<p>I was wondering what the general student body was like, mainly if they were happy, friendly, relaxed and easy going people.
I'm looking for this kind of environment, with people who are easily approachable, easy to talk to, and overall a happy student body.
Also, are the rigorous academics at Carleton too much? Are students constantly stressed, and always studying? I want strong academics, but I don't want them to take up all of my time and energy.
If any Carleton students could answer especially, that would be great</p>
<p>I’ll PM you.</p>
<p>Short answer: Yes!
Long answer: Absolutely. As a freshman, I was astounded by the cheeriness when I got here. When the upperclassmen returned after New Student Week, I was worried that the dynamic would change, but it hardly did. Upperclassmen are very nice and approachable, and the faculty are helpful and easygoing. I only know a handful of unpleasant people here; there is a nearly nonexistant competitive atmosphere, and Carls love helping each other! Frequently, people who don’t know each other or have only met once smile and say hello in passing. It’s a super relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Carleton also boasts the 2nd “happiest” school with a 98% retention rate - everyone wants to be here and loves it here. Even if it can get stressful (we all have bad days). </p>
<p>In terms of the academics, it is a lot of work. But Carleton has a pretty strong policy of “working hard and playing hard,” and it’s rare that someone does nothing but homework. It was still a major adjustment from my rigorous high school, but after I got in a groove and refined my work ethic, it was really reasonable. It IS a lot of reading and writing, but it’s manageable. However, the 10-week term gives you way less time to learn the material, so it goes FAST and falling behind can be a disaster. But as long as you get help if you don’t understand and stay on top of things, you’ll be fine. Some nights I have up to 3 hours or so of extracurriculars and I usually get to bed before midnight. On the weekend, my friends and I will sometimes take trips to the cities or go on movie buses and it’s rare that I have to confine myself to my room because I have so much to do (except during reading days/finals).</p>
<p>I’m not a student but when I visited in October, the friendly student body blew me away. Seriously. Students who found out I was a prospie almost always 1. asked where I was from, lol 2. expressed their love for Carleton (the school spirit was also something I didn’t see at other schools - it left me very impressed) and 3. invited me to their club meeting/performance/the Haunted Arb. It was great going from an area where people are generally not very nice and going to Carleton where students seemed genuinely happy. Seeing this moved Carleton from being my 4th, 5th choice to being my first. ED2!</p>
<p>While you can’t paint everybody with one brush, as a general rule, yes. 95% of the people I know would fit this description.</p>
<p>Agree – we live nearby, and I have known several students who have gone to Carleton. When we talk about what Carleton is like, we say they are “balanced, happy people”. :)</p>
<p>It seems to me that, wherever I go, Carls take a great interest in prospective students. Of course, we fondly call them “prospies” :-)</p>
<p>The trimester system is more fast-paced, but students take only 3 full-credit classes at a time - at least, that is the normal course load. If I did not participate in so many extracurricular activities and work part-time, I would have found a considerable amount of free time in my schedule. There’s no general answer to your question, unfortunately; every student is different! For the most part, Carleton students do show respect and are quite affable.</p>
<p>I’m a sophomore at carleton and I’d say you have to be ready to work really hard…but it’s not impossible…most people are very happy and friendly. Very laid back. If you ever need help with any classes it anything, your classmates are always happy to help you</p>