<p>Let me clarify jack63. First of all, yes, Carleton does have an interview process. However, as an alumni volunteer I can also tell you that it plays a pretty minimal role in the admissions process (the admissions staff will tell you the same about their on-campus interviews) and is primarily used as a way for students to learn more about Carleton and find out if it is a good fit for them (i.e. it is more a recruitment tool than an assessment tool). </p>
<p>And yes, I’m sure you are correct that the admissions office pays close attention to “red flags” in the essay or elsewhere in the application. And note that I never claimed Carleton doesn’t consider “fit,” as I’m quite certain they do. HOWEVER, “fit” and “demonstrated interest” are not at all the same thing. A student who has never seen the campus or talked to an alumnus can be a better fit than one who visits twice and emails 3 different admissions counselors. </p>
<p>Does demonstrating the qualities that make you a good match for Carleton (through your essay, recs, etc) improve your chance for admission? I certainly expect so. But does visiting improve your chances? Does writing a thank you note improve your chances? According to the admissions staff, the answer is no. And while this seems surprising, it makes sense to me given Carleton’s (and most colleges’) desire to have a geographically and socioeconomically diverse student body. Giving students who visit an advantage would mean favoring students with greater means or who live near the school. Putting a great deal of weight in “demonstrated interest” would favor those students who attend private schools and get a great deal of information and advice from their counselors (and put many 1st generation students, or students who don’t have the same access to this type of counseling and resources at a disadvantage).</p>