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Carleton College

One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057

Website: Carleton College

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300PX|Gould Library
300PX|Gould Library
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Carleton College School Description

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a small, private liberal arts college in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Best known for its academic excellence and warm, welcoming campus community, Carleton offers 36 majors and 15 concentrations in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Carleton is Minnesota’s third oldest college after Hamline University and the University of Minnesota. Carleton was founded on October 12, 1866, by the General Conference of the Congregational Churches of Minnesota, which—after considering locations in Zumbrota, Mantorville, Cottage Grove, and Lake City—chose Northfield for the home of its new college. (Note: Carleton is now a non-denominational college with no formal religious affiliation.)

The mission of Carleton College is to provide an exceptional undergraduate liberal arts education. In pursuit of this mission, the College is devoted to academic excellence, distinguished by the creative interplay of teaching, learning, and scholarship, and dedicated to our diverse residential community and extensive international engagements.

Residential life at Carleton is the heart of campus life. 90% of our students live in college housing, and they spend more time there than anywhere else on campus. On campus, enjoy full meals in our two dining halls, or grab a quick bite at the Sayles-Hill snack bar & grill. Off-campus, explore a full menu of restaurant options in Northfield and the Twin Cities.

Make fitness fun with Carleton's 50 student-organized Club Sports and an Intramural Sports league open to all...or work up a sweat with the training facilities and classes at the gyms and Rec Center.

As one current student put it, “Don’t expect Northfield to be New York City.” But unless you're expecting the bustle of a large metropolitan area, you'll find a surprising amount of life in this quaint college town. With a vibrant main street just steps away, and the St. Olaf College campus just a three-minute bus across the river, Northfield offers a steady stream of events: concerts, plays, art exhibits, sports matches, lectures, film screenings and more.

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Carleton College

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
This article is about Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. For Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, see Carleton University.

Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The College currently enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. Robert A. Oden is the current President. According to 2008 U.S. News and World Report rankings, Carleton College ranks as the #8 liberal arts college in the United States.

History

The school was founded on November 14, 1866, by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches as Northfield College. The first students enrolled in fall 1870.

In 1870, the first college president, James Strong, travelled to the East Coast to raise funds for the college. On his way from visiting William Carleton of Charlestown, Massachusetts, Strong was badly injured by a train. Impressed by Strong's survival, Carleton donated US$50,000 to the fledgling institution in 1871, and the Board of Trustees renamed the school in his honor.

The first two graduates, James J. Dow and Myra A. Brown, were married six months after their 1874 graduation on Christmas Day.

On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger Gang, led by outlaw Jesse James, attempted to rob the First National Bank of Northfield. Joseph Lee Heywood, Carleton's Treasurer, was acting cashier, and was shot dead for refusing to open the safe door. Carleton later named a library fund and the group of donors who have named Carleton in their wills after Heywood.

The nation's oldest student-run pub, The Cave, was founded at Carleton in 1927 in the basement of Evans Hall, and continues to host live music shows and other events several times each week.

In 1942, Carleton purchased land in Stanton, about east of campus, to use for flight training. During the war, several classes of male students went through air basic training at the college. The Stanton Airfield remains open, having been sold by the college in 1944.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Midwest
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
Knights

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
1,936
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 36,156
Students Receiving Aid:
79%
More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 30
Selectivity:
Highly Selective
More Admissions

Carleton College Degree Programs

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Learn more about Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Carleton College Students & Campus Life

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 51%
Men 49%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 77%
Asian 10%
Hispanic 5%
African-American 5%
Other 3%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 78%
In-State 22%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Minnesota 22%
Illinois 7%
California 6%
Massachusetts 5%
Wisconsin 4%
Percent of Students International: 5%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 86%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Midwest Conference)
Basketball (Midwest Conference)
Baseball (Midwest Conference)
Track (Midwest Conference)

Carleton College Expenses (Tuition & Fees)

Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
 $ 36,156    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 35,958    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 198    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
 $ 4,127 18%  
State and Local Grants:
 $ 3,553 9%  
Institutional Grants:
 $ 18,837 65%  
Student Loans:
 $ 4,305 42%  
Any Aid:
   79%  

Carleton College Admissions

Acceptance Rate: 30% (Highly Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 77%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 650, Math: 660
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 750, Math: 740

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 30.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Not Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Recommended
High School GPA: Recommended
High School Rank: Recommended
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

College Advice on Carleton College

Yahoo
Tyler
Tyler

Question: Should I attend Carleton College or University of Michigan?

