Admissions

Really consider the environment you are looking for in a university. Carleton offers a small, tight-knit community that is pretty non-competitive. It has no sororities or fraternities, and favors inclusion over exclusivity. It is, to quote an admissions officer, Elite without being elitist. The people are bright, motivated, and friendly. They take academics seriously, but do not take life too seriously. The campus is very rural and nature-oriented (as displayed by the gorgeous 880-acre Arboretum).

Come visit the campus! Prospective students (or prospies) are always welcome.

Visit. I didn't know that this was the right place for me until I visited. Do an overnight. Talk with students. Talk with more students. They love 'prospies' and will tell you all about Carleton. It sounds cliche, but I picked Carleton because of the people. This is true for many of my friends too. Remember to pick a school that is right for YOU. Not anyone else. Go somewhere where you can really be yourself. Also, if making the decision where to go is hard, try elimination. Write a list comparing your schools and gradually cross them off. Allow yourself to be selective.

I didn't visit campus, but I wouldn't recommend taking that approach. One of the things that's great about Carleton is that there are a lot of misfits who find other misfits to fit in with. . .which is great if you're a bit of a misfit, but I can see how some people wouldn't be happy with the social scene. The campus is gorgeous and definitely worth looking at, and it's probably a good idea to see dorms and things, but I also think it's important to get a sense of the people you'd be going to school with if you went to Carleton (or any school).

Prepare yourself by obtaining the best education available to you in high school. Carleton is a step above the rest, but being a student here made the effort worth it!

Definitely tour the campus, and stay overnight with a current student if you're able--it really gives you a great feel of what life on campus is all about, and you should figure out pretty quickly if it's a good fit for you. As far as the application goes, Carleton's supplement to the Common App is pretty straight forward--I believe there still isn't an additional essay question. Carleton students are very diverse and multifaceted; I would advise prospective students to engage in many different activities and clubs in high school. Carleton students are also extremely intelligent and dedicated, so I would also recommend that prospective students show dedication in an activity or two (more than one year of commitment), and, of course, demonstrate intelligence through their GPA, test scores, and AP classes.

Ask for help. A trimester is a foreign concept to many, and the classes move at a quick speed. Falling behind at one point can be detrimental to understanding future course work. Also see professors when they have their office hours, they are very good at clarifying concepts and recommending other resources to help you learn.

Take the most challenging classes you can while becoming engaged in your community and volunteer activities. Still try and remain unique. Its hard to describe the ideal Carleton student, because they all have different interests, but all seem to share the same type of passoin.

When applying list all extra curricular activities and passions, no matter how obscure they may be. Also apply if you intend on exploring multiple subjects, because this is a liberal arts college.

Visit campus. You'll get a feel for if it is the right fit for you right away. Talk to current students.