<p>Any other early decision applicants out there? I thought it might be nice to have a thread to share experiences/questions/anxiety etc. :)</p>
<p>I'm like 98% sure...unless my overnight visit goes TERRIBLY, Carleton is my first choice. The only other thing that would hold me back would be money.</p>
<p>D is applying ED - I think she's finished the Common App except for the essay. I'm trying to keep from nagging, but I was glad yesterday when she said she'd looked at all the other colleges she'd consider to check their deadlines to see how much time she'll have after Dec 15th. Our school uses Naviance so I know she's been filling stuff in their for her counselor and teachers to have info for their recs.<br>
Good luck mflevity!
Magneticpoet - hope you have a great time on your overnight.</p>
<p>...possibility.</p>
<p>I"m surprised that 150 people have read this post and ONLY 5 people have come forth.
Come on, people!!
Post here even if youve even THOUGHT about going Carleton ED so we can suffer together...or rejoice.</p>
<p>Carleton is not that popular.</p>
<p>With the highest percent alumni donations of any LAC or univ in the country, clearly it's popular with those most in the know:)</p>
<p>I'm applying ED too :)</p>
<p>and I'm going on the Columbus weekend overnight as well. (I believe I'm sleeping over Friday night?)</p>
<p>maybe I'll meet you there magneticpoet??</p>
<p>One of the problems with choosing to apply ED is the need to be sure that Carleton (or any college) is the ONE. This means that an overnight is essential. For my daughter (class of 2012), this just wasn't a financial option given Carleton's location and the cost of airfare.</p>
<p>We were also reluctant to apply anywhere ED because of the need for significant financial aid. I'm not sure whether this is an issue at Carleton, but there is anecdotal evidence that some colleges offer less aid to those applying ED. The thought is that applying ED reveals your desire to attend, and colleges know that they don't have to use money to attract you. Again, I have no knowledge that this is true at Carleton, or any other college for that matter. But it is certainly a well traveled observation.</p>
<p>I'd like to hear anyone with specific knowledge on the issue to chime in. My daughter still in high school, who watched her older sister agonize through the admission process last year, would like to apply early decision if she can find the right college. It would certainly relieve much of the stress, assuming she was accepted AND assuming she received a good financial aid package.</p>
<p>Yeah, RD allows you to compare all of your financial packages from different schools, so that you can choose the best one you like. ED doesn't give that option... Actually, I have a friend who got into a great school by ED, but the offered financial aid package was not good enough, so he had to let it go. :( sad...</p>
<p>Generally, I believe the less money/ED is true for most schools in America unless it's need-blind. If the school is need-blind, that means the school will NOT take your financial situation into admission consideration. However, I'm sure Carleton is not the case, so I think financial-aid does play a role in the admission process. Face it, school does not want to give away $$$$. If you are a stellar candidate though, I heard that Carleton meets all of your finaicla need which is great.</p>
<p>Starbucks08,</p>
<p>When my daughter applied RD to Carleton, we were rather apprehensive about FA. Some schools give merit, but many of the top LACs do not. Her FA packages were all over the place. Since all schools use the FAFSA to calculate need, we were counseled that the need based portion of FA should not vary much from college to college. If there were big differences, it should be attributable to merit aid. Yeah, right. While Carleton's offer was not the best that my daughter received, it was much better than the East and West coast colleges that accepted her. Frankly, all of the schools in the Midwest offered more aid, with no exceptions. While some offered her tremendous merit aid (one awarded her two top scholarships and piggy-backed them onto the need based grant), all calculated her need to be greater than that calculated by colleges on the coasts.</p>
<p>We have found Carleton to be very reasonable in its FA decisions. And thank goodness, since Carleton was my daughter's first choice. Mentally choosing a college before it has chosen you, and before it has determined FA, can be emotionally and psychologically risky. Letting a college know that it is your first choice is a very good strategy for applicants. At the same time, so is applying to more than one school if FA is a serious consideration.</p>
<p>Photochopper -
Haha, maybe. I'm staying Sunday to Monday. You?</p>
<p>starbucks08 - Us non-EDers are just looking over here to evaluate the competition. ;)</p>
<p>aw shucks I'm staying Friday night.</p>
<p>So, is anybody else having trouble with the "Why Carleton?" question in terms of word limit? I knew from the beginning that there was no way I could keep it to 300 characters...but as of now I'm up to 400 words!</p>
<p>Kind of a completely random question, but does anyone know the name of the student center-ish area at Carleton? Is it the Student Union? Student Center? Something else entirely?</p>
<p>I believe it's the Sayles-Hill Campus Center.</p>
<p>Students just call it Sayles.</p>
<p>So I got back from my campus visit yesterday and oh my goodness, I did not want to leave.</p>
<p>I reallly hope I get in...</p>
<p>magneticpoet, if you have the time, it would be great if you would write about your college visit to Carleton (and any other colleges that you have visited) in the College Visits section of College Confidential. I think that is really helpful to other prospective students.</p>