Around this time last year, I tossed and turned over which school was destined to be mine. For me, it came down to Carleton or Williams. In the end, I was led to Carleton because of its atmosphere. The easy-going, laid back approach fit me well, and I thought that Carleton was a place where I could succeed. I can't overemphasize the importance of atmosphere. Try and put yourself in a place where you will be happy and a place where you think you can grow. Don't let your parents, friends, or guidance counselor tell you where to go. This is your decision, make sure its one you personally will be happy with. Actually the dean at Williams told me during a accepted student weekend, that the education you will receive at many of these top colleges is very similar. Ultimately, your choice should come down to your personal feelings regarding the school's environment.

My experience here has been on the whole, a very good one. The academics are excellent, and I know I'm a much wiser person than I was a year ago. The people here are, for the most part, friendly, a bit quirky, highly motivated, but not necessarily competitive. The downsides? The rural campus annoys me sometimes and can occasionally bring on the feeling of being trapped. I'm interested in music and the music program here, while fairly extensive, still doesn't provide the same opportunities like those at bigger schools.

The student body is pretty geographically diverse, but not very racially diverse. Perhaps this is one area where Carleton could stand to improve. I believe the school did get a huge grant that is aimed toward bringing in more international students, so that could be helpful. If you meant diversity in terms of attitudes and personality, then I would say Carleton is fairly diverse. Interests, in terms of extra-curriculars, varies quite a bit. Lots of different sports, music, political, and even a few wacky, nonsense groups here. This being said, I think there are a lot of common traits among Carleton students. Most are open, friendly, and very dedicated to academics. I also find that most students here are a bit quirky. By that I mean, people have a slightly off-beat sense of humor. For example, we have a science building named Mudd Hall. This past weekend it rained and surrounding dirt became mud. Some students picked up the mud and wrote with it, "Mud on Mudd" on several of the buildings windows.

Carleton is academically challeging. Few would argue that statement. We have a lot of work here, but the silver lining is that it's generally work that you want to do. If you're taking classes you like, which most of us are I believe, then the workload isn't as troubling as it might seem.

As a result of the challenging academics, Carleton has a stellar reputation with most grad schools around the country. They know what they are getting when they admit a Carleton student. If you come here and do well, you will have your choice of the top grad schools.


Recommended: Yes