Carleton’s remarkable academic reputation is one of its major attractions. Students are
almost unanimously pleased with the breadth and depth of classes available in
all fields and emphatically praise the faculty. “Professors here are incredibly wonderful and down to earth - they have high expectations, but encourage and help students to meet them. As students we're welcomed into their offices and even their homes, usually with a plate of brownies to satiate us,” says a physics major from Arizona.
Most students stress how important their relationships with professors
have been during their time at Carleton. A sophomore history major writes, “If I didn't have such close connections with the professors, I think the work would be much less enjoyable."
The core curriculum is made up of broad social
science, humanities, math and science requirements, and students usually take
the last few years to complete requirements for their major. Classes are definitely rigorous at Carleton, and many joke that the five-story Gould Library is the centerpiece of Carleton's social scene during the week. A junior
writes: “Students study constantly because the work never stops. Yes, you can have a good time if you prioritize accordingly, but you better be ready to talk about the hundred pages you were assigned. Even if you aren't studying you are talking about something intellectual. It is very likely to run into people debating politics, religion, or even relativity. Intellectualism isn't about being in class here, it is your way of life.”
Carleton’s administration loves to play up the student body's “quirky”
label, and students are quick to poke fun at that as well as other popular Carleton stereotypes—“earthy,”
unique, offbeat, not-the-coolest-guy/girl-in-high school, etc. One student jokes, "Generally; we have 1.9 frisbees per
student, we are definitely nerdy, and we don't have much time to make
ourselves look good." Still, Carleton students always stress the respect they have for one another. Nestled in a tiny town in a freezing state on a campus in the middle
of nowhere, it’s important to get along with their classmates. A freshman pre-med student says Carleton students “will surprise you with
intelligence, talents and experiences you never knew they had. After knowing someone for months, you might
discover that they took 12 APs (and passed them all), or taught English in
China every summer since 9th grade, or spent a year in Israel before coming to
college. It's easy to forget how amazing your fellow students really are.” Carls also point
out how much they support increasing the student body's overall diversity. A sophomore biology major says, “I was a bit disappointed by a few things diversity-wise: A good chunk of students are from Minnesota, my state, and I was hoping to meet more people from outside the Midwest. Also, there are more students with upper-class incomes than I had expected.” The administration has been criticized recently for not making enough of an
effort to reach out to minority students.
The surrounding town of Northfield is quaint, cute, rural, and basically dead by 8 p.m., turning campus into something
of a bubble. But there’s plenty to do – from dances and other events in the Sayles-Hill Campus Center to
strolling the 800-acre arboretum or attending a student performance at the Cave. One freshman notes, “I didn't drink almost all of my freshman year and never had trouble finding things to do. There's a play up almost any weekend, lots of dance parties, student movies, the cookie house (stocked with cookie ingredients to bake your own 24/7), and other happenings.” The
school preserves traditions ranging from the “God is a DJ” dance
party to the infamous Rotblatt 24-hour softball game in the springtime. And, of course, there’s always Frisbee. According to one student, “Hands down the most popular activity at Carleton College is Frisbee. As the college president said on my first day at Carleton College, ‘It is our goal to teach everyone how to toss a Frisbee.’”
There’s a unique vibe on campus that only becomes apparent after spending some quality time there, as well as a sense of how cold the winters truly are. Passion and
creativity link the student body, and it’s telling that Carls can be incredibly
intellectual and dedicated but also able to laugh at themselves on a
regular basis. A history major out
of Los Angeles says: “The best thing about Carleton is by far the students. I've already mentioned the accepting, intellectual, and silly atmosphere and I think if you're looking for that, you'll feel at home.”
