<p>Any reports from visits this weekend?</p>
<p>D arrived home a few hours ago from visiting Carleton. It was her first and only visit. She also made her first and only visit to Grinnell this past week. Neither my wife or I have ever visited either. D claims to be as undecided as she was before she made the trip. She is also considering Bryn Mawr. Since finding out on April 1st what her options are, she has only eliminated the two instate schools, having decided she definitely prefers a LAC.</p>
<p>She enjoyed her visit to Carleton and thought that her student host and the entire school did a good job. D is not big on attending classes on visits, but she enjoyed both the music and physics classes she sat in on. When I asked her what she particularly liked about Carleton, she said the climbing wall and the arboretum. Needless to say, I told her that I didn't think she should decide where she decides to attend based on the climbing wall (or even the whole rec center). She said the weather, when asked if there was anything she had concerns about at Carleton. When I asked her what she thought was most different about Carleton and Grinnell, she said it seemed that more people smoked tobacco at Grinnell and that, based on the students she met at each, maybe the Carleton students were more academically focussed. </p>
<p>My wife and I had hoped that after she visited all three schools, one of them would emerge as the favorite. No such luck.</p>
<p>i attended.</p>
<p>it was definitely a good experience that not only showed carleton's true spirit as a top lib arts school, but also made me seriously reconsider my choices. </p>
<p>the dinner thursday night was good, although it was definitely set out to impress parents. the food on friday night was atrocious. burton dining hall seems to be the crappier one. </p>
<p>there was a stand up comedy show, an ebony dance show, and afterwards a battle of the bands and several parties that night.</p>
<p>betweenschools: How was the ebony dance show? My soph D was in that - I think the kids look forward to it every spring. Haven't heard a report from her yet.</p>
<p>ebony dance show was really good - from what i've heard. the comedy show was at the same time was ebony so i wasn't there.</p>
<p>Yeah, Burton is certainly the crappier dining hall, although the people who live on the west side freshman year usually end up in love with it for whatever reason. I thought there were plans to refurbish it at some point, but I have no idea when or if that would happen.</p>
<p>I visited in early April. Can't say I was THAT impressed but my host and her friends were super nice. I attended some classes and have to say I was a little disappointed. Most of the stuff they were learning in 2nd year I learned this past year.
The weather wasn't too bad, slightly cold but nothing unbearable.
From what I gathered, the school spirit was ok but it seemed like the students really wanted to show they were unique in a non-genuine way...hard to explain I guess. From what I hear there is quite a party life outside the sub free dorms...which I guess can be a good thing or not. For me not.
The town is really small if you're coming from a big city. I felt extremely isolated. Every time I phoned my parents I kept saying the same thing "I feel sooooo isolated". But I guess that depends where you grow up.
I attended a wind ensemble rehearsal and I really wasn't impressed. They were playing stuff that my school's senior band plays. I expected more quality or challenge to come from a college.
Anyway, that's my report hope it helped.</p>
<p>music_uofter, if your screenname is any indication, Carleton is prolly not a great fit for you anyway as music is not its noted strength. Did you look across town at St Olafs?</p>
<p>I was just giving my overall impression of the school. Obviously it wasn't a fit for me for many reasons. I was just trying to help by giving my overall impressions.</p>
<p>I also attended, and yes, I am an early decision student, so anything they did couldn't shoo me away. But in general most of the students seemed quite friendly, and that was one thing that drew me to the school. I have friends there and they have all also told me Burton is the inferior of the two dining halls. After eating in both over that weekend, I agree.</p>
<p>Finally, Ebony was amazing. I can see why students look forward to it. Kids in it looked like they were having a blast and I had a great time watching all the dance numbers. I'll probably try and do it next year when I'm there.</p>
<p>clouded sky: Go for it! My soph D performed this year for the first time and had a GREAT time. She has no dance training, and in fact, had never really been on stage for anything in her life. There were many, many practices, and she reports all were fun, fun, fun. She had is planning on participating in each from now on. So jump right in there as a frosh!</p>