<p>I've decided that I must have a guardian angel at the airport because my dad got a bump and now we have a free plane ticket which means(drumroll please)...I get to visit Carleton. Now I'll finally get to see the school which I've heard so many great things about. I'm going in mid-November and have a few questions before I leave. What should I see on campus and in Northfield? Also, I'm guessing it will be cold there already but I was wondering exactly how bad it gets so I know what to pack. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Merna - </p>
<p>Carleton is a great school and you look like a solid candidate. In general, I am not a big fan of ED, though many selective LACs admit a good percentage of the class ED, making RD admission a little tougher and ED a consideration. </p>
<p>I don't believe that Carleton would offer lighter aid packages to ED acceptances though. I do know that the last of their RD acceptances do not tend to get great aid packages, and that ability to pay is a factor for those last RD admits.</p>
<p>While in Northfield, I would get a tour and an interview across town, at St. Olaf. You need a solid safety on your list and St. Olaf would be a safety for you. You might also think about visiting Macalester, which is about 15 minutes from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport (MSP). With Carleton, a very nice opportunity to visit three fine midwestern LACs. </p>
<p>Two other schools that come to mind for you would be Kenyon (solid match) and Bates (match). Dickinson and College of Wooster might be worth investigating as safeties. </p>
<p>In mid-November, you will want a warm jacket, but no need for a down coat and boots. Just check weather.com the day before you go.</p>
<p>I agree with reidm's advice. As far as what to see at Carleton and Northfield, it depends on what you are interested in. Because Carleton is a small school you can easily see most buildings on campus just by doing a little exploring. If there is something in particular you want to see ask your host. I am sure they will be helpful. Downtown Northfield is on the edge of campus and again can be easily explored by just walking down there. The main downtown area is only several blocks long. </p>
<p>The most important thing to do while visting campus is ask questions of the people you see. After that, just relax and enjoy your time at Carleton.</p>
<p>Overnights are fun here and I'm glad you made it work out for you. Hell, I might even be your host (my roommate and I both sign up to host prospies regularly, it's good karma). Anyway, try to see:
-the Dacie Moses cookie house (if you're there on a Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday night you can watch the men's acapella group rehearse there, too)
-the Cave (a student-run coffeehouse/music venue)
-the Rec Center
-several of the residence halls to get a feel for the student housing (I recommend taking a look at Burton for the triples and floor life, Watson for the elevator, Nourse for the general good dormness, Goodhue for the superlounge, and Musser for the writeable hall walls)
-the new reading room in the library with the amazing couches
-both dining halls (ground Burton and the LDC)</p>
<p>In town depending how long you are around maybe get to Chapati, which is a popular Indian restaurant and very delicious. Goodbye Blue Monday is a coffeehouse that is very popular with students and is open until midnight or one pretty much every night. While you're in town St. Olaf is worth a look at, though the student..."culture" there is different. When I was doing college visits last year I did Carleton and Macalester, those seem to go together well. </p>
<p>Warning about the mid-November visit date: what days, specifically? November 15 is the Monday of the last week of classes and then the following weekend is reading and final days, so people will be freaking out and not having as much fun as usual and your experience might not be as great as it otherwise would be. If your host disappears into basement lounges or the library and seems overly stressed, that would be why.</p>
<p>I'm probably going to get into Carleton very late at night on Nov. 10th(Wednesday) and will be staying until early afternoon, Friday the 12th. Wish I could stay longer(a one way plane ticket would be nice, but I have a vague feeling that's not going to happen). Unfortunately, for some reason or other, they don't seem to be hosting overnights on Thursday the 11th. I know its a holiday, Veteran's Day, but I would be very surprised if that's the reason. I guess I'll have to try for an overnight again if I'm accepted. Thanks for the help with where to visit. I've heard a lot about the Dacie Moses house from being obsessive and reading the Carleton traditions site over and over again and it should be fun since I will be there on a Thursday night. Also, I'll almost definitely visit Goodbye Blue Monday and the Cave since due to my caffeine and live music addiction, I know thats probably where I'll be spending a lot of time if I go to Carleton. I'm excited to get my visiting information in the mail to know which classes I will be visiting(all I know now is that it should be something either English or polysci related. Do you know of any classes/professors which are favorites in these areas?).</p>
