Carleton College Top Questions

Carleton is open to anybody, really and truly. The racial diversity here could be improved, but I don't think anybody on campus feels out of place. I think Carleton has very good socioeconomic diversity. Almost everyone I know has a campus job as part of their financial aid package. Most kids dress pretty casually around campus. Kids are for the most part very politically aware. Most people here lean to the left, but there are some conservatives on campus.

It is interesting because I feel that the same systems of high school are still present in college. For example if you go to the cafeteria you can notice the small groups of people that are formed. Having said that, Carleton is not a diverse school. I think it should be though.

Here is a TRUE story that in my opinion perfectly illustrate the character of the Carleton student body: So once I was at a barbeque, and we were talking about weird words, and someone brings up defenestration, which means the act of throwing something out of a window. I thought this word was awesome, and quickly committed it to memory. A couple of days later I was in the lounge on my floor, when I remembered my new favorite word! I excitedly shared with my floormates: "Hey! Did you guys know there's a word that means to throw something out of a window??!". Almost in unison everyone around me said "yeah, i know, it's defenestration". These are the kind of people that go to Carleton.

While Carleton tries to be diverse, it seems predominately white. There are some international students, but they tend to stick together. Most of the kids are really, really friendly and open. However there are certainly defined circles of friends, and the social scene can feel a bit high-school sometimes. There are a lot of interesting people, with different kinds of personalities, different family backgrounds, and different experiences. For the most part, the students are politically and socially aware.

Oh this is a hard question for me. I don't like to judge people and so I have very little opinions about the student body as a whole. I mean, we're all people and we're all different and so every statement is going to have an exception. For example, we're not all jocks, but there are some of those. And not all jocks are "jocks", as the stereotype goes. But not all of us are interested in learning and not all of us passionately discuss politics. In fact, I hate politics, which is a weird opinion to have at Carleton. Each of us is different, but I guess that's what Carleton students are supposed to be.

Mostly pretty cool. People who don't treat others well stand out. Its a small school and people know each other, but sometimes its possible to get away if you need to.

Carleton is a fairly casual place. Pajama pants, sweatpants, jeans, shorts, skirts...in or out of class, you see all kinds of attire. And some students throw off their clothes altogether and streak school events. Some very odd people attend Carleton, but everyone finds a niche. There is a lot of political activism, mostly on the left, but there are also those who don't care all that much about politics.

Student body is diverse, but students mainly hang out with students of their own race.

Carleton is very appreciative of diversity, be it gender, race, sexual orientation, religious, political, socio-economic, or other. I don't think anyone would feel out of place here, unless you don't enjoy learning and challenging yourself.

Student body is totally accepting of race, gender, whatever. Kids are usually in comfy clothes, especially in classes and during the winter. People are not preppy. Some interaction among different students, but not a ton. Lots of midwest students, but from everywhere. Kids are typically pretty wealthy but there are exceptions. Pretty politically active and very democratic. No one talks about money or grades.

Carleton's LGBT population is very small, but the environment is very accepting and there are a lot of resouces and support for people who are coming out or having trouble. The majority Carleton student is wealthier, white and from the mid-West. But if you reach out then you find the international students, the students from varying socio-economic backgrounds, and you can have a very diverse group of friends.

People at Carleton are generally upper-middle class white people from the Midwest or coasts. There is little more to say about that topic.

This campus is mostly white, however there are a ton of international students that come here, which makes the atmosphere really diverse. We have a large LGBT community, which is extremely supportive. It is definitely OK to be gay here. This campus is pretty liberal. I think at last count there were about 10 members of the Carleton Conservatives. But no matter what you believe, you will not feel out of place here. It is a very accepting environment. I would say many students are from wealthy families, mainly because the school is SO expensive to attend and Carleton would run out of money if it supplied too much financial aid. That being said, there is a very good organization here for students with low income backgrounds.

Carleton's predominately white and pretty segregated. I've heard people of color say the dynamic makes them feel uncomfortable. From conversations with classmates, I get the feeling that a lot of the Carleton student body is economically privileged and doesn't have a lot of knowledge of other people's situations. They're often liberal and approve of social programs, but they're pretty condescending about people who are less educated or people who actually deal with the social problems that arise. I think Carleton could do more to help its students learn more about social justice issues (because, no matter what side you take, the issues exist) because they might not necessarily have come in contact with them. Students aren't that politically aware or active, except the carleton democrats who are SCARILY on top of things. My freshman year, 5 Carldems asked me to register to vote in one day.

