<p>THanks everybody!</p>
<p>Read these two stories and had to post. Thought it might best belong in this thread. The question “Why Carleton?” is probably best answered by portraits of graduating Carls like these. </p>
<p>VISCO 'O8 CROSS COUNTRY RUN</p>
<p>[MA</a> runner starts adventure from Baystate to CA | NECN](<a href=“Police: Vt. Teen Involved in Crash Before Going Missing – NECN”>Police: Vt. Teen Involved in Crash Before Going Missing – NECN) </p>
<p>"On Sunday afternoon, March 29, Somerville resident Katie Visco will, at 23 years old, attempt to become the youngest woman on record to start a run across America.</p>
<p>According to reliable figures, only about 170 people have ever run from coast to coast — and out of those 170, only 10 have been women.</p>
<p>An Illinois native, Katie came to the Boston area a year and a half ago to volunteer in the City Year program. Set up to help young people succeed in life despite the odds that many kids have working against them, City Year not only changes the lives of many of the high school kids it serves, it has also proved to be a life-changing experience for many of the young volunteers it attracts from all over the country.</p>
<p>In her work at City Year, Visco met countless young people who lacked both a belief in themselves as well as any hope that they might be able to fulfill their dreams in life.</p>
<p>As a result of witnessing so much hopelessness, Katie came to the conclusion that she should use her dream of running across America to help inspire others to live out their own dreams in life — whatever those might be. As Katie puts it, her run will be all about “empowering people to find their passion, create a plan to embrace it and run toward it fully.”</p>
<p>Visco has been a competitive runner for the last 11 years. During high school, she was on the cross country team. Following that, she ran on the track team at CARLETON COLLEGE in Northfield, Minn., where she was named team captain and graduated with a degree in economics."</p>
<p>SENIOR EDWARD FALK WINS ESTEEMED WATSON FELLOWSHIP</p>
<p>[Carleton</a> College: Carleton News: News: Senior Edward Falk Wins Esteemed Watson Fellowship](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/news/news/?story_id=518761]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/news/news/?story_id=518761)</p>
<p>"Falk is one of only 40 nation-wide winners of the $25,000 award. The mission of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship Program is to offer college graduates of unusual promise a year of independent, purposeful exploration and travel outside of the United States in order to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community, according to the Watson Foundation.</p>
<p>Falk plans to volunteer with the Chaldean patriarch, Fr. Raymond Mousalli, who runs an aid organization for Iraqi refugees. In Egypt, he will be visiting monasteries in the desert, living as a monk for days or weeks at a time, before returning to Cairo to explore the Coptic community. In Tunisia, he will be attending the El Hara Yeshiva on the island of Djerba. The Yeshiva and synagogue are what remain of a once thriving Jewish community in Tunisia, where only 2,000 of 100,000 remain. Lastly, in Morocco he’ll be in the Atlas mountains, learning Berber music."</p>
<p>Why Carleton? That path less chosen obviously can make that great a difference.</p>
<p>I’m from the NOrtheast, so I don’t know that my answer is completely relevant to Carleton vs. the Southern schools, but for me, Carleton’s character and a desire to do something new did it for me. My parents actually lived in Carleton for a year, and when they initially suggested it I had never heard of it. However, everything I have heard about it sounds amazing - from the quirky character to the academic record. I love that it is extremely strong academically, but not cutthroat; it also helps that it seems to be similar to Williams and Amherst, but is more geographically diverse for someone like me who is from New England.</p>
<p>Overall, to conclude my long and rambly passage, Carleton on the whole just seems like a great place to be. I have never, ever heard anyone go on about how much they love a school as I have from Carleton grads - I know 4 of them, and all of them tell me how much they love it and how well-prepared they were. </p>
<p>It also helps, of course, that I’m a recruited athlete and their women’s soccer team made it to DIII Elite 8 this year :)</p>
<p>The best answer I can think of for applying to Carleton in your situation is although as you say you might be able to find “the same thing right up I-35” that school can probably find the “same thing down I-35.” If Carleton is of interest and seems like a decent fit why not? The geographic distance may mean easier admission and spending a few years in a different part of the country can be eye opening from a cultural perspective.</p>
<p>Good answer, IceEx. Ds actually is warming to the idea. We got a calendar that he spent quite a bit of time with. He said, “Mom, I’m a big fan of this calendar. But Carleton is in Minn-e-so-ta.” 
