The Basics About Carleton College
Carleton College is a private institution that was founded in 1866. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,009, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 955 acres. It utilizes a trimester-based academic calendar. Carleton College's ranking in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 8. Its tuition and fees are $41,304.
Overview: Carleton College
General Information
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Institutional Control:
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Private
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Year founded:
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1866
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Religious affiliation:
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N/A
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Academic calendar:
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trimester
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Fall 2009 Total number of undergraduates:
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2,009
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Setting:
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rural
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2009 Endowment:
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$517,309,619
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Fall Admissions
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Application deadline:
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1/15
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Application fee:
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$30
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Fall 2009 Acceptance rate:
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30%
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Selectivity:
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most selective
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Expenses
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Costs:
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2010-2011 Tuition and Fees: $41,304
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Student Life at Carleton College
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Carleton College is located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minn. The Carleton Knights have 19 varsity athletic teams competing in the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Carleton offers more than 170 student organizations, many with creative names, including the Carleton Juggling F.I.S.H., the One Knight Stands cabaret troupe, and the Knightingales a cappella group, to name a few. Intramural sports like quidditch, broomball, dodgeball, and sand volleyball are also popular among students. All freshmen are required to live on campus, and about 90 percent of students choose to remain on campus in one of the residence halls, shared interest houses, or campus townhouses.
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Other Facts About Carleton College
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Carleton College offers close to 40 undergraduate majors. The college has many unique traditions, including stealing and periodically displaying a plaster bust of the German poet Friedrich Schiller that dates back to the 1950s. A newer tradition is the "Silent Dance Party" during study days prior to finals when students don headphones and dance together in the library. The Goodsell Observatory on Carleton’s campus houses three historic telescopes as well as several modern telescopes available for classes and open houses. Notable alumni include Anthony Downs, author of An Economic Theory of Democracy, and former Supreme Court Justice Pierce Butler.
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Mission (as provided by the school)
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Carleton College is a small, private liberal arts college located in historic Northfield, Minn., 40 miles south of Minneapolis/Saint Paul. Known for its academic excellence and welcoming campus community, Carleton offers 37 majors and 16 concentrations in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, with recent additions in Environmental Studies and Cinema and Media Studies. Carleton is committed to providing a true liberal arts education, a curriculum that challenges students to learn broadly and think deeply. Carleton's student body is notoriously difficult to categorize, but one word to describe it might be curious. "Carls" are an intellectually insatiable group that approaches learning with enthusiasm and a uniquely Carleton brand of playfulness. Broad-ranging interests are common, and friendships cross all traditional boundaries. Students and alumni say there's just something different about Carleton. Maybe it's the size (fewer than 2,000 students). Or maybe it's the round-the-clock proximity of so many creative minds (90 percent of students live on campus). Whatever the reason, Carleton is a place where students are likelier to cooperate than compete--and where working hard doesn't mean forgetting how to play. The College supports more than 100 different student organizations, features a capella vocal groups, comedy troupes, dance groups and several drama groups. The College sponsors 20 varsity sports, 10 for men and 10 for women, with a club and intramural sports scene that sees nearly 90 percent of the student body partake with a wide spectrum of ability level. Carleton's faculty members are highly respected scholars, researchers, and practitioners in their fields. Every course at Carleton is taught by a professor, not a teaching assistant, in classes small enough to offer individual attention. Carleton students come from 49 states and from 30 other countries. Multicultural students account for about 20 percent of Carleton's students. More than half of all students receive need-based financial aid and 70 percent hold jobs on campus. Carleton leads all undergraduate colleges in the number of its students awarded prestigious National Science Foundation Fellowships for graduate study. The College enrolls more National Merit Scholars than any other small liberal arts college, and has had 18 Rhodes Scholars. Community service is an integral part of the Carleton experience, with more than 600 students involved in the campus volunteer organization, Acting in the Community Together (ACT). More than 70 percent of the student population participates in off-campus studies, at locations around the United States and in countries on every continent except Antarctica. Carleton brings national and international guests to campus as visiting faculty or for weekly convocations, which are free and open to the public. Guests have included astronaut Sally Ride, head of news and politics at YouTube and former Carleton student Steve Grove, entrepreneurs Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, New York Times personal health columnist and best-selling author Jane Brody, Lowell Bergman, a producer/correspondent for the PBS documentary series "Frontline" and contributor to investigative reports to The New York Times, and Carleton alumnus Barrie Osborne, Oscar award winning producer of "The Lord of the Rings." Carleton features an 880-acre Cowling Arboretum ("the Arb") that provides a network of walking, running, and cross-country skiing trails. The Arb was named among the top 10 places to run in the country by Runner's World magazine. The College also has one of the largest undergraduate libraries in the country, as well as two new residence halls, completed in 2009, and built with LEED Gold standards. Carleton graduates can be found in nearly every professional field. Within five years of graduating, 65-70 percent go on to top graduate and professional schools across the nation.