There are a range of students here. The common carl sports jeans and a Carleton hoodie on a daily basis. But everyone interacts and people who dress to different stereotypes still end up being best friends. Everyone is here to learn, but they keep their grades and boasts to themselves. Carleton is definitely left on the political spectrum, although people with differing beliefs of all kinds are respected here.

Very leftist campus/

Carleton's student body has one of the most unique fashion identities I have encountered. There are students who clearly have no concern for what is on their body, some who have an effortlessly eclectic look, those who look polished at all times, and others who experiment with patterns, colors, and whatever else one could do with clothing. There are several students who wear mismatched clothing as a practical solution to varied problems, and those who make statements. It is entertaining to follow the fashion evolution of students in each group and to discover aspects of their personalities.

Carleton is overall a very liberal school, and while there are people from all financial backgrounds, the super-high price of tuition results in an interesting mix. Politics on campus range from super-active to apathetic. The one thing about the student body at Carleton that is unique is that there are no definite groups. Everything is permeable, and everyone is open to being friends with anyone.

As I said before, the stereotypes are true for alot of people but in my opinion that just makes the campus more interesting. You get a wider range of people attracted to the school. You also miss a lot of jackases that you might normally find at a more well known school.

The student body is generally upper/middle class, left-wing politically (although not very politically active), and quite accepting. The large majority of the campus is white/caucasian, and some people are bothered by this, and there seems to be little discrimination, however students of color generally tend to group together. People are also very accepting of LGBT issues on campus, but there is not much of an LGBT community. Financially, most students' families are well off, and students of poorer backgrounds can feel left out if their friends are going to Europe for vacation or don't need to work. However, nobody is so insensitive as to flout their wealth, and there are plenty of people who don't go to Majorca every summer.

Carleton is very diverse, and it's a great place to expand you horizons and meet new people with very different personalities and interests.

Again -- quirky is the defining characteristic. We do silly things. Chasing madly after a bust of Schiller is silly. Streaking in a Minnesota winter is silly. Playing "assassins" at 3:00 AM in the campus center is silly. It's just how we roll. A very stiff or preppy kid might have trouble adjusting. Then again, Carleton might do him more good than anyone else. The campus leans strongly left, but that's mediated by the fact that it's pretty low key. There aren't political protests or anything like that -- just a quiet but pervasive liberal mentality.

Carleton students are incredibly open and accepting of every kind of person. There is someone for everyone at Carleton. Students generally find a comfort zone and stick to it - but everyone is welcome everywhere. If you hear about an activity or party across campus, you can always go. Because even if you don't know anyone there (which would be very strange since we are a pretty small population), you will be welcomed. The campus seems pretty "upper/middle class white", but there is both racial and economic diversity present. Carleton is also very active in conversations dealing with its homogeneity, and its desire to expand the typical "Carleton Student". Students are also very liberal. I don't think I know a single conservative...

Carleton has to be the most liberal and all-accepting college in the country. All races, religions, sexualities, social groups, etc. are accepted and made to feel at home.

As I said before, the environment around campus is very accepting, and I've seen no discrimination against any particular groups. Jocks, geeks, and popular kids all have a place here, along with everyone in between. Kids from all economic backgrounds are present, and being on a financial aid plan is not looked down upon at all.

Carleton has a very open, somewhat diverse student body. I think there's room for everyone at Carleton, it might just take time to find your niche. 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. On the other hand, I was very excited to meet lots of international students. Students tend to be politically aware, but not always active, and those who are active tend to be toward the left. Because Carleton is a liberal arts school, most students aren't directly career oriented. Those who want to go to med school or law school tend to be thinking ahead, but people here do things because they enjoy them, not because they're trying to get ahead.

Carleton's student body is a collection of people from all over the country and the world. Coming here I knew nobody, and there were only a few other people in my class from my state, much less city. As a result, there is very much a chance for students to learn about other people's backgrounds, upbringings and values. Sometimes its hard to adapt, but there are always people around to help. Carleton students vary from professional, to casual, to just rolled out of bed, to haven't changed. It can be hard for some to find a place, but if any effort is presented, most students find a comfortable home here and lots of friends. Politically? Largely liberal, but conservatives speak up too. Active? It fluctuates - usually depending on what week of term it is, and what is going on. Purpose? Most students here, largely, feel that they are working towards making an impact in the world.

