Carleton College Top Questions

I absolutely love Carleton. I love that every class pushes me, without being overwhelming. Professors are there to help me when I get stuck and push me when I need to be pushed. All of your classmates are there with you, working toward the same goal as you. There isn't competition, so much as cooperation. It's the right size campus: big enough to have great professors and diverse courses, but small enough that there are friendly faces all over campus. People who know about Carleton are always excited or jealous that I go there. I spend my time all over campus, but because I'm involved in theater, I do spend most of my nights in the new Weitz Center for Creativity.

Carleton is basically a bunch of offbeat, intelligent young adults stuck in a cute little college town in the middle of nowhere, Minnesota. This makes for a great college experience, if it's the type of school you're looking for. The student body is around 2,000 students, which I find to be a great size. After one trimester, I recognize most of the people I see walking around and I'm probably acquainted with between 5-10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of them. Northfield is quite small as well, and since St. Olaf College is also there, over half of the Northfield inhabitants are college students. It may not have much of a nightlife, but you can walk just a few minutes off campus to the local coffee shop or the grocery store. This size is definitely not for everyone, especially given Carleton's location, but it does make for a cozy community feel which I love. The school ensures that there is always plenty to do on campus, so there's no need for a city anyway. In fact, there's usually too much to do, and though you might want to go to everything, you'll soon find it's impossible.

What most people reading this website should realize is that 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the people that post are whiny, pissed-off, passive-aggressive people with no friends and no motivation. Their only outlet is a website like this. Be careful what you read. Most people at Carleton are way too busy to even think about writing something for this. That said, Carleton gives you great opportunities and connections for after you graduate. The only reason I have time to write is Carleton hooked me up with a fellowship to spend a year racing my bike around the world.

Carleton is a place where anyone can find new passions as well as continue with old ones- everyone is very warm and accepting. While the winters are cold, the real worst weather is late summer when it is really muggy. Profs are very smart and accessible, and academics are definitely a challenge, but not impossible.

The best thing about Carleton is its student environment. People are friendly and easy to get along with. The one thing I would change at Carleton . . . I don't think I would change anything, it is an amazing school. Carleton, with a student body of around 2,000 students, in my opinion, is just right. However, some responses when I tell people about going to Carleton is a response of questioning where is Carleton and exactly what type of college it is. The other response is one of understanding what a great school it is. I spend most of my time on campus on the dormitory floor lounge, hanging out with friends. Carleton's administration is very accessible and easy to get along with. The biggest controversy right now is the switch that Carleton's Dining Service is making from the Sodexho service to the Bon Apetit service and the contracts. Carleton students have a lot of sway in decision making at Carleton. There is a ton of school pride at Carleton, every student (as we say it) bleeds blue and maize. The bust of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller is a time honored tradition at Carleton, where whomever holds the bust is the "King/Queen" of Carleton and is required to make a showing of the bust at big events on campus.

Carleton is the perfect size for making friends, and much too small for promiscuous sex, if that's your thing. The best thing about Carleton is the students - their intellect, their sense of humor, and their desire for learning. The experience of Carleton that I'll always remember is a game of tug of war that took place between the two islands on campus and ended with one person in the hospital and ten with rope burn.

Carleton is a school for those looking to succeed in life and have a passion about learning. So many students are so driven about their academics. This is balanced however by the students love of having fun. There isn't another school around that mixes academics and fun together as well as Carleton does.

