Hi CC,
I am deciding between two colleges atm: Carleton College and Colorado College.
I’d be happy to go to either- which is my dilemma I can’t choose! I plan on majoring in some sort of soft science/social science. I really think that Colorado College’s block plan is great, but I feel like it would give me the chance to slack off by taking easy classes.
I really like the rigor of Carleton, but I’m worried that the students will be too competitive. I like the location of Carleton more than Colorado College(weird, I know), but I think that the block breaks offer great chances for amazing adventures/experiences.
Cost is pretty much the same for both. For a business graduate school, which college is generally better regarded? Also, do you know how big the spheres of influence are that the schools cast out?(Colorado College carries weight all the way to Houston, or maybe it only carries weight in Denver)
One more question, one thing I really look for in a college are the students, specifically, I want to be able to have an intellectual conversation with any of the students, and also joke around with them. Which college has students that are more abstract-ideas-oriented and humorous?
Thanks, CC
OP,
Both colleges are excellent. LACs are in a different universe. Even the most prestigious LACs are relatively anonymous among the general population. The average person has never heard of Grinnell, Vassar, Bowdoin, or Claremont McKenna. Thus, you’ll bump into people who know both of the schools you are considering; you’ll bump into people who do not, even in that given college’s state.
I will offer one thing to consider, which may or may not be important to you. Colorado C., while excellent, caters to a very, very wealthy student base. In fact, nearly 25% of it student body comes from the top 1% ($650K+ earned per year), while only 10% comes from the bottom 60% ($60K or under per year). Yep, you read that right. CC enrolls more from the top 1% than the bottom 60%.
Carleton is recognized as a strong feeder to PhD and other graduate school programs and as such will have a very intellectual yet slightly quirky student body. Graduate programs (including business schools) will give also generally speaking give greater respect to a Carleton degree (it is considered a top LAC and very marginally below SAW). Congratulations on your acceptance to a truly excellent college!
Neither college will be recognized by a layman, but sophisticated employers and graduate programs will recognize and appreciate the strength of Carleton’s student body and academic training.
Carleton has an attractive campus, the Arb is beautiful, and Northfield is a nice enough little town. The Twin Cities are within a ~45 minute drive. But as you must be aware, the winters are very cold and fairly snowy. The Colorado Springs area climate IMO is far more tolerable. Winters aren’t as bitterly cold; year-round the place is sunnier and drier. If you want an urban LAC, or if you want an outdoorsy LAC, CC is one of the best in either case. If you want both together, it’s nearly unique. The block plan facilitates off-campus field work as well as recreational outings during the long weekends that separate each block. So CC is “different”, while Carleton is more or less similar to ~100 other LACs (but arguably better - more rigorous academically anyway - than most of them.)
Don’t expect too many easy courses at either college. Don’t expect a whole lot of name recognition, either, among the general public for either college. I doubt the brand name per se of either one will give you significantly more help in MBA admissions. For that, one thing that probably will matter more is your work/internship experience. In arts & sciences, Carleton does seem to have a higher rate of alumni PhD production (not only higher than CC but higher than almost everywhere else, on a per capita basis.)
I believe @Hapworth is right to characterize CC as something of a rich kids’ school. Students do seem to have a lot of disposable income for road trips and skiing, which might tend to leave a few lower income students in the lurch on Block Breaks. You’d have many high income classmates at Carleton, too, although it may not always be immediately apparent who’s who at either school. Unless things have changed since I’ve visited either one, you’re likely to see a lot more sweats and thrift shop attire than Lamborghinis and Rolexes on these campuses. Granted, teenagers/twenty-somethings may have better antennae than parents for detecting these differences.
Carleton has the intellectual environment you are seeking. The students are much more collaborative than competitive, don’t take themselves too seriously, and overall are a very friendly bunch.
Go to Carleton. You won’t regret it, especially since you like the location better. The students are serious but very kind and down-to-earth.
Carleton is ranked much higher, which will help with grad school admissions. It is far from a cutthroat environment, laid back, especially if you are not pre-med. FWIW, Pot is legal in Colorado, and their applications have gone up substantially since legalization, so keep in mind what at least some of the applicants intend to do in college.
No bad choice here, but, IMO, a pretty easy one for Carleton based upon your posted criteria.
Good luck!
Reading between the lines, I think you prefer Carleton for all the right reasons for you.
Don’t know CC well, but Carleton is a gem amongst elite LAC’s. BTW, they do have a trimester system…that’s a bit different. It’s generally considered to be more collaborative than competitive, and pretty down to earth, but very smart.
S1 decided to go to a different school, but it was a very tempting choice.
Believe me, there is plenty of weed at Carleton as well, as there is at many college campuses. Apps have gone up everywhere. To claim that CC is seeing more applications due to the legalization of weed is misleading. First, the age of legal consumption in Colorado is 21. Additionally, in the city of Colorado Springs, only medical marijuana is legally sold. Third, although people do partake like any other campus, marijuana usage is against the college rules.
Both are superb schools and there is a lot of overlap in applicants between the two schools. The vibe of the student body is very similar, knowing both schools fairly well having spent time on both campuses. You really can’t make a bad decision. Both student bodies will be plenty intellectually minded. You can get accepted to grad schools by doing well at either place.
Look at the courses at each school, the course structure - block vs trimester, the location, the weather differences, extracurricular options, etc. I wouldn’t base it on rankings. Don’t think block plan courses will be easier. They won’t be. A lot is squeezed into 3.5 weeks.
There’s a lot of similarity between the students but very different structures. Just pick which one you prefer. You can’t go wrong. The two are among my favorite schools.
Will you have a chance to visit both for accepted student days before deciding? I think it would be very helpful in deciding and feeling comfortable with your choice.
I’m a little confused why you want to go to a LAC and follow with a business (I assume MBA) graduate degree. Honestly, get the undergrad business degree and be done with it. And I’m someone who went to Michigan Ross and also have an MBA, and my kids both went to LACs – so I get the benefits of both. I just don’t know why you would spend 4 years doing something unrelated to the career you apparently intend to pursue. It is expensive and time consuming to go back for an MBA that you may not even need.
That said, I think Carleton is definitely a cut above academically, but I don’t think it is cutthroat competitive. The trimester system does keep you on your toes. You have to stay on top of your work.
Yes, I went to the Colorado College student days and it was awesome!
However, from my research on Carleton, I have this gut feeling, warm and deep in my chest. I am visiting Carleton in about a week, so I’ll see if my gut was right?
Wow. What a great resource. Thank you so much!
I’m glad you’re visiting both schools. Report back after your Carleton visit and let us know what you are thinking. Good luck and enjoy!