Carleton College - Academics

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

The professors here get to know their students. They know their stuff, and they’re passionate about their work. This can lead to impossible homework assignments and endless amounts of papers, but there’s a reason for all of it. The professors never cease to challenge or lower their expectations for any of their students. Classes are rarely all lectures; they usually revolve around group discussion.

Carleton is a liberal arts college, so there are a lot of requirements in each field. Students must have a core of three math and science, two arts and literature, two humanities, three social sciences, and four physical education classes, as well as fulfilling the language requirement, completing a writing portfolio, and finishing your major with a comprehensive exam/paper senior year. This schedule gives students a balanced schedule. Parents often scratch their heads wondering why their pre-med daughter is learning about Miles Davis. But trust me: Carleton is not a walk in the park. Does baseball statistics sound easy to you? Answer that after your first four-hour assignment using a complicated program to prove why Jack Morris belongs in the Hall of Fame. Needless to say, you’ll be challenged at Carleton, but you’ll also have fun—even if you average more than one all-nighter a week.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

The classes are fantastic. I’ve... The classes are fantastic. I’ve never had a class with more than 50 students, and most are under 20. The small class size promotes good discussion and encourages participation. They’re amazing. The professors here are just as interested in the students they educate as they are in the subjects they teach. To describe them: honest, dedicated, accommodating, supportive, intelligent, and pleasant. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

If the classes are big, then the... If the classes are big, then the profs are boring. The bigger the class, the less personal the prof is. Also, no professor really wants to teach intro classes. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

The teachers on the whole are... The teachers on the whole are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fair. There are of course some bad apples in each department. You just have to pick your classes around them. The classes are usually interesting, but it’s really your fault if you sign up for a class and are bored. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

Professors here are wonderful. I... Professors here are wonderful. I can’t think of any professors that I’ve had who aren’t welcoming. They’ll help you outside of the class if you need it—they always make time for students. Classes for the most part are interesting. It always depends on your personal preferences. However, if you do have a class you don’t particularly enjoy, it’s likely to get overshadowed in your mind by other classes you adore. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

While I struggled during my... While I struggled during my freshman and sophomore years to find those small liberal arts professor-student relationships you expect coming into the school, in the last year or so things have really started to come together. Meaning, if you seek a closer relationship with a professor, it’s definitely there. Small things like spending more time in office hours can go a long way. I’ve found professors are happy to get on tangents with you; they want to hear that you’re thinking about their class and struggling with reading and/or your thesis for the upcoming paper. They’re eager to get to know you better, but you generally need to make the first move. Someone in my house spent the other day driving around Northfield all afternoon with a professor who had just come from Tanzania so he could get his drivers license. 12345 Academics Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Carleton runs a trimester system instead of the traditional semester system. The advantages are that terms are only ten weeks long and students are expected to take no more than three classes a term. There is a ten-week break between Fall and Winter Term, giving a nice respite from Minnesota winters, and a two-week break between Winter and Spring Term. The downside is professors try to cram a semester’s worth of work into their classes and Spring Term does not let out until June.

Carleton offers concentrations instead of minors. They run from Educational Studies to Media Studies to Archaeology.

Sixty-six percent of Carls study abroad. The college has off-campus programs in London, Paris, Italy, and New Zealand, to name a few. Students can also directly enroll in foreign universities and receive Carleton credit.

Carleton is often referred to as the Harvard of the Midwest.

Every Friday, Carleton holds Convocation in the Chapel and brings in prestigious guest speakers. In the past couple of years, Convocations have hosted Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s, Fay Vincent, Dr. Drew Pinsky, and Terry Gross, just to name a few.

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