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. The professors are also amazing. There are definitely a few who aren't quite as good as others, and there's always a risk with taking a class from a new prof, but on the whole they are incredible! I'm always blown away by their level of knowledge and ability to address tough issues in the texts. The best way to ensure a good class is to talk to people and find out who they like, who they don't like, and who they've had a life changing experience taking a class from! The small size of Carleton (and of Northfield) is both a good and bad part of the Carleton experience. One the on hand, you walk around and see tons of people you know, you know most of the professors in your department, you know most of the kids in your classes, and you often can get into things like theater, music, and other organizations without having to worry about people majoring in them taking all the spots (this gives you a chance to build up some skills in this stuff!). On the other hand, this small size means that Carleton (already plagued by its small town, white, Midwest, and high cost reputation) has extremely low diversity--unless you're white, you'll probably know every single person in your ethnic group by the end of the first term. Alsol, it can sometimes mean a pretty small dating pool, which gets almost miniscule if your gay or lesbian. Northfield is tiny but with some charm. It has a nice historic mainstreet and a fair amount of individuality. Many people complain that it's too small that there aren't enough places to eat, but then it's a town of 10,000, there were never going to be too many geat places to go (that being said, we have two delicious Indian places, a good sandwich shop, a few pizza joints, and a waffle house. The main bar has a good selection of beer though the prices are a little high). I didn't come to small town Minnesota from LA expecting to find cheap burritos and take out Thai on every corner, I came looking for a place where students put their energy inward to create cool events on campus during the weekends, where I'd have a patch of nature to go exporing--The Carleton arboretum is gorgeous, a wonderful place to go to take a break with a run or to have a work study job restoring native prarie! The weather is really cold. During the winter, people complain about it more than the food (which is generally pretty terrible, though we're changing our dining service so we'll see . . .) Winter is frigid and often below zero. However, if your like me and have always wanted to live in a winter wonderland, have snowball fights, go sledding, and learn ice hockey, then it often works out nicely (except when it drops down beyond bearable in February!) We also have beautiful Falls and Springs where all the leaves change or regrow in beautiful unison.

When most people think of the phrase "diamond in the rough," they think about the scene in Alladin where there is a diamond in the sand. Change that sand to snow and you have an apt picture of Carleton. Despite being an excellent small liberal arts college, few people have heard of it, and the college reflects that. Carleton is simultaneously laid back when it can be and intense where it needs to be.

Recently the term 'quirky' has come up again and again in propaganda materials describing Carleton. We [myself and many Carleton students] don't like this. I'll admit, our hate of the term mostly stems from an obnoxious DVDfest video, but our general strangeness is not a selling commodity.

I LOVE carleton. everything about it is pretty wonderful. great size, great, active community, great town, Rob Oden rocks, great atmosphere. biggest recent controversy on campus: carleton is currently in the process of changing food providers, and students and staff are worried that employees of the new company won't get the same benefits as they did with the old company. there have been several petitions, meetings, and various other activity. great inside jokes, like Schiller, the albino squirrel, and lots of streaking.

Carleton's student body is quite small, which is great. The profs always know who you are, even in "big" lecture classes, and encourage students to come to office hours. One of my profs helped me get an internship this summer, something I was not expecting to happen out of my freshman year. It's easy to meet great people, but I suppose it might be a problem if you were trying to avoid someone. Luckily the students are all intelligent, friendly, and welcoming. Northfield a few good restaurants very close to campus, which is especially important during winter term. I personally like Sweet Lou's Waffle Bar, which is owned by one of the profs and stays open until 2am on weekends. If you're looking for city life, Northfield is not for you, but if you want to be able to eat out a few times a term and buy a few groceries, then the town is fine. The biggest recent controversy was over the new dining workers' contract. We're switching to a new food services company next year, and the dining workers were worried about losing their accumulated benefits. Some students protested outside the temporary office of the new company and posted signs around campus about it. The new company had a meeting to explain their plans so I think it all got worked out.

It is a small school where you feel like you've seen everybody in the school at times, but the campus does have a large feel in a sense, depending on where you came from. Much time on campus is spent in one's dorm, the library to study, or the student center. Northfield, Minnesota does not feel so much as a college town even though it contains St. Olaf as well. Carleton is kind of a town in itself with various student performance groups putting on shows every week. Also, many people at Carleton enjoy playing frisbee. CUT (Carleton's Ultimate Team) is the most successful sports team in the school.

When I tell people I go to Carleton they either haven't heard of it or they are very impressed and tell me I need to change the world once I'm successful. Its definately located in a college town, when you drive into Northfield the sign reads, "Cows, Colleges and Contentment." I think that says it all. The most frequent complaints I think have to do with diversity but the thing about it is that Carleton is always looking for solutions and they listen to student complaints if they are brought through the proper forums.

Great school in the middle of nowhere.

Carleton is full of extremely intelligent students who aren't afraid to have fun. One thing I'd change, though, is the level of diversity. I feel like our school is very homogeneous, and I wish there were more students from different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, etc. I spend most of my time in the library when I'm not at the rec center, in the arb, or at the outdoor track.

