The 493 students who enter Carleton in September 2008 number 249 men and 244 women. They were selected from a pool of 4,968 applicants and represent 41 states and 22 countries.

• 10 percent come from countries outside the United States.
• 74 percent of ranked students graduated in the top tenth of their class; 92 percent were in the top fifth. (Class rank chart)
• 8 percent are the first generation of their families to attend college.
• 21 percent are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino/Chicano, or Native American.
• 93 are National Merit Scholars, 9 are National Hispanic Recognition Scholars, and 3 are National Achievement Scholars.
• 11 percent speak a language other than English at home.

Notable Achievements

The class has undertaken an impressive array of endeavors in its pre-Carleton days.

Someone in the class:

• Wrote, directed, and edited a film that was screened at New York City’s New Filmmakers short film series.
• Authored a geology research paper on seismites that was published in a geo-physicists’ peer-reviewed journal.
• Worked as a facilitator in Bali during a five-day Initiative for Peace conference for victims of the Timor Leste civil war.
• Won gold medals in six events at the 2007 U.S. Canoe Association nationals.
• Traveled 9,500 miles across the United States conducting interviews for a guidebook for teenagers dealing with relatives diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
• Played the violin at the White House, the National Zoo, an Orioles baseball game, and in Iceland.
• Competed in pairs skating at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Financial Aid Facts

• Carleton met the full financial need of all admitted students.
• 243 members of the class are receiving more than $6.2 million in Carleton grants.
• The average need-based Carleton grant is $25,608.
• The average need-based financial aid award is $32,977, including grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.