Carleton College

The ephemeral spirit of the "liberal arts" runs thick in our blood. Majors and programs are intentionally interdisciplinary, pushing those that attend out of their comfort zones and into new academic territory. Students and professors question everything in and outside of our small, dynamic classes. Never before Carleton did I encounter a space where the domain of critical thinking so freely pushed institutional and intellectual dogma aside to make way for new ideas and fresh perspectives. On our trimester system, students are typically enrolled in three major courses during the term (nine in total over the course of a school year). In the space of ten weeks, each of your three classes presents a whirlwind experience of learning. It's no exaggeration to say that we are pushed, here at Carleton. But on the other side of the coin, many aspects of academic life make that possible. Professors are usually only teaching two classes at any given time, and teaching always comes before research and publishing. Classes, averaging 16-17 students, become amazing breeding grounds for a collective and individual learning experience as professors bring their best to the table and are greeted by a group of students who are hungry to learn and willing to give back just as much. Outside of the classroom, professors are always willing to meet with students, during and outside of scheduled office hours. A favorite History professor of mine, Bill North, is often on the top floor of the library until 10 at night throughout the week. After professors give you everything they can, there's still more. Many introductory classes come with prefects, older students majoring in the department who did well in those classes and are paid by the school to hold review sessions and additional office hours. We also have permanent offices run by our Academic Support Network to provide safe spaces to get through challenging work. The "Math Skills Center" and the "Write Place" are two examples of permanent centers with professional and student staff who will work with you on difficult calculus problems or help to redraft a thesis statement. Perhaps most importantly about academics, the support mentality bleeds into the student body itself. Peers are collaborate, not cutthroat competitive, here. Above all, Carls want to learn and to share their learning. That's something I didn't see anywhere else on my college tours, and it makes Carleton what it is.