, students can take their mind off academics with the abundance of activities available on campus. The Dacie Moses House, for example, always keeps its kitchen unlocked so students can go in and bake cookies, the only rule being that the cookies must stay inside so others can enjoy them as well. There are also popular traditions such as the annual Winter Carnival (which includes human bowling) and weekly barbeques for seniors in their final term (these are held on Mai Fete, an island on a lake on campus).
Admission to Carleton is highly selective, with only 27.5% of applicants being accepted in the fall of 2008. The most important criteria in determining admission are grade point average and rigor of secondary school courses.
Carleton’s annual tuition is hefty, but over half of the student population receives some sort of financial aid. In addition to need-based aid, Carleton also sponsors the National Merit and National Achievement scholarships.
Statistics:
SAT Critical Reading 650-750
SAT Math 660-740
SAT Writing 650-730
ACT Composite 29-33
Tuition: $39,777