Hi Robin... it took me a moment to confirm this, but I can confirm that ALL mattresses students are assigned are Extra Long. If there is a need for something very particular past that, it would be handled through an accommodation request. As the Office of Residential Life relayed to me, this does happen every once in a while, but most every student finds the Twin XL plenty long enough.
Related to the moving-in week, how do flying-distant families do to bring students stuff (ie. limited to suitcases vs a loaded car by a driving-distance family). eg. Shipping large boxes additionally?
Also, is there a summer storage on campus, or well such families need to ship boxes brand and forth every year?
Hi Hiroshi -
We are flying distance as well, and moving was really easy. Starting in August, you can start having packages sent directly to Carleton - so bulky items like a comforter and pillows, fan, etc don't need to travel with you. Everything can be picked up on move-in day. The package center is so well organized!
Carleton does offer some summer storage, but there are also storage units in Northfield that our daughter has rented with friends (cost around $90 per kid). There are enough friends with cars at the end and beginning of the year that we did not fly out to help move stuff - she figured it all out on her own.
Feel free to reach out with more questions!
Elaine (parent '27)
Hello, our daughter will be starting in the fall 2025. We will be coming from Oregon. I would like to get more information about being able to ship things to Carleton starting in August. Who should I reach out to for details?
Hi Tammy -
This website has all the mail service information, including how to address mail and packages for your student - adding class year for incoming freshman is important. Your student will get an email to their Carleton email every time a package is ready for pick up: https://www.carleton.edu/mail/faq/how-should-i-ship-my-personal-belongings-to-carleton/
Understandably, the mail room can't start collecting packages for incoming students now, and they have reduced staff in the summer. I think Carleton tells you when students can start shipping things, but we just kept things in an Amazon cart until they could ship. On move in day, there will be some big carts, etc to help carry things, but we also just made a bunch of trips back and forth across campus to get the boxes. The package center was open the whole day for kids to collect all the boxes they had shipped.
You've got another month before you even start to need beginning to think about it! The student onboarding process begins in mid-May every year and takes a couple months to play out over the course of a few different physical and email interactions (and many form uploads). But housing... good news. It's guaranteed all four years, so your student is set.
I've heard that at some colleges students often like to raise their bed to make room for storage or a desk underneath and that it's helpful to plan in advance to have the necessary supplies ready for move-in day. Is this something that students at Carleton do? And if so, any tips on what to bring? Thanks!
Hi Zoe -
Another DMV parent here! I'll let students answer the winter clothes questions, but I will say that anything you wear in DC in the winter will be absolutely fine through Thanksgiving in Northfield.
Students are not allowed to bring in outside loft kits to raise beds, according to the residential life website, which I'm pasting below. However, the beds do come with notches in the legs so they can be raised about 3 feet. Not high enough for a desk underneath, but high enough to store a lot of stuff under there. I think the majority of students raise their beds to the max.
You don't need any special tools to raise the bed, but just be careful because we did have one person with a head wound on move-in day when the bed slammed down as they were underneath trying to raise it. Fortunately, the bookstore was open to sell Carleton hats which cover all wounds:)
Questions and Comments
Are the beds Twin XL length? Is it possible to get a longer bed for tall students?
Hi Robin... it took me a moment to confirm this, but I can confirm that ALL mattresses students are assigned are Extra Long. If there is a need for something very particular past that, it would be handled through an accommodation request. As the Office of Residential Life relayed to me, this does happen every once in a while, but most every student finds the Twin XL plenty long enough.
Related to the moving-in week, how do flying-distant families do to bring students stuff (ie. limited to suitcases vs a loaded car by a driving-distance family). eg. Shipping large boxes additionally?
Also, is there a summer storage on campus, or well such families need to ship boxes brand and forth every year?
Thank you.
- Hiroshi (California)
Hi Hiroshi -
We are flying distance as well, and moving was really easy. Starting in August, you can start having packages sent directly to Carleton - so bulky items like a comforter and pillows, fan, etc don't need to travel with you. Everything can be picked up on move-in day. The package center is so well organized!
Carleton does offer some summer storage, but there are also storage units in Northfield that our daughter has rented with friends (cost around $90 per kid). There are enough friends with cars at the end and beginning of the year that we did not fly out to help move stuff - she figured it all out on her own.
Feel free to reach out with more questions!
Elaine (parent '27)
Thank you, Elaine, for elaborating in details on this so promptly. Certainly a great reference point for us - very much appreciated!
Hello, our daughter will be starting in the fall 2025. We will be coming from Oregon. I would like to get more information about being able to ship things to Carleton starting in August. Who should I reach out to for details?
Thanks so much, Tammy
Hi Tammy -
This website has all the mail service information, including how to address mail and packages for your student - adding class year for incoming freshman is important. Your student will get an email to their Carleton email every time a package is ready for pick up: https://www.carleton.edu/mail/faq/how-should-i-ship-my-personal-belongings-to-carleton/
Understandably, the mail room can't start collecting packages for incoming students now, and they have reduced staff in the summer. I think Carleton tells you when students can start shipping things, but we just kept things in an Amazon cart until they could ship. On move in day, there will be some big carts, etc to help carry things, but we also just made a bunch of trips back and forth across campus to get the boxes. The package center was open the whole day for kids to collect all the boxes they had shipped.
When do students sign up for housing for Fall ?
Hi Steve,
You've got another month before you even start to need beginning to think about it! The student onboarding process begins in mid-May every year and takes a couple months to play out over the course of a few different physical and email interactions (and many form uploads). But housing... good news. It's guaranteed all four years, so your student is set.
I've heard that at some colleges students often like to raise their bed to make room for storage or a desk underneath and that it's helpful to plan in advance to have the necessary supplies ready for move-in day. Is this something that students at Carleton do? And if so, any tips on what to bring? Thanks!
Hi Zoe -
Another DMV parent here! I'll let students answer the winter clothes questions, but I will say that anything you wear in DC in the winter will be absolutely fine through Thanksgiving in Northfield.
Students are not allowed to bring in outside loft kits to raise beds, according to the residential life website, which I'm pasting below. However, the beds do come with notches in the legs so they can be raised about 3 feet. Not high enough for a desk underneath, but high enough to store a lot of stuff under there. I think the majority of students raise their beds to the max.
You don't need any special tools to raise the bed, but just be careful because we did have one person with a head wound on move-in day when the bed slammed down as they were underneath trying to raise it. Fortunately, the bookstore was open to sell Carleton hats which cover all wounds:)
https://www.carleton.edu/student-housing/faq/#accFAQ_387
Elaine--
Thanks for the advice and for pointing us to the helpful FAQ!
Zoe