A: Carleton’s academic environment is very relaxed. We have a very rigorous academic curriculum, but students here are incredibly self-motivated, eliminating any competition often found at similar schools. I appreciate that my classmates want to learn for the sake of learning. I know some people who have audited classes because they want to learn about the material but can’t fit it into their schedule.

A: A 200-level philosophy class called Social and Political Philosophy. I have never taken a philosophy class, but I love that I am being challenged to think in a new way and to question every single sentence I read. The professor is excellent at helping to clarify the philosophers’ principles and at facilitating our debates in class.

A: Last spring I took a freshman seminar called “The Artist: from Craftsman to Star” taught by Alison Kettering. The first time I went into her office hours I went with the intent of talking with her about my paper. She wanted to talk about so much more. She asked me questions about what I liked to do, what I was passionate about, and what aspects of her class I particularly liked/disliked. She really wanted to get to know me outside of the classroom. I went back many times that term just to talk with her whether or not I had a question. She is one of the main reasons why I am considering an art history major.

A: This term I did a group project for my Modern Architecture class that consisted of measuring Boliou, the arts building, calculating net assignable square footage, and determining what the space should be used for once the existing departments move to the Arts Union. The project taught us about reading blueprints and drafting our own plans. At the end, we wrote up a proposal, and our professor, Baird Jarman, submitted all of the class’s proposals to the Dean of the College for actual consideration.

A: I am picking up some of the Minnesota accent!

A: This may seem silly, but I was surprised to feel that I wanted to get to know and have lengthy conversations with the vast majority of people here. People here do not fit into groups as students typically do in high school. I remember meeting football players who were Classical Studies majors and French majors who were also pre-med.

A: When I visited campus, I went to a dance rehearsal to get an idea of what dance was like at Carleton. I was peeking through the windows hoping they wouldn't see me, but all of a sudden the music stopped, and they all came out and dragged me into the studio. They asked me my name, where I was from, and what kind of dance I liked to do. They answered all of my questions about the school and stopped their rehearsal for that night to teach me something they had been working on. I thought that if they were typical Carleton students, then I wanted to be here too.

A: Parents definitely have their own ideas and aspirations for their children when it comes to college. Follow what feels right and be yourself. I recommend visiting both small and large schools and staying overnight with students wherever you go.

A: Carleton students are intellectual, fun, talented, driven, grounded, happy, passionate, and politically active.

A: I have worked in the Admissions office since this summer. I love talking to prospective students about Carleton and giving tours.

A: I currently live in a quint in Evans with four other girls. We get along incredibly well and have a lot of fun together. We sometimes have movie nights, and we try to clean all together every Saturday morning. Our mothers would be proud!

A: I chose Carleton because of the small environment, the people I met when I visited, and the close relationships students seemed to establish with their professors. However, Carleton's selling point was its academic environment. I saw that the curriculum was very rigorous but that students did not compete with each other in the classroom. Carleton students don't take themselves too seriously and are incredibly self-motivated when it comes to their studies. Those attributes were very apparent when I observed students in and out of the classroom during my overnight visit.