Carleton is not very diverse, and this is one of the biggest problems I see with it. Most people are white, raised Christian, generally economically well-off, and think of themselves as liberally-minded because they vote Democrat. I think that anyone that does not fit into this category will probably struggle in one way or another at Carleton, if only for the reason that there's probably an insensitivity towards their identity in any kind of a meaningful way. What I mean by that is, there are a lot of groups on campus to make sure this doesn't happen, but sitting around and talking about the issue is very different than putting it into action. For example, we talk about racism all the time here, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist and in fact, isn't quite prominent.

Carleton's student body is quite egalitarian, without much sense of social rank or hierarchy. There is no Greek system, which I think helps. In terms of friend groups, there are still underlying divisions that seem based on race and socioeconomic class.

Everyone dresses relatively similar but if you dressed differently it wouldn't be a big deal-everything is relaxed. The students are from all over. You can find any kind of students just look around. I have never heard a student talk about how much they'll earn in the future.

The further one is from meeting the standard of being male, heterosexual, white, upper/middle class and Christian or Atheist, with a strong basis in American culture, the more uncomfortable one is bound to be on campus. The student groups who are the most vocal about their feelings of invalidation, powerlessness and marginalization are domestic students of color (as opposed to international students), LGBTIQ students, first-generation college students, and students from low-SES, urban backgrounds. Complacency is also a strong component of relative comfort levels on campus - I would not encourage students who think themselves to be politicized to attend this school. Students tend to wear 'comfy' clothes, such as jeans/sweatpants, t-shirts, sweatshirts/fleece, tennis shoes. When it is warm, select students choose not to wear shoes. A small minority 'dress up' on a regular basis, following fashion trends; a smaller minority tries to wear their difference literally on their sleeves, with items like capes or costumes. Different types of students interact superficially. The dining halls separate themselves in complex ways - by year, floor, shared sport, shared racial status, international status. About one quarter of the student body is from Minnesota. Many are from the surrounding Midwest - there is a large population from Chicago, for example, and many from Wisconsin. Carleton tries to represent every state with at least one student at the institution at a time. This means that there is one self-identified Native student. Another 13{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} is from abroad - from Botswana to South Korea to Cyprus to Ireland. Wealthy legacies support the school financially, upper middle class students make up the majority of SES backgrounds, lower middle class students are rare and a shrinking population due to new admission policies, and low-SES students are about 10-15{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body (estimation). Students would say that they are politically aware/active, though I do not agree with this self-assessment of many. Predominantly, students are of a Democratic, left-wing ideology. Students do not often talk about money, though there are silent assumptions made (ie: asking friends out to dinner, bars in town, concerts, etc ... regularly)

From my experience, Carleton's student body is everything. There is no group that is missing entirely; just those who need to be a bit more vocal. (For the most part, these groups are the most vocal, so it's evens out.) I don't think any student would feel out of place here; as long as he or she was willing to explore the community. There are student who wear button up shirts and ties to class, and students who wear old jeans and a "Geology Rocks!" T-Shirt to class. Some students talk about having trust funds, others about working 20 hours a week to pay their tuition. What's most amazing to me is that these students, all of them interact. Their is not a group of 'preps' who only see preps and only date preps and only take classes with preps, or any other groups of this sort. There are just people; people who are multi-faceted and proud. An anecdote about Carleton students: When I first got to Carleton, I ran across a number of people who I really felt didn't 'belong'; that is to say they appeared to be much different than myself. But as I got to know them, I realized that along with being amazing people, they were like me. This didn't just happen once or twice. It happened all the time. Eventually I realized that everyone at Carleton is special, and everyone here is similar. We aren't all the same, but we're able to eat a meal with each other, if we wanted. I've never met a Carleton student who didn't completely bowl me off my feet in some way, and I don't think I ever will.

