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I got a postcard in the mail not long ago from Carleton saying they got my SAT scores; that was nice of them. I haven't gotten anything like that from the other colleges I sent my scores to, except a boring letter from U-Texas.

On the back, it had one of those one-liner cartoons. It's got mom, dad, and their cranky-looking son at the dinner table. The caption reads, "The doctor said our son has post-SAT catatonia -- she suggested that we limit ourselves to multiple-choice questions."

By Kjofkw (Kjofkw) on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 08:14 pm: Edit

We (s. and parents) LOVED the humor of Carleton. CMU also sent some clever mail. It was one of the big attractions to s. They seemed to be willing to laugh at themselves too. Rice, on the other hand takes themselves way too seriously!

By Mparking (Mparking) on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 08:23 pm: Edit

Rice is kind of snobby to me. I live in Houston and have been on campus because that's where my youth orchestra rehearses--sometimes the people who are at the school can be so difficult! I sent them my SAT scores but decided that I'm not going to apply anyway, because I don't think I'd be comfortable in that environment.

Carleton, on the other hand, is really nice, and they really have that quirky-but-intelligent thing going on, which I love. I met the recruiter for the school in our area at a local college night, and he was very cool and had a great personality to represent Carleton. The school's definitely on my list.

By Dagnytaggart (Dagnytaggart) on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 11:11 pm: Edit

That's what I love about Carleton too--it's so quirky! And the campus is just GORGEOUS. It's one of the most beautiful ones I've seen, especially because of the lakes, and having lived near the Puget Sound for so long, I am so glad to be going somewhere with water. Carleton is definitely underrated--the only thing keeping it back is the location. But on the other hand, when I talked to a professor there, he said Minneapolis has the San Francisco feel.

By Masataka (Masataka) on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 09:24 pm: Edit

Hi there, I'm an international student from Tokyo, Japan.
I'm finding it hard to decide between Carleton and Haverford, and need some input from you people. I looked at Carleton last weekend and in fact, I am writing this message at Magil Library at Haverford College.
I'm sure that both Carleton and Haverford are equally challenging and fulfilling academically. I guess the biggest difference between the two would be the location. Carleton is kind of isolated in a small town of Minnesota and of course it gets really cold during the winter, plus mosquitos during the summer, while Haverford is 30 mins away from Philly and 2 hrs away from NY and the climate is a bit more moderate, probably with fewer mosquitos during the summer.
And also important are the people. I personally have the impression, from my recent visits, that people at Carleton are more open-minded and easier to talk to. Anyone here who agrees or disagrees with me?
Please advise. I will appreciate any comments.

By Procrastinating (Procrastinating) on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - 11:52 am: Edit

Hi Masataka~

I'm a Carleton student, and hopefully I can help you out with some of your questions. The Twin-Cities metro area is very accessible to Carleton, and boasts more restaurants per capita than any US city (and is 2nd to NYC for number of theatres per capita). Classes, extracurricular activities, parties, and hanging out with friends definitely help to allieviate any feelings of being bored in Northfield.

Yes, it gets cold here in the winter, but we try to take it in stride & enjoy the winter in as many ways as possible (skiing in the Arboretum, sledding, ice skating on the rinks set up on the Bald Spot, playing broomball, and of course- studying with a nice cup of hot chocolate!). Basically, try not to make weather your deciding factor---many of my friends came from places like southern California, and they have enjoyed the winters (many had never seen snow before!). Over 70% of Carls study abroad at some point during their 4 years here, so there is always the option of going to any number of warm locales during winter term (Mali, Australia, Mexico...). There is a 6-week break between the end of November & beginning of January, so you don't have to be in Minnesota at all in December. Also, only a small minority of students remain on campus during the summer, so don't worry too much about mosquitos.

There is definitely a laid-back, friendly feel to the place. I've met so many great people here, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else!

Good luck with your decision!

By Masataka (Masataka) on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 11:56 am: Edit

Thanks a lot for your input Procrastinating. It was very helpful

By Susu (Susu) on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 - 11:07 am: Edit

Dear Masataka: Don't for one minute think that Philadelphia is mosquito-free. We've lived in New York, Boston, Savannah, and now here in L.A. If you really hate mosquitos, pick a school in L.A./Arizona/NewMexico/Nevada--a desert environment. Everyplace else has lots of mosquitos in season (and in the Southeast, the season lasts twelve months!) Also--don't let anyone tell you that picking a school based on pest statistics is shallow. Picking a school based on PRESTIGE is shallow. Anything else is valid--it's your life, and your money.