The best thing about Carleton is that everyone (students, faculty, staff, and administrators) is really friendly. I have had no trouble socializing with near strangers, since we all seem to have some intrinsic bonds by being Carls. The schools size is about right. It's not so small that there is a shortage of things to do, but it's small enough that it's not impersonal. Food at Carleton is a big issue. We have a new dining contractor and many people suspect that the contractor is going to try to bust the union. I also think that some of the non-academic offices (i.e. the Wellness Center and the Career Center) have something to be desired.

You can be yourself at Carleton. There is little pressure to conform to any particular image. The faculty here are kind and accessible and will do almost anything to help you learn. Students take learning seriously, both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. People here are smart and utilize their passions and talents to render the campus a vibrant and fascinating place to study for four years.

carleton is so amazing, its not stuffy or preppy at all like most of the high ranked private schools in the nation. there is very little sports interest, here, though.

The best thing about Carleton is the friends that I have gained. They are smart, loyal, and the most considerate people I have ever met. As for Northfield, I know that quite a few Carls think it is too small, but, coming from a small town, I think Northfield is a fine town that offers quite a few "collegie" places to hangout: coffee shops and waffle bars. School Pride: There is a lot pride in our academics, not very much in our athletics.

For me, the best part of Carleton College is the wide arrangement of activities open to students. In bigger schools, staff writer positions at the school newspaper and a place on the lacrosse team are too competitive. Moreover, Carleton students usually do not criticize someone who tries something new and isn't very good at it. Consequently, Carleton students are free to try activities they were to afraid to try before. I think that is pretty cool. Personally, I like Northfield. I think is nice, comfortable, and quaint. With this essence, everyone has their personal favorite spot whether it be Hogan Brothers or Blue Mondays. On the administration point, I think the Carleton administration takes too much flack for being filled with a bunch of WASPs. However, I think they have done their best to promote diversity and to cater to the needs of Carleton students.

In my opinion, it really emphasizes a lot of reading and information consumption. I guess it depends if you're sub-free or not, because there is major partying in the spring.

The best thing about Carleton for me is the friends I have made already. I was lucky in that I immediately got along with my roommates and my floormates. So, I think what I am trying to say is that many Carleton students are friendly and laid-back, which creates a good floor life. With that good floor life, I never struggled to fit in at Carleton. The worst thing would have to be the lack of things to do in Northfield. The town is too small to provide a decent movie theater, restaurants, and etc.

I think people at Carleton are inherently invested in the idea of community. We're also tradition-bound, and because of that we sometimes don’t make good on its idea of community. Usually we do, though.

I think Carleton's a fundamentally engaging academic college. it keeps its priorities in the right place consistently, and the big picture, for us, comes down to: our midwestern identity; our liberal-arts approach; and continually asking "what's best."

Being in the Midwest, and having the Arb, make Carleton amazing. Also, there's a real upcoming commitment to the arts and diversity. I see a bright future.

Difficult but enjoyable classes, for the most part, and good people. I like the people here a lot.

I'm very disillusioned about "new Carleton." Carleton needs to retain its weirdness, because its beginning to just be fabled and we need people to take it back with a vengeance. I'd be willing to see a slip in the ratings.

My favorite thing about Carleton is the students. Carleton students have a great sense of humor about everything, which makes the atmosphere relaxed and fun. People here are intelligent, interesting, good-natured, and silly. The second half of Spring term, when it is finally warm after a long, cold winter, is absolutely euphoric. Everyone is outside tossing frisbees, reading on the bald spot, taking naps in the sun, and the girls finally get to wear skirts. And Northfield is adorable, especially the street nearest Carleton's campus. There is a perfect college coffee shop and lots of fun gift stores and a few restaurants. Carleton is a wonderful place for well-rounded goofy people.

Best thing: You actually have the opportunity to reinvent yourself here, and because of that you can say and do what you want. No one will push you.

The size of Carleton is limiting.

Best parts about Carleton are the professors and academics as well as the academic atmosphere. You get what you paid for in a lot of senses. Minnesota is cold and Northfield is small but there is plenty going on on campus and it doesn't bother people much, even people from the city like me. If we could change one thing, we'd figure out how to convince more attractive females to come. The school is big enough that you meet new people often. There's a fair amount of school pride but it is more often reflected outside of sporting events.

