Carleton College Admissions

When visiting schools, don't get nervous if you don't find that One perfect school for you. If none of your schools say "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ATTEND ME!" That's probably because you'd be happy at many places. What's important is finding the little things - the quirks - that set one small liberal arts college (or one huge university) apart from another.

It is important to take into consideration what you can get from the school, the professors, the programs, and the facilities. Looking over at what kind of classmates you will have throughout your college career should also be a crucial determinant of your college choice.

The sheer number of college choices can be overwhelming! Most high school students, in consultation with parents and guidance counselors, start to narrow it down by identifying the factors that are most important to them. These may include:

• Size. Do you thrive on small, intimate settings where you can get to know everyone by name, or do you love the energy of a big place where there are always new faces? Are you happiest in large classes or small ones? How important is it to you to have a lot of individual interaction with your professors? Are you interested in an academic program that's generally only available at larger institutions?
• Location. Are you hoping to stay close to home, or are you interested in trying a new part of the state, country, or world? Do you love big cities or small towns? Are there certain kinds of cultural opportunities or outdoor recreation that you can't live without during your college years?
• Academic programs. If you're convinced you know what you want to study, you can start researching the colleges known to have a particularly strong program and outstanding faculty in that area. If you are undecided, have eclectic academic interests, or just want to keep your options open, you'll probably want to look for schools with a broad range of programs that you can sample in your freshman year.
• Extracurricular activities. Some colleges are especially well known for the quality of their extracurricular opportunities in music, theater, athletics, etc. If there's a student activity or organization that's especially important to you, you'll want to make sure that prospective colleges offer you ample chances to pursue it.
• Cost. This is an important factor on almost everyone's list. However, be sure that you don't evaluate colleges solely on "sticker price." It's a popular misconception that only the rich can afford to attend the most selective colleges. In fact, many leading colleges are committed to making a first-class education affordable to outstanding students from all economic backgrounds. If your favorite college is expensive, don't rule it out until you learn what kind of of financial aid package they could offer you.
• Personality. Although it's probably the hardest to define, the unique character of a college can be a key factor in whether you'll be happy there. It's that indescribable something that says to you, "This is my kind of place." Campus visits are probably your best bet for finding the right fit, although off-campus conversations with alumni and current students can also help.

Your own checklist will be as individual as you are, of course. But your sophomore and junior years in high school are a great time to fine-tune your criteria so you can start going to college fairs and campus visits with some very specific questions in mind.

Find a school that stresses both intellectual and personal growth. College shouldn't just be seen as a necessary tool to getting you to the next stage of your career aspirations, but it should be a period in your life when you are challenged to learn more about yourself and how you impact the world around you.

Think about what kind of school you want to go to. Big? Small? Are they particularly good at teaching the subject you want to major in? Ask everybody you know for college recommendations. Listen to their advice, but don't necessarily take it. Seriously, check out the Princeton Review. You can survive the winter in Minnesota; it's not as bad as it's cracked up to be.

Think very carefully about what you want the next four years of your life to be like. Even if academically a college seems perfect for you, it is also important to remember that only part of your time is spent in the classroom. Campus atmosphere, small-town vs. urban dynamics, and the support of staff/faculty are all relevant issues that are often overlooked, which can be a critical difference between an overall wonderful college experience and being miserable.

I believe that the people make the place. Take some time to talk to people at the college. Do these people make you want to further a conversation with them? Also, once you have a few schools in mind where you know you would succeed, it's okay to base your final school decision on little details that might be trivial to other people, but are somehow important to you.

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.