<p>O by the way, I am probably going to try to visit Mac but I'm also visiting a few schools in Chicago so it depends on time. Did you like Mac when you visited? I've heard a lot of different opinions on it but I've heard its somewhat similar to Carleton. I've had a few people tell me to look at St. Olaf too but I've heard that its not as diverse as Carleton and that the personality of the school is very different so I'm not sure if I will like that but if I have time, maybe I'll visit there too. Also, thanks for the names of the other colleges reidm. I have considered Bates. I love the short term(Anything that involves traveling and taking odd classes is a major plus) and I've also heard that it is very good with finaid.</p>
<p>academically, Carleton and Macalester are both excellent. Maybe give Carleton the edge in English and Math; Mac the edge in International Studies and Poli Sci. Mac has a slightly more activist campus and to my mind, the advantage of a city location. Two really great schools.</p>
<p>Visit St. Olaf if you need a good safety. Superb choral and orchestral music there - solid bio and english. Student body more middle-of-the road and as a group not as intellectual as at Carleton and Macalester.</p>
<p>I visited Carleton recently and was very, very impressed. How did your visit go?</p>
<p>I'm visiting Carleton this Wednesday. Are there any other things you guys think I should be sure to check out while I'm there? Where should I go to get the best feel for the campus? Also, I'll be visitng classes...Black Slaves and White Masters, Williams and Into to Soc, Saiedi. Anything I should know? I just want to make my visit as informative as possible. Thanks.</p>
<p>jedipsohn: Carleton's spring term is just starting on Monday, so for classes you are visiting on Wednesday, that will only be the second day of classes for those ones this term. Carleton classes get going quickly, but you still will be seeing very intro stuff and so the content and class discussions will be different from what you would see if you were here in a few more weeks.</p>
<p>Bring a coat and some good shoes that can handle snow and slush. Chances are you'll be able to see all of campus while you're there, so don't worry about missing anything. Walking into town through the townhouses and onto Division Street might be worthwhile so that you get an idea of what is nearby...there's not much, honestly, and that might not matter to you but is worht noting.</p>
<p>Thanks, I'm wondering if there's anything else to do on campus or in town, we're gonna stay overnight in Minneapolis probably. </p>
<p>also, are we allowed to walk around in the arboretum?</p>
<p>So my friend had this nightmare of a visit at Carleton. I guess she came and her host was like, I'm really sorry, I feel really bad, but I have to write a paper. However, I can send you to swing dancing class! It's really fun and you'll enjoy yourself-but don't dance with the weird kid who looks like [whatever], because he's really creepy. Well of course she gets there, and the only person without a partner is that weird kid. So he dances with her all night. Then he takes her back to her hosts dorm, and she goes to sleep. At 4AM, her host stumbles in, completely drunk, turns on the lights, and is like "OMG! I totally forgot you were here!" and then she had to go back to sleep at wake up at 8 for an interview. Needless to say, she didn't apply.</p>
<p>Carleton's still tied with Middlebury for my first choice though.</p>
<p>That's a pretty bad experience. I visited Carleton this Wednesday and it was POURING rain, but it stopped before the tour and we really enjoyed the visit</p>
<p>My son will visit April 12-13 for an overnight. Yeah, middle of the week but he has no free weekends.</p>
<p>Visiting Carleton? HAH. You're wasting your time, and I pity you (I pity da foo').</p>
<p>***? this is a forum for people who are obviously interested in the school, why WOULDN'T you visit?</p>
<p>I had the same thought, but I guess some people leave it to chance. Not at our house. It's too big of a decision.</p>
<p>I agree completely that this is too big a decision to make without visiting if at all possible. The poster who made the comment about "why visit" has made several comments about Carleton that make it appear that he was not accepted and is taking out his frustration on the boards.</p>
<p>Ah, I see. I wish they would stick to the bitter apples threads, as there are many. I can understand being disappointed, but it's counterproductive on a thread for information and feedback.</p>
<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>Has anybody here visited both Carleton and Grinnell? I would if I could but I'm an int'l. So if anyone can tell me the diff between the 2 campuses and the feel they gave you, I would highly appreciate it. Thanks!!!</p>