<p>Unchartedcrysis,
If you are indeed a college student in Northfield, I hope you are able to go enjoy this beautiful 83 degree September day. I think it’s safe to say that Carleton and St Olaf are both fantastic schools and that most of the students at both schools are nice, intelligent people. Beyond that, prospective students need to visit and discover for themselves where they feel most comfortable.</p>
<p>The Wind yesterday was… sooo sweeeettttttttt 
i got attacked by leaves in the Bald spot</p>
<p>haha oh god, the leaves felt like missiles.</p>
<p>This previously deceased thread probably should be laid to rest once again. Why this was resurrected is as much a mystery as the intentions of the new to CC poster who revived it.</p>
<p>In any case, I’ll bite: Olaf and Carleton have at least one thing in common other than Northfield - both are underappreciated. The fame of Olaf’s vocal music department often overshadows other great departments like math and the sciences in general.</p>
<p>But why end the thread if people keep popping up and showing an interest?!?!?!?!</p>
<p>LOL. I’m just kidding. Let’s put this one to bed.</p>
<p>wait, wait - don’t put it to bed yet - more questions!</p>
<p>Looking for colleges to “put on the list” for the college guidance office at my d’s school. Got the hint to look at St. Olaf, which of course led to looking at the Carleton website as well, and Macalister…and so on. </p>
<p>The academics look fantastic at either place - the small classes, the “conversations”, etc. (Can parents go back to college too?)</p>
<p>But a couple of thoughts - does a non-math major feel out of place at either school? </p>
<p>What are the athletics like - do you have to be really good to get to play, or is there still a place for the walk-on who has some skills but hasn’t played travel this and club that since they could walk? Does it vary by sport? How wide is the participation? </p>
<p>How hard is the party scene at Carleton? </p>
<p>How inclusive is the theater scene - kind of the same question as athletics - do you have to be a specialist to participate, or is there a place for the amateur? </p>
<p>thanks for any insight you can give us -</p>
<p>I can’t imagine that that’s the case. I know the no. 1 major at Carleton is biology, with no. 2 being poli sci, so it’s not like everyone is a math major.</p>
<p>I’m sure the talent level varies by sport, but if your dd isn’t at the varsity level, there are club sports and IMs. They can be quite competitive.</p>
<p>I’ll leave the party question to the kids.</p>
<p>I don’t really qualify as an authority on these matters, since all I’ve done is research and visit, but my daughter is very attracted to Carleton in part because of a couple of the areas you mentioned.</p>
<p>Carleton’s IM sports participation is something like 70%, which is extraordinarily high. So, if you’re a kid who likes sports but isn’t varsity material, there’s plenty of outlets at Carleton (especially if you’re open to trying out Ultimate Frisbee!).</p>
<p>Regarding theater, they have a vibrant scene that is populated mostly by non-majors. They’ve just opened a beautiful new facility this fall, to boot. One thing D liked is that they have a student organization specifically devoted to musicals, and they put on one every trimester (so three a year). That’s more than virtually any other small LAC that we’ve looked at.</p>
<p>If you like the vibe of the places you listed, and your daughter is into sports and theater, you should check out Whitman, too. They’ve also got crazy-high IM participation rates and an exceptionally strong theater program that’s highly accessible to non-majors. It’s an outstanding academic institution as well with a reputation, like Carleton, for truly excellent teaching.</p>
<p>Thank you both so much for responding - and I’ll take a look at Whitman too.</p>
<p>I’ll elaborate your earlier question about athletics, but it depends completely on what sport you’re talking about.</p>
<p>In general, I think the public has the wrong perception of D3 athletics. Yes, the level is not as high as it would be in D2 or D1 because it isn’t year-round, but it is still very competitive, especially at a school like Carleton, which has high-level academics. Playing time is by no means distributed equally–D3 teams play to win, so the best players play, just the same as a team at any other level. As a result, schools like Carleton, Williams, Macalester, Amherst, etc. will attract a lot of players who have D1-caliber but want the liberal arts academic experience, and choose to play D3. D3 is less of a place for “less-serious” athletes, and more of a place for “serious athletes who want to put academics first.” I can personally speak for soccer. Each program is different; I know Macalester, for example, has a JV program for those who do not make varsity (don’t know about St. Olaf). Carleton, however, does not have a JV program for men’s or women’s soccer. As a result, walk-ons are rarely if ever taken unless they are very good, because the coaches usually have more than enough talented recruits vying for a spot on the team.</p>
<p>That being said, I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying out for sports by any means! I know track, cross-country and swimming and diving do take anyone who wants to try out, and I’m not sure about some of the other sports. There are also club soccer programs, as well as rugby (open to everyone) and three different frisbee teams for each gender (six in total). IM sports are popular and have high participation levels. So I guess what I’m saying is that if you want to participate in athletics, you will still be able to find an outlet for it, but sometimes it might be a bit unrealistic to expect to walk onto a team.</p>
<p>Sorry for the novel - I just wish I’d had more guidence during the recruiting process, so I try to get more information about D3 athletics out there.</p>