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Applications: Carleton College
Regular Decision
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Application deadline:
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1/15
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Notification date:
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04/15
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Deadline for accepting admissions offers:
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June 1 (Fall)
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Early Decision
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Is an early decision plan offered?
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Yes
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Early decision deadline:
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11/15
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Early decision decision sent by:
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12/15
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Early Action
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Is an early action plan offered?
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No
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Early action deadline:
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N/A
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Early action decision sent by:
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N/A
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Application Fee
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Application fee:
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$30
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Is the application fee refundable?
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No
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Can the application fee be waived for students with financial need?
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Yes
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Is it possible to defer admission?
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Yes
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Application Formats
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Can applications be submitted via E-mail?
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No
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Electronic application URL:
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http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/overview/apply
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Tuition and Room Deposits
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Tuition deposit:
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N/A
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Is the tuition deposit refundable?
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Nonrefundable
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Room deposit:
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$0
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Is the room deposit refundable?
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N/A
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Contact Information
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Admissions director:
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Paul Thiboutot
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Admissions office phone number:
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(507) 222-4190
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Admissions E-mail:
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Requirements and Factors: Carleton College
Admission Requirements
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Admission interview?
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Recommended
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Campus visit?
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Recommended
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Off-campus interviews?
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may be arranged with an admission representative
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Does the school have an open admission policy?
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No
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Does the college use SAT or ACT scores in admissions decisions for first-time, first-year applicants?
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Yes
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Standardized tests?
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Either SAT or ACT required.
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ACT Writing test?
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ACT with writing required
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SAT/ACT scores must be received by:
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02/01
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SAT Subject Test scores must be received by:
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02/01
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High school completion requirement for admissions:
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High school diploma is required and GED is accepted
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General college-preparatory program?
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Recommend
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Academic Factors Used in Admissions Decisions
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Rigor of secondary school record?
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Very Important
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Class rank?
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Very Important
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Academic GPA?
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Very Important
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Standardized test scores?
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Important
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Application essay?
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Important
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Recommendations?
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Important
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Nonacademic Factors Used in Admissions Decisions
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Interview?
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Considered
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Extracurricular activities?
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Important
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Talent/ability?
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Important
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Character/personal qualities?
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Important
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Being a first-generation college student?
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Considered
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Alumni/ae relations?
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Important
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Geographical residence?
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Considered
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State residency?
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Considered
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Religious affiliation/commitment?
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Not Considered
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Race/ethnicity?
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Important
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Volunteer work?
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Important
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Work experience?
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Important
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Level of the applicant's interest?
