Carleton College
OVERVIEW
Carleton College is an independent liberal arts college in the United States. With about 1,958 undergraduate students and 198 full-time faculty members, it has been viewed as a leading undergraduate institution in the country for long. Among all the liberal arts institutions, it is a leading source of female students to sciences graduate programs, and of undergraduate students to doctorate’s programs as well.
Founded in 1866 as Northfield College by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches, the school is located in Northfield, Minnesota. Its campus is at the northeast edge of Northfield, housing a number of historic buildings such as the Willis Hall and Goodsell Observatory, which are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and other buildings like the Scoville Hall, Gridley Hall, Seccombe House, and so on.
Carleton College offers degrees in bachelor’s program, and combined-degree programs as well. The combined-degree programs include 3-2 engineering programs with Columbia University and Washington University, a 3-2 M.S. program in elementary education with the Bank Street School of Education, and a 3-2 nursing program with Rush University.
The mission of Carleton College is:
The mission of Carleton College is to provide an exceptional undergraduate liberal arts education. In pursuit of this mission, the College is devoted to academic excellence, distinguished by the creative interplay of teaching, learning, and scholarship, and dedicated to our diverse residential community and extensive international engagements.
ACCREDITATION
Carleton College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) since 1913. The most recent accreditation was done in 2009.
ACADEMICS
Carleton College comprises 48 academic departments, from African/African American Studies, American Studies to Theater & Dance, Women’s & Gender Studies.
The most popular majors and course of study for students are as follows:
- Social Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Psychology
Carleton College ranks 6th in the 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings of liberal arts colleges.
Besides the 37 majors and 15 concentrations, students at Carleton College can choose to study Arabic, Hebrew, Judaism, literary and cultural studies, and physical education. For students of grades 5 to 12, the school also offers Minnesota teaching licensure preparation, and the certificates of advanced study in French, Spanish, Russian, German, and classical languages as well.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
SAT or ACT score is required for application. The applicants also need to provide the Common Application, an essay, a secondary school report, transcript, two teacher recommendations, and a high school counselor recommendation.
COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID
The tuitions and fees for the 2011-2012 academic year is USD 42,942. The room and board fee is USD 11,238 or higher.
55.4 of all the full-time undergraduates at Carleton College receive certain type of need-based financial aid after application. The average need-based scholarship is USD 29,471.