And it helps two kids in this year’s senior class got in (don’t know whether they’re going) and a good friend is looking at it, too.</p>
<p>Willamette has a Watson too “…will spend the next year meeting women on four continents, courtesy of the prestigious and unconventional Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.”
[SAGA</a> – 2008 National Scholarship Winners – Willamette University](<a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/dept/saga/national/scholars/2008/index.html]SAGA”>http://www.willamette.edu/dept/saga/national/scholars/2008/index.html)</p>
<p>“Carleton Alumna Completes Run Across America”</p>
<p>December 30, 2009 at 12:49 pm</p>
<p>SAN DIEGO – Carleton College alumna Katie Visco 07 is believed to be the youngest woman to run across America, having concluded her nine-month, 3,132-mile cross-country journey when she ran barefoot into the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 29.</p>
<p>[Carleton</a> College: Varsity Athletics: Carleton Alumna Completes Run Across America](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/athletics/?story_id=518223]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/athletics/?story_id=518223)</p>
<p>I saw this was bumped. Just thought I’d let everyone know ds did decide to apply, and Carleton is in his top three. Even his dad is sold after attending a local reception hosted by another Carleton family. I guess we’ll see what happens in a couple more months!</p>
<p>Good luck to your son, YDS!</p>
<p>YDS – I’m glad to hear your S applied! We attended a holiday reception of the local Carleton Alumni Association. I was very surprised there was such a group here! We were able to meet several recent and not-so-recent grads. (The hostess was a member of the Class of 1960!) One of the Carls brought a friend who graduated last year from Grinnell, so it was a bonus to be able to learn first-hand about both schools.</p>
<p>I dread, for my son, the decision he will have to make in April if he is admitted to both of these wonderful schools, among others. :)</p>
<p>Good luck to your S!</p>
<p>^^^
And yet, that would be a very nice problem to have!:)</p>
<p>UPDATE: While looking for something else, I ran across this old thread I started 18 months ago. My son is Carleton Class of 2014! Guess y’all did a good job of answering my question. Now, about those winter jackets …</p>
<p>So, YDS…Why Carleton?</p>
<p>Yay! I’m happy to have him as my future classmate :)</p>
<p>Descartesz, how much time do you have? ;)</p>
<p>Ds’s only two requirements for a school were strong academics and a strong sense of community. At the time of his revisit, he had it narrowed down to two schools: Carleton and a large state uni. He thought he could get a good education either place, so then it was down to what kind of community he wanted – big-time athletics, rah-rah atmosphere or the kind of community created by a smaller student body, smaller classes, relationshps with profs. In my heart, I always thought he should be at a LAC, but I could see the many advantages of the state uni. </p>
<p>On ds’s revisit this April (his first while school was in session), he just had a great time. At one of the other LACs that had been at the top of his list he felt like the student body wasn’t diverse and was kind of polarized, but the group he met at Carleton was so warm and welcoming. He liked the classes he sat in on, the weather was deceptively beautiful – it was just a great visit. Meanwhile, I was having a great time on my own. Because this was my first visit, I did the official tour and info session, ate by myself in Burton and absolutely could picture him there. We already had an extensive visit planned at the state uni the next day, but we both knew that there was almost nothing it could have done at that point to sway him.</p>
<p>But to address why he’s going to a college more than 1,000 miles away – I told him that never in his life will he have the opportunity to have a true adventure so unencumbered – no kids, wife, job, mortgage – and have someone willing to pay for it, thanks to merit and financial aid. It’s four years, not a lifetime. While academically a LAC is in his comfort zone, being far from home in a different climate and culture will be out of his comfort zone, but how fun will that be (he wants to learn to ice skate, lol)? Other factors: Carleton being DIII, he can perhaps play his sport, which totally appeals to him. Also, he’s tired of the heat down here and is willing to role the dice on the cold.</p>
<p>All in all, it just felt right. :)</p>
<p>Sounds like you’re both happy. Congratulations and good luck to him and welcome to MN (from a Twin Citian).</p>
<p>Hi guys, I’m a possible recruited athelete at Carleton, and I’m wondering how well Carleton does with financial aid? Thanks.</p>
<p>It is aaaaamazing with AID, I think around 60% of theeir aid are grants, and the rest are work studies, loans, and scholarships.</p>
<p>As a parent, “amazing with AID” is encouraging. D leaves for their 3 week summer writing program day after tomorrow. This school sounds amazing. So excited for her! :)</p>