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Not Considered
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Required High School Course Work
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Recommended High School Course Work
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High school units recommended in English:
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4
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High school units recommended in Foreign languages:
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3
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High school units recommended in Mathematics:
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3
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High school units recommended in Science:
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3
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High school units recommended in Science Labs:
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1
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High school units recommended in Social Studies:
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3
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Entering Class Statistics: Carleton College
Fall 2009 Selectivity
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Selectivity:
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most selective
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Fall 2009 Acceptance rate:
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30%
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Early decision acceptance rate:
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53%
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Early action acceptance rate:
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N/A
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Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students):
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28%
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Fall 2009 Applications, Acceptances, and Enrollments
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Number of applicants:
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4,784
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Number of applicants accepted:
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1,459
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Freshman enrollment for Fall 2009:
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529
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Percent of total enrolled incoming freshmen who been accepted under either early acceptance or early action:
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39%
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Number of male applicants:
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2,084
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Number of male applicants accepted for Fall 2009:
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692
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Male freshman enrollment:
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255
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Number of female applicants:
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2,700
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Number of female applicants accepted Fall 2009:
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767
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Female freshman enrollment:
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274
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Fall 2009 Wait List
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Does the school have a waiting list?
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Yes
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Number of applicants placed on a waiting list:
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N/A
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Number of students on the wait list accepted:
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331
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Number of students enrolled from a waiting list:
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0
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Fall 2009 High School Rank
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Percent of first-year students submitting high school class standing:
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45%
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2009 Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class:
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78%
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2009 Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class:
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96%
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2009 Freshmen in top 50 percent of high school class:
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100%
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Fall 2009 High School GPA
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Percent of first-year students submitting high school GPA:
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N/A
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Average high school GPA:
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N/A
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Fall 2009 Freshmen SAT Scores
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Percent of first-year students submitting SAT scores:
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69%
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SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range:
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660-760
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SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range:
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660-740
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SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range:
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670-750
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SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 700-800 range:
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60%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 600-699 range:
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33%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 500-599 range:
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7%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 400-499 range:
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0.3%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 300-399 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 200-299 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 700-800 range:
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51%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 600-699 range:
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44%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 500-599 range:
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4%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 400-499 range:
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1%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 300-399 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 200-299 range:
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N/A
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Fall 2009 Freshmen ACT Scores
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Percent of first-year students submitting ACT scores:
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59%
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ACT English 25th-75th percentile range:
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N/A
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ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range:
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N/A
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ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range:
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29-33
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 30-36 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 24-29 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 18-23 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores below 6:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 30-36 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 24-29 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 18-23 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores below 6:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 30-36 range:
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67%
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 24-29 range:
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28%
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 18-23 range:
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5%
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores below 6:
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N/A
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Transfer Students: Carleton College
Deadlines
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Terms for which transfer students may apply for admission:
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Fall
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Application date for transfer students:
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March 31 (Fall)
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Admission decision sent:
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May 15 (Fall)
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Deadline for accepting admissions offers:
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June 1 (Fall)
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Requirements
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Do transfer applicants need a minimum number of credits to apply?
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Yes, 36
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Minimum required high school GPA:
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0
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Minimum required college GPA:
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2.0
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High school transcript?
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Required of all
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College transcript?
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Required of all
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Essay/personal statement?
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Required of all
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Admission interview?
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Recommended of all
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Standardized test scores?
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Required of all
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Statement of good standing from prior institution(s)?
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Required of all
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Lowest course grade that may be transferred for credit:
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C-
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Maximum number of credit/courses that may be transferred:
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102 from a two-year school, 102 from a four-year school
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Is there a minimum number of credits needed to complete degree?
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108 credits for a bachelor's degree
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Transfer Student Application and Enrollment Statistics
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Total number of transfer students applying for Fall 2009:
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215
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Total number of transfer students accepted for Fall 2009:
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19
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Total number of transfer students enrolled for Fall 2009:
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10
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International Student Admissions: Carleton College
Deadlines and Requirements
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Application deadline:
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January 15 (Fall)
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Preapplication form required?
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No
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Separate application form required?
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No
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TOEFL
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TOEFL requirement?
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N/A
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May the TOEFL be submitted in place of the SAT or ACT?
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No
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Minimum TOEFL score required (paper test):
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600
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Minimum TOEFL score required (internet test):
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100
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Average TOEFL score (paper test):
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N/A
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Average TOEFL score (internet test):
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N/A
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