In my personal experience, the Carleton College campus has been very supportive and understanding of religious preference or sexual orientation. I do feel that Carleton College could put more effort into incorporating minorities and low-income students into the rest of the student body. At Carleton, minorities tend to hang out with minorities; and, low-income students hang out with low-income students. The best part of Carleton's study body is their political awareness. Almost everyone votes on election days!

The student body is plenty diverse, with students from, literally, all over the country and the world. However, students from the better-represented minority groups, especially African-American and Asian students, tend to form clusters within those groups. Most students are middle to upper-middle class, but money is not flaunted. All students are quirky - some a little and some a lot. Geekiness will not prevent you from making a bizillion friends or being happy or getting laid. Being no fun will.

What kind of student would feel out of place: someone who wasn't open to other opinions/ideas/learning. Wear to class: depends. Some dress up. Some are casual. Some come on the way to/from workouts. Financial backgrounds: you have a range. Those who pay for all 4 years in one check, some who are waiting for their work study to come in to pay for tuition, and those in between. But you don't really know who is who...amongst your close friends you get an idea, but it doesn't matter like it does elsewhere in life.

Students are very liberal. Most students wear normal clothes - jeans, corduroys, T-shirts, and really fly Nike dunks. Most Carleton students are from Minnesota, Chicago, or the East Coast, but there is a good mix of locations, too. Students are incredibly politically aware - I learned what the primaries were when everyone in my dorm had to TV turned to CNN for weeks at a time. Students never talk about how much they'll earn one day.

No student would feel out of place here- you really run into ALL types of people, whether we're talking race, sexual orientation, gender, economic class etc. What do most students wear? No one really gets super dressed up, it's very casual. Low-maintenance artsy chic maybe? It's very relaxed but compared to some larger universities, I find that students are less sloppy than the typical sweat-pants-every-day thing... it depends on the person, but in general it's down-to-earth. MANY different types of students interact Students are very politically aware/ active, predominantly left. I was really nervous about this going into carleton because im ashamed to say taht i'm not super politically aware or active, but i found that you really don't have to be to fit in! No, students don't talk about how much they'll earn, at least not in my experience.

Its significantly more jewish than I expected. Bro's would be out of place here. The geography is fairly diverse. Same with finances. Students are politically aware, but not necessarily active. Liberal.

1. I have been involved with religious groups on campus. 2. I think most people would feel comfortable at Carleton if they realize it is diverse. 3. Clothes. 4. Yes, although cliques are prevalent at Carleton. 5. No. 6. Minnesota, Chicago, and international. 7. All different kinds. 8. A fair amount is politically aware. 9. Left. 10. No one really talks about it although I'm sure everyone thinks about it.

There is a strong divide between racial groups at Carleton. Most people are very open to other ideas and groups though. Most students wear casual attire to class. It definitely doesn't fell like a preppy place. Being an individual is important here, so whatever you choose to do is fair game. Many athletes are from Minnesota, while the entire United States is represented in the student body. Most students are quietly politically active, since they are busy with other endeavors, very predominantly left. More students seem to think they'll have trouble finding a job than think they will earn a lot of money.

here is a bit of segregation between races and other groups at carleton. there should be more bringing together of everyone. conservatives might feel out of place here. people wear casual clothes or just normal. not dressed up usually, but you can. a lot of students from the midwest, but also spread across the country. a lot of students have a lot of money or there are a lot that have full financial aid to be able to come here. very politically aware and active usually. left. people talk about the future but it's kind of a joke that carls sometimes don't get jobs (not true, but it's a liberal arts school thing, i think)

Carleton is a very liberal and open minded institution. No one is openly criticized for their actions, regarding race, religion, or group association. Dialogue is encouraged here at Carleton.

I am leader in the Carleton Christian Community. I co-lead the oldest bible study at Carleton. Though most Carls are not religious there is a definite religious curiosity and sense of openness. The Carleton Christian community itself is also very tight nit and supportive. The Chaplain hosts and Interfaith dialogue group and this year the Christian community started an Interfaith newsletter called Unshamed which accepts submissions regarding a particular faith issue, such as intellect vs. faith, for each issue. I would say a strongly conservative student would feel out of place at Carleton. Carleton students are very active in regards to liberal policy and there is not much of a Republican voice on campus. The LGBT community on campus is very active and very well perceived by the Carleton community. Students are not concerned with the money they will make once they are out of Carleton, or if they are they definitely do not talk about that openly.