<p>I got accepted to Carleton, Macalester, Swat, and Haverford and am having trouble making a final decision. </p>
<p>At this point, I'm mostly deciding between Carleton and Macalester, but haven't completely ruled the other two out. </p>
<p>My struggle is this: I liked Macalester a lot. When I was there I was almost positive that I was going to pick it. I got a great scholarship, I loved the commitment to community service, and liked the international perspective. On the drive over to Carleton, I was almost sure that I would pick Macalester. But when I stepped onto Carleton's campus, I fell in love with it. Its student population seemed much more diverse (interest/type of student), I liked the setting a little bit better, everyone just seemed academically engaged without being competitive, and the students seemed really happy to be there. </p>
<p>However, I was a little be concerned that the professors seemed a little bit less approachable. Are the professor generally easy to talk to/work with? Do students and professors have good relationships? I'm also interested in biology. What are the research opportunities in biology like? I also felt like I was missing a little bit of the "commitment to community service." Maybe it was just because they emphasized it less than at Mac though. Are students generally active in community service or just generally concerned with helping the world? </p>
<p>I'm struggling to make decision, because even though I completely loved Carleton, Macalester would be cheaper, and seemed stronger in the aspects that I mentioned above. I would love any input on any of these schools.</p>
<p>I think it all comes down to your financial resources and what you are looking for. While all are good schools Macalester doesn’t quite reach the elite level of the other three. But if you have a full scholarship to Mac that would make it a good choice.</p>
<p>Professors are really easy to approach at Carleton. I don’t know if anyone told you, but most professors preferred to be called by their first name. They REALLY want to help students succeed in learning the material and are very willing to just sit down with you and discuss anything that you don’t understand. My sociology teacher, for example, is going to be out of town soon and while she cancelled office hours, she offered to Skype or Facetime us if we had a question about an upcoming assignment.</p>
<p>Research opportunities are plentiful and the alumni network is strong; don’t worry about that because there are plenty of opportunities. Carls are very let’s-improve-the-world minded.</p>
<p>Remember that you were at Carleton only on a tour – some things might have been glossed over or were not as emphasized. Carleton’s a good choice if you want to make it. (:</p>
<p>Carls just don’t wear school strengths on their sleeves as you often find at other colleges (okay, maybe an exception made for Ultimate). They just see no need to broadcast what is obvious to everyone on campus. This is more than just Minnesota-nice, Midwest-modesty. It is simply the most self-effacing place I have ever known.</p>
<p>So, what are these not very well hidden truths? Yeah, a full 10% of the student body is international. The sciences here are deep and broad to an almost unimaginable degree and take a back-seat to no other LAC or uni. Virtually everyone is deeply committed to involvement in multiple community service programs. The campus is as intellectual as it could possibly be without risking taking itself too seriously and everyone finds time for enormous fun. Everyone loves the insanely devoted faculty and values incredibly rich, close relationships that continue long past graduation. Most remarkable is that none of this is hyperbole.</p>
<p>Carleton does sound like a fantastic fit for you but can’t speak to money. And Mac, Ford and Swat - all great destinations.</p>
<p>PolarBearVsShark,
Swat was originally my first choice, and I was ecstatic to get in. I really loved everything about it on paper, but when I visited I just realized that vibe really didn’t fit with me. I think part of it might have been a sort of “east-coast edge” that I’m just not used to. </p>
<p>I also had a few bad interactions with both current students and prospective students. A number of people really put down other schools (like Haverford and Carleton) in a really nasty way (to me it seemed more than friendly rivalry), because they had less money and were easier to get into. As a person coming from a fairly poor area with a lot of friends going to community colleges and the local state school, I was offended. I by no means think that all students, or even a majority of students, are like this. But since my visit was a all I had to go by, my impression wasn’t great. </p>
<p>That being said, the campus is gorgeous, the location was perfect, and the classes I sat in on were phenomenal. It’s more of a gut decision than anything else.</p>
<p>My daughter was trying to decide between Carleton, Amherst, Middlebury, Bowdoin and Duke. She was all set to choose Amherst until she visited. She felt sad and homesick and the students were not that friendly. The following weekend she went to Carleton and absolutely fell in love with it. The students were unpretentious, friendly, fun and intellectually engaged. As a parent I was much happier with the care they took of her. Everyone seemed genuinely happy that the “prospies” were there. The kids at Amherst all went off to get drunk when she was there leaving her to find her own way back to the dorm. At Carleton, they went to slam poetry event and a contra dance. Her hosts took her to dinner and made sure she found her classes which she loved. She said the discussions in both her classes were exciting and the professors were funny and engaging. </p>
<p>She has no doubts, she is going to be a Carl!</p>
<p>I would recommend going to either Carleton or Macalester, especially if you aren’t from the Northeast. And then between the two, wherever you will graduate with less debt. This is from a mother of a Swarthmore alum. Swarthmore’s become way too politicized and self-conscious. Carleton or Macalester are also going to be good academically, but more relaxed. Swarthmore has developed a very hard-edge.</p>
<p>I would guess you have decided by now, what was the decision?</p>