<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>I have no idea why I had the good luck to be accepted by both colleges (maybe I did something in a past life?). Carleton and Oberlin both seem like great schools; I was just wondering if anyone had insight on their strengths and weaknesses with respect to each other. Any help is appreciated!</p>
<p>Thanks,
Mariko</p>
<p>if u like music, oberlin
sports, carleton?? haha</p>
<p>Hmm...I think that Carleton is less in the middle of nowhere than Oberlin. Carleton has a good math department (that's a plus for me, at least). The trimester thing could be a plus or minus, depending.</p>
<p>I got a friendler vibe from Carleton. Kind of a flimsy reason, but it was big for me. However, my all-time favorite English teacher went to Oberlin and loved it. They're both great schools, you have a lucky choice.</p>
<p>The Twin Cities are way cooler and bigger and offer more post-college employment opportunities than Cleveland does. And while both campuses are pretty much bordered by corn fields, Carleton has the 900 acre Arboretum, and lakes and rivers and hills right in the middle of the main part of campus.</p>
<p>"Carleton has a good math department (that's a plus for me, at least)"</p>
<p>Funny , my daughter had math as a primary interest and chose Oberlin. Don't know how much of a role the department played in this, but I'm sure she checked it out at least. From everything I can tell from her experience the math department at Oberlin is great. No idea if Carleton is supposed to "better" or something, but if she's missing something there I can tell you it's not apparent. It's pretty tough there though, I'll say that.</p>
<p>I was actually going between applying ED to Carleton or Oberlin, so I know that this is a really tough decision!</p>
<p>My "pro" list in favor of Oberlin looked something like this: culturally alive, always would have an event to go to, highly respected campus art museum plus a museum studies intensive (big deal for me because I'm considering art history/museum work), history of political activism, just about the right size, ease of double (or even triple!) majoring, opportunities to continue music, and the town. The last one might seem odd to some people, but I spent two weeks on Oberlin's campus for the Baroque Performance Institute, and the town had everything I wanted. A cheap dime store, a great bakery, a wonderful inexpensive Chinese restaurant, a fabric and vintage clothing store... It was small, but it was quite nice.</p>
<p>But the "con"s for Oberlin soon overshadowed its considerable pluses. There is little to no political diversity on campus and debate seems to take place exclusively between left and more left. I'm liberal, but I would like to be exposed to reasonable political voices from all sides of the spectrum in college. Another downside was the alleged rift between Conservatory and college. The tour guides I talked to claimed it was "getting better," but students I talked to online told me that it was a major feature of life. The town was wonderful, but the surrounding area... you're kind of stuck if you want to really get away, cheaply. And the classes I visited (200-level history and art history classes) weren't all that challenging and I wasn't very impressed with the professors. It made it seem like the ease of double or triple majoring was merely because the classes were not very demanding.</p>
<p>I ultimately chose Carleton for a number of reasons. I was consistently blown away by the classes I visited. I loved the campus and, while Northfield is not as nice as Oberlin, I loved that the Twin Cities were in reach. The students I talked to were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about their college choice (in contrast to the Oberlin students I found). In Oberlin I felt like people were cynical and jaded for the sake of being cynical and jaded. There was no such feeling at Carleton... Instead, I sensed that underlying the "Carleton quirkiness" was a real, refreshing optimism, a love of life and of learning new and strange things and putting them to good use. Carleton may not have the music scene of Oberlin, but it certainly has more than enough to do and in more diverse areas than just politics and music. The convocations (weekly talks by visiting respected persons) feature mathematicians and physicists and conservatives just as often as they feature musicians and race-theorists and liberals. There are so many silly, zany traditions (the Druid society, broomball tournaments, ice-sculpting contests, Late Night Trivia and the late night breakfast before finals, Schiller... I could go on and on) that just sound like a blast. And there was just that "it" factor, where I walked along the paths of the arb and felt like I could belong there. </p>
<p>At any rate, which ever one you choose will be wonderful. Both are great schools, with lots of opportunities. Congratulations on your acceptances! Happy decision-making!</p>
<p>' rift" has not filtered down to me; if D thought it was a big deal I imagine it would have. But could be wrong.
There's a reasonable number of students there who are dual majoring between the Con and the College; hope they don't have to saw themselves in half!!</p>
<p>Distance from Carleton to Twin Cities exactly = distance from Oberlin to Cleveland. The city does not, as it turns out, play a big part of Ds college life at all, at least in part because they find tons to do on campus. She's been down there only a handful of times, for theater & concerts. If the city in fact plays a bigger role than this in life at Carleton that would be a real distinction.</p>
<p>I should clarify Monydad, that I was just listing some of the good or notable aspects of Carleton, because I did not research or apply Oberlin. I didn't and don't say that Carleton had a better department, because I don't know that .</p>
<p>
[quote]
In Oberlin I felt like people were cynical and jaded for the sake of being cynical and jaded. There was no such feeling at Carleton... Instead, I sensed that underlying the "Carleton quirkiness" was a real, refreshing optimism, a love of life and of learning new and strange things and putting them to good use.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Exactly! You worded this perfectly; I think that sums it up (though, like you, I'm biased :-P ).</p>
<p>^^^couldn't agree more</p>
<p>I have visited both, (I know that doesn't make me an expert) but I came under the impression that the academics at Oberlin were a bit more laid back. I went to a 200 level history class and a 200 level philosophy class, and the professors were just not impressive. The political climate was also too monotonous. Although, if you are really into music, it might be better. If you are really more serious about academics, I think Carleton is your better choice. Plus, the trimester system seems like a really great idea to me.</p>
<p>Lest an impression based on a few class visits be left as the final word on this, I should mention that my daughter has now taken 3 years' worth of classes at Oberlin, and she has found the level of instruction to be excellent, with a good number of professors that she in fact did find to be impressive, and a number of courses that she found quite challenging. </p>
<p>When I look at their website I see a number of lectures and activities on campus in diverse areas, not just politics as alleged above. Like Carleton, Oberlin has a long-standing tradition of excellence across the wide range of Arts & Sciences subjects, among the leaders in PhD production across the board. Academically, it is hardly a "politics boutique".</p>
<p>Oberlin might well have more of a NY edge to it, based on where more of its students are from. And the student body is, by all reports, overwhelmingly liberal, and probably more politically involved overall. But with 2900 students the situation is possibly a bit more complex and varied than suggested above. Suggest interested parties visit & judge for themselves.</p>
<p>I also visited both schools' "accepted student's weekend" when I was planning on pursuing some sort of a pre-law degree. I must say that I was more impressed with my overall experience at Carleton. The students were more friendly (kind of wierd, but friendly) and eager to campaign for their school. Carleton is also full of tradition and just seemed more community-like than Oberlin did. </p>
<p>Being a kid from a large city, both schools were a bit of a turn-off, because they truly are 'in the middle of nowhere'. However, I will say that Northfield is a very quaint town with very friendly folks. On my visit, the students took me to a house on campus that is open 24 hours a day and always stocked with baking goods so that the students always have somewhere to go. I was completely shocked that the school was comfortable keeping a house on campus unlocked and unmanned at all hours. But that is level of trust that they have in the native Northfielders. </p>
<p>On a more superficial note, Carleton's campus is breath-taking, especially in the winter. It may get to be below 30 outside in the winter, but the kids there love it. Plus, Carleton has a fun rivalry with St. Olaf across the valley. </p>
<p>In any case, you should visit each school, and stay with students while you're there if you can. That is how you will truly get a feel for what going to school there would be like.</p>
<p>definitely Carleton !!!!!!</p>