I want to pursue a medical school after my undergraduate years and do not know if i have more of a better chance at a small school like Carleton or a big school like the University of Michigan. Anybody familiar with medical school acceptance rates for each? I'm not quite sure how to add details but Michigan would be in-state while at carleton i would be playing soccer as well. But Michigan would be covered by my parents and at Carleton i would only come out 40,000 in debt which isn't considerably terrible, and as well i'm unsure whether a direct liberal arts school is the way to take. My decision date is this Friday, and it seems to be arriving faster and faster
10 months ago
Pliny the Elder
Pliny...

Best Answer

Would tuition at U of M be in-state our out-of-state for you? The cost should be a consideration, unless you're one of the people for whom cost is no consideration... U of M is of course bigger and generally more competitive than most schools. It is one of the premier public universities in the country, up there with UC Berkeley and UVA. If the competition and big name appeal to you, then definitely lean toward U of M. Ann Arbor is a great town too, as far as I'm concerned. Plenty of culture and activities. And great beer. If the big school atmosphere doesn't sound right to you, you might be happier in a smaller town and smaller school. UM and Carleton look a bit like apples and oranges in that respect. While I don't know a lot about Northfield, Carleton ranks in the top 10 of liberal arts colleges, so I think it comes down to fit, rather than some random guess as to med school outcomes. Getting into med school comes down to how well you are able to study and absorb material, and how you score on the MCAT, and has less to do with where you complete undergrad. If you excel at U of M, getting into med school somewhere should be a breeze.
Out and Proud
Out and...

Question: Carleton College is as academically rigorous as any east coast school, so why is the atmosphere so different?

11 months ago
Sign I
Sign I

Best Answer

I think that the east coasts schools have more of a "fend for yourself" type of attitude. Carleton, on the other hand, I feel has an academic environment that is more cooperative. It seems to be that academics are looked upon as enjoyable in Carleton and something that connects each student. In east coast schools, academics are something that should be taken to a very serious level and something that brings high competition.
Donut
Donut

Question: What do you think of Carleton College?

It seems like a nice place. What do you think?
12 months ago
Louis M. S
Louis...

Best Answer

The admittance is around 25%, so it has some prestige.
Emmie S
Emmie S

Question: Can I get into Carleton College?

I'm a Junior in High School, and I want to know if I have a good chance of getting into Carleton. I have about a 3.9 average, and I'm taking 2 AP classes and 1 Honors class this year. I am on my county's youth board of supervisors, and I've done other youth leadership clubs and activities as well. I am on the cross country team, but I don't think I'm good enough to play for college. I took a practice SAT, and got around 1850. Next year I plan on taking 4 AP classes. I don't think I will need financial aid. I'm out of state. What are my chances of getting in?
15 months ago
reed j
reed j

Best Answer

You have a fairly good chance of getting into Carleton. Your grades are excellent, you have AP classes, and you are involved in your community. Make sure to write a VERY strong and unique essay, the admissions committee loves strong essays. I had a 3.7 GPA and took only 1 AP class but I wrote an incredible essay that allowed me to get into Carleton. Carleton likes students with unique qualities and talents, no matter how bizarre. Show them why you aren't like every other kid with good grades and you will have a good shot at getting admitted. Also, Carleton is in a bit of an economic struggle right now and will be reducing the amount of financial aid awarded as well as increasing the number of students admitted. This plays perfectly for you in that you don't need financial aid (it isn't a need-blind admissions school) and the acceptance rate will increase. If you have any more questions about Carleton contact me at jordanr@carleton.edu (I love the school and you should definitely go if you get accepted!)
Person!
Person!

Question: Do you know anything about Lewis & Clark College or Carleton College?

L & C is in Oregon, and Carleton is in Minnesota. I'm interested in these schools and I hope someone can give me some input! Thanks so much, answers are much appreciated :) Also if you are familiar with the weather around Portland, Oregon and Minnesota that'd be extremely helpful. Thanks.
47 months ago
Professor X
Profe...

Best Answer

Carleton has a great academic reputation (nationally), Lewis and Clark much less so. If I were looking at grad school applicants from each school, with similar test scores and GPAs, and both had great letters of recommendation, I'd favor the candidate from Carleton because of the nationally-recognized rigor of its programs of study.

Photos

  • 300PX|Gould Library
    300PX|Gould Library [source]
  • Carleton College
    Carleton College [source]
  • Skinner Memorial Chapel.
    Skinner Memorial Chapel. [source]
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Carleton College
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