Why (I Chose) Carleton?

Happy late Halloween! As a recent high school senior myself, I know exactly what this means for college applicants: it’s Early Action and Early Decision deadlines! (Just in case you forgot, Carleton’s ED deadline is on Nov. 15th! There aren’t a lot of supplements to write, so you’ve still got enough time!)

I have many friends who are going through this overwhelming process right now, and I just want to share a bit about why I chose to apply and enroll in Carleton. Everyone has their unique views and opinions, I totally understand and respect that. I just want to share my personal experience, and maybe can inspire some people that are still unsure of what they want out of their college experience and why they really should consider Carleton.

Liberal Arts Education with Outstanding STEM Academics

Early on in my college search, I knew I wanted two things the most: 1) A Liberal Arts College, so I can take many classes outside of my major and receive a well-rounded education, and 2) a school with strong STEM, especially natural science academics, since I knew it is what I want to pursue the most.

Luckily for me, Carleton matches perfectly in those descriptions. As a elite Liberal Arts College, Carleton has truly outstanding programs in areas like Chemistry and Environmental Studies that I am most likely to study in, and the newly constructed science building, Anderson Hall, is a fantastic place for studying and researching. And of course, there are a lot of resources for all my interests and needs available on campus, just like how I explained in this earlier post.

Comfortable Distance to Big Cities

Location is really a key factor when deciding colleges. I know for a fact that I did not want a school that’s in the heart of a city. Coming from Beijing, one of the largest and busiest cities in the world, I want a quieter, less crowded and less overwhelming place for my college experience. Once again, Carleton matches my expectations perfectly, Only 45 minutes away from the MSP international Airport and 1 hour from both downtowns of the twin cities, Carleton is a great place to focus on studying during the week, yet very convenient to have fun in the cities during weekends, just like I did in my last post.

Amazing Off Campus Study Programs

It is true that most of Carleton Students will go on at least one Off Campus Study (OCS) Program during their time at Carleton. In fact, all non-first-year-students that I have talked to are all planning on going or have gone on an OCS program. Personally, I am most excited for the Sport and Globalization in London and Seville Program that is offered every other year. Taking classes while watching English Primer League and La Liga? How wonderful can that be?

Amazing People

I wasn’t sure about whether Carleton was THE one until I visited the summer before my senior year. Everyone is so nice, the teachers are all so passionate in teaching, the students are so eager to learn and collaborate, and the town of Northfield is fantastic as well. It just clicked when I was here. If you haven’t already, you should find some time and visit Carleton, it will be well worth it. It is ultimately the people here that made me decide to apply as an Early Decision applicant and enroll at Carleton.

There are a lot more reasons why you should apply to Carleton, but I think I have shared my most important reasons. In the end, I just want to wish everyone applying to colleges the best of luck! I sincerely hope you can all enroll in the school that best fits you! And don’t over-stress yourself! Everything will work out for you! Good luck!

Ethan is a first-year international student from Beijing, China, and is exited to embrace the environment and winter in Minnesota. Ethan is a huge soccer fan as he watches and plays it as often as he listens to music, especially a cappella music by Pentatonix and other artists. Although his passions in Environmental Studies and Chemistry flow through his veins, Ethan is thrilled to explore other areas like Music and Computer Science in his time at Carleton. Meet the Other Bloggers!