Varsity sports, intramural sports, just getting some exercise, and everything in between. Ask other parents how sports of many kinds can fit into life at Carleton.
What is the Carleton experience like for varsity athletes? My daughter is considering running xc and track, and we suspect that being part of a team would be wonderful, but she worries that it will demand such a time commitment that she won't have time to explore other interests.
Our older son is a junior on the football team. It has been a fantastic part of his Carleton experience. He has fantastic friendships with teammates from very diverse backgrounds. The level of competition is high and there is definitely a significant time committment. However, coaches are supportive and they are definitely STUDENT athletes. If you need to be late to practice because of a lab or other academic activity it is completely supported. Coaches are proud of their athletes' academic successes and recognize the rigor of Carleton.
Other extracurricular activities are also not only possible but the norm for varsity athletes. Most participate in other sports at the varsity, club or intramural level. Several are musicians (and teammates come to their performances), work in labs (my son does), participate in student government and clubs. The majority have on campus jobs. Study abroad is supported and there were 10(!) of his teammates on his study abroad to London and Seville last quarter.
Without a doubt, the football team has been a vital part of my son's Carleton experience but he has been able to work in a lab, do off campus study and pursue a rigorous pre-med curriculum because of the support and culture of Carleton athletics and coaches.
Hello, My son, Alexander, is a sophomore on the soccer team. It’s a hugely positive part of his college experience. For him, juggling a demanding academic schedule, highly competitive athletic schedule and a fun social calendar keeps him focused and productive. The team is a tight group and they all look out for each other. I would highly recommend getting involved in extra-curricular activities at Carleton. Your student will gain so much from the experience!
We totally agree with Stefanie's and Christianne's comments above. Our son, Luke, is also on the men's soccer team, and it has been a valuable and rewarding part of his college experience. First, it's a great way to meet people and develop a community of friends during the fall of your freshman year. I think that Carleton and its athletic team coaches do an excellent job of striking a balance between the demands and commitment required to be part of a D3 sports team and also manage your academic requirements and have a fun social life as part of the Carleton community. Certainly during the core fall season, it requires discipline and focus to juggle all the competing demands on your schedule, but we feel the players all seem to manage this quite well, and get the needed support from the coaching staff and the larger community. Also, as mentioned above, the 3 term structure allows most all college athletes to study abroad without interfering with their commitments to their team (Luke was also part of the group of athletes and other students who studied in London and Sevilla this past winter term). One thing to note in this regard is that most (maybe all?) team coaches are also faculty members, teach courses and/or lead study abroad programs, which really ties the athletic and academic components of your Carleton experience together quite well. It has been an invaluable, rewarding and important part of Luke's overall Carleton experience and we certainly would encourage any new student to get involved with a sports team and/or other extra-curricular activities at Carleton.
Questions and Comments
What is the Carleton experience like for varsity athletes? My daughter is considering running xc and track, and we suspect that being part of a team would be wonderful, but she worries that it will demand such a time commitment that she won't have time to explore other interests.
Our older son is a junior on the football team. It has been a fantastic part of his Carleton experience. He has fantastic friendships with teammates from very diverse backgrounds. The level of competition is high and there is definitely a significant time committment. However, coaches are supportive and they are definitely STUDENT athletes. If you need to be late to practice because of a lab or other academic activity it is completely supported. Coaches are proud of their athletes' academic successes and recognize the rigor of Carleton.
Other extracurricular activities are also not only possible but the norm for varsity athletes. Most participate in other sports at the varsity, club or intramural level. Several are musicians (and teammates come to their performances), work in labs (my son does), participate in student government and clubs. The majority have on campus jobs. Study abroad is supported and there were 10(!) of his teammates on his study abroad to London and Seville last quarter.
Without a doubt, the football team has been a vital part of my son's Carleton experience but he has been able to work in a lab, do off campus study and pursue a rigorous pre-med curriculum because of the support and culture of Carleton athletics and coaches.
Hello, My son, Alexander, is a sophomore on the soccer team. It’s a hugely positive part of his college experience. For him, juggling a demanding academic schedule, highly competitive athletic schedule and a fun social calendar keeps him focused and productive. The team is a tight group and they all look out for each other. I would highly recommend getting involved in extra-curricular activities at Carleton. Your student will gain so much from the experience!
We totally agree with Stefanie's and Christianne's comments above. Our son, Luke, is also on the men's soccer team, and it has been a valuable and rewarding part of his college experience. First, it's a great way to meet people and develop a community of friends during the fall of your freshman year. I think that Carleton and its athletic team coaches do an excellent job of striking a balance between the demands and commitment required to be part of a D3 sports team and also manage your academic requirements and have a fun social life as part of the Carleton community. Certainly during the core fall season, it requires discipline and focus to juggle all the competing demands on your schedule, but we feel the players all seem to manage this quite well, and get the needed support from the coaching staff and the larger community. Also, as mentioned above, the 3 term structure allows most all college athletes to study abroad without interfering with their commitments to their team (Luke was also part of the group of athletes and other students who studied in London and Sevilla this past winter term). One thing to note in this regard is that most (maybe all?) team coaches are also faculty members, teach courses and/or lead study abroad programs, which really ties the athletic and academic components of your Carleton experience together quite well. It has been an invaluable, rewarding and important part of Luke's overall Carleton experience and we certainly would encourage any new student to get involved with a sports team and/or other extra-curricular activities at Carleton.