Carleton College defines itself as an institution that values diversity. This is reflected in the importance and pride the College places in a student body that includes a balanced number of men and women, and includes people from a variety of racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, sexual, and national identities. The College recognizes the traditional liberal arts goal of expanding students intellectual horizons by exposing all students both to a diversity of cultures and to an analysis of the experience of being different.