Overall, I love Carleton. I am fulfilled in the classes I take, and I feel like the majority of students and professors here share the same values when it comes to education and learning. Carleton's location in Northfield, Minnesota has been an aspect of the college that I have often had to defend in conversations with friends from home, because it is clearly not a glamorous east-coast town filled with romantic histories. That said, I really enjoy living in Minnesota, and am very impressed with the Twin Cities, which are only a short bus ride away. I think it is good that Carleton is outside of the city, because we are a very close-knit community and I'm not sure the same atmosphere could exist at a college in an urban setting.

There is always something to do on campus. No matter where your interests lie, you have to extremely anti-social and determined to remain uninvolved to be bored on campus. Small school (2000) students but it's just the right amount. Everyone is very friendly; they think nothing of making small talk with the person next to them in line or at the gym. The town is cute and accomodating, very cozy. Not a lot of activities, but the cities are only an hour away and are easily accessible through the bus system Carleton runs every weekend. Administration knows and cares about the students; something goes wrong in your life, they're there to help you do what needs to get done.

Most people outside of the midwest have never heard of Carleton. It gets kind of annoying, but such is life. Northfield isn't exactly a happening place, but its a pretty good college town. I think Carleton's size is pretty good. It's about 2,000 kids. Ideally it would be a little larger, but I would rather have it slightly too small (as it is) than way to big (the alternative at many other schools). The administration seems like they do a very good job to me. They are very concerned with student welfare. Recently they had a Campus Climate Survey conducted. Every member of the community was asked to fill out a survey online about how their thoughts on the social atmosphere at Carleton. I have been impressed with the administration so far.

Overall, Carleton is just what it is, a small liberal arts college that takes to heart the liberal arts experience. The college does provide students with a range of classes and opportunities to have the liberal arts experience. Due to this fact there is always something interesting going on at Carleton. Students as well as professors enjoy what they do and work together to make sure things continue to work for the best of the college. However, having said that, Carleton is not the place to be if you are looking for something too specific. It is also not a diverse place or at least diverse enough. The food is not the best and the weather is something that usually turns-off students during their first year.

First, let me say that I love Carleton, and that I can't imagine myself going to school anywhere else, but sometimes it just pisses me off. I enjoy having small classes, but I get sick of always seeing the same faces at all the parties. Like anything, Carlton is a series of tradeoffs: good reputation but shitty location, awesome classes but terrible weather. If you want to know what carleton is like, here it is: it's like any other college, except the administration is really lax, everyone is a nerd, most people are ugly, and everyone is ridiculously smart. People aren't pretentious though, and if they are they wont have very many (if any friends). People here are nice, and nearly always study together. Everything is very cooperative. and liberal.

Carleton has a really nice, comfortable atmosphere. For the most part, no one judges you, and there isn't too much competition. The trimester system is really popular among the students, although I personally do not think that the schedual works very well. The professors are amazing, and have similar personalities to that of the students.

I think Carleton is the perfect school for me. However, it isn't for everyone. I like that it is small and in a small town. I do feel proud to go to Carleton and, at least in my major (which is geology), Carleton is pretty well-known as being a good school. I love my department because the people are open and welcoming and we laugh and relax together. I also love my major because it is something that makes me happy in a way that nothing else can. I am very interested in the history of Earth and how everything connects to everything else. But I also have a lot of other interests - like languages, books, math, astronomy - and being at a liberal arts college has allowed me to pursue those. On campus, I am all over the place. Since I live off-campus a long ways, my base is generally the geology building. But, depending on my other classes, I work in other buildings too. A lot of geo majors chill in Mudd, but many other students study in the Libe or Sayles (I think). As for the administration...I don't really know. I mean, I think some people are boring, old, white guys who really don't have a clue. But some people are cool and understanding and concerned about the students. I think Carleton is so big on continuing its "reputation" that some people, ideals, etc. fall through the cracks. Res Life sucks though. Totally NOT helpful with students' needs.

