Mailing Address: One N. College St., Northfield, MN 55057
Rank on 2008 List: 50
Rank on 2006 List: Not on list
Average GPA: N/A
Matriculation Rate of All Students: 36%
Total Enrollment: 1,966
African American Enrollment: 109
Number of Applications: 4,859
Acceptance Rate: 27%
*Average SAT Scores: Reading: 650-750; Math: 660-740; Writing: 650-730
Black Student Group(s): Black Student Alliance
Summer Program(s): Summer Writing Program, Carleton Liberal Arts Experience
Application Deadline(s): Regular: Jan. 15; Early Decision I: Nov. 14; Early Decision II: Jan. 15
Acceptance Letters Sent Out: Early Decision I: Dec. 15; Early Decision II: Feb. 15; Regular Decision: April 1
Financial Aid Options/Deadline(s)
Costs: Tuition: $38,046; Student Activity Fee: $198; Room: $4,944; Board: $4,545
*25th Percentile-75th Percentile
ADMISSIONS Q&A
Paul Thiboutot, Carleton College Dean of Admissions
What do you believe is the best preparation for a high school student to attend your institution?
Having chosen a strong curriculum in high school and gotten great grades.
What kinds of activities stand out on students’ applications?
Any and everything. Music, sports, speech, leadership.
What are the other most important things on a students’ application?
We don’t do any kind of percentages so I’m going to say it’s the essays, recommendations, and testing.
What do you think of recent decisions by Smith & Wake Forest to eliminate the SAT and how likely is that at your institution?
At Carleton we still see value in the standardized test as a way of gaining insight in students [to account for] great variations in high school curriculum offerings and courses.
How does your institution attract minority students, and what is it doing to improve diversity efforts?
We do specialized mailings, visits; we work with community based organizations, and national outreach organizations in our minority outreach efforts besides holding some of our own programs. We do lots of different things. Do we do what can be called diversity sensitivity training and workshops and do we have special efforts across all of our employment and recruitment efforts to increase the diversity of our staff and faculty? Yes. We’ve just finished a campus climate survey and we’re awaiting an analysis of that. We have speakers in a variety of topics and we’ve held campus wide discussions almost annually.
Once students are enrolled, what benefits will they receive by being at your school and not its competitors?
We’re a small college so you have a very focused, personalized education and that’s the first thing we talk about. We’re a liberal arts college so we continue to try to develop your knowledge across a breadth of subjects. We are opening a door onto any future career. Any student leaves Carleton valuing hard work, critical thinking and having developed superb writing skills. I