The best and worst thing about Carleton is the size -- it's a very tight knit community, and extremely friendly... however, by the time senior year rolls around you are dying to meet some new people. The campus is beautiful, especially in the fall and spring, but the winter term is miserably cold. People study a lot, but there are also ample opportunities to party. The town of Northfield is adorable, very quaint and only about 30 minutes from the Twin Cities. There is not an excessive amount of school pride when it comes to athletics, which is a little unfortunate. The biggest complaint among students is the administration, which as of late has become increasingly conservative about the alcohol policy. Also, the Res Life system sucks, and many students are dying to get off campus for living after sophomore year. Streaking is huge for some reason (ew). People also really like frisbee.

Carleton is a fantastic school, with fantastic students and great faculty. It's not a east coast private school though and its not a big state school, nor is it a trade school or a vocationally minded place, so the students who come here are pretty self-selecting and also very self motivated.

Most people at home have never heard of Carleton. (On the other hand, most people at Carleton have never heard of my hometown.) When I talk with people who do know something about my school, they are usually ego-boostingly impressed. I love the challenging academics and the student body that is dedicated to learning but, for the most part, noncompetitive and fairly laid-back about grades. But Carleton isn't perfect. Winter term is incredibly cold, gray, and eventually depressing. The food is terrible--but we're changing food providers next year, so hopefully that will improve.

The food is terrible. The living options are not too good. The town of Northfield is boring and has not one good restaurant.

I love Carleton. It's a small school in a small town, but that's never bothered me - it was what I wanted, and I'm from Portland, OR, which isn't a small city by any means. Plus, the twin cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) are 30 minutes away by car, but the school has plenty going on to keep you busy and happy. When people ask me if I like Carleton, I can honestly tell them that there's no school in the nation that I would be happier and better challenged at than at Carleton.

Carleton has the most lax drinking policy of any school I've ever been to. Alcohol is acceptable anywhere, anytime, and for anyone. The only thing is the college is really small, so you'll know 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of people at the parties, but, hey, that's better than knowing no one.

The people here are great and fun. The school a little too small, but cozy. I would add a thousand or 2 thousand students. Many people have not heard of the school. The town is small, but nice. School pride is not so much, our teams are not very good save a few.

I really like the size of Carleton. Sometimes it seems too small because if you don't have a car it's hard to escape, but most of the time the need to escape doesn't come up. Besides that, I'm perfectly happy with the size. Either people know Carleton and know that it's a really good academic school or they have never heard of it. People from mid-West know it, most others don't. I spend most of my time on campus at the campus center - Sayles - studying in the libe or at local coffee shops on the main street of Northfield.

Carleton is a great size, but generally that is in academic terms. In classes you are glad to get to know your classmates and professors but when you go out you rarely meet new people once you become an upperclassman. Of a small population an even smaller population goes out on campus. Also there are not many things to do off campus, instead most parties and activities are hosted on campus. It's not just a small school, it's a small town.

The best thing about Carleton is that no matter how unique you are, you can always find people who share your interests or passions. Getting to know great friends here is one of the best experiences one can have. One thing I'd change (if I could) would be to have the student body get a little more confident! However, in the recent years, many people, including me, have noticed that the incoming classes are getting much more normal. Also, there's not much school spirit in terms of varsity sports. I came from a huge high school where that was a big part of life, and I miss that here. I have a lot of friends who are athletes, but there isn't the same excitement here about sports as other places. The most frequent complaint is that there is too much work. Carleton is very academically rigorous and new students have to be ready for a big change in work load compared with high school. At times, it does seem that professors forget that we have other classes and pile on the work. But we all get through it together.

For the most part, the Carleton professors I've encountered have been intelligent, accessible and engaged. The classes themselves have been interesting. I feel that the change from need-blind to need-aware enrollment reflects a campus-wide feeling that national rankings take precedent over making sure the Carleton student body reflects diversity of life experience. There was a fairly big controversy over that shift. Students got pretty upset. The RAD (Recognition and Affirmation of Differences) distribution requires students to take one class that covers any non-white, non-heterosexual cultural issue. It doesn't really cover anything about how differences affect who has power, or the real world in general. I like Carleton's size - a small campus makes it easier to find small classes, and get to know people. It can feel a little claustrophobic, but generally I think the size is a plus.