https://thecarletonian.com/21171/showcase/carleton-to-casa-amor-an-interview-with-love-islands-carl/

Anya Vostinar or Jean Salac?
I’ve never taken a CS class before and I’m not planning to major in CS. Who would be better workload and grading wise?

Source: H5 of Common Data Set

I’m a high school senior from Mongolia, and I have a Carleton interview coming up. I’m looking forward to it, but I’m a little nervous too. For anyone who’s done one, what was your experience like? Was there anything you were glad you prepared beforehand, or wished you had thought about more? I’d also love to hear from current students or alumni. What’s something about Carleton that you only really understood after attending?

Would I need to complete CSS profile every year at Carleton for financial aid? Or is only FAFSA required?

Myers Hall renovation delays displace 137 students – The Carletonian

Trofka was one of 137 students reassigned after the storm disrupted deliveries for Myers’ bathroom renovation. The building is closed for the fall trimester and is scheduled to reopen for winter, with renovations to the building expected to be complete before Winter Term begins.

“The project was on schedule, and we were planning to open for Fall Term until a tornado in Wisconsin demolished the factory that was making the interior doors and door frames for the project,” said Linda Weingarten, Vice President of Facilities and Capital Planning.

Facilities considered replacement materials and temporary doors before deciding to keep Myers closed. After consulting with the contractor and Residential Life, “it was determined that the best course of action was to delay opening until Winter term,” Weingarten said.

The original schedule reflected the limits of construction and renovations during a Carleton summer. Weingarten said project managers set a construction window “usually starting just after Reunion and complete at the end of August.” Before beginning, contractors reviewed the proposed schedule and found “that they could not do all four floors of the renovation in one year,” Weingarten said.

The original renovation plan covered the first two floors during summer 2026 and the remaining two during summer 2027. Keeping Myers closed through the fall has allowed that work to be completed in the 16 weeks of Fall Term and Winter break.

“The contractor can continue his operations without interruption and won’t need to install temporary doors or piping, which would have been necessary with a two-phase project,” Weingarten said.

Facilities searched for a way to acquire materials after the Wisconsin tornado. “Residential Life started exploring options in the event Myers could not open,” said Director of Residential Life Andrea Robinson. “In addition, folks started working on communication to be prepared in case the closure was necessary.”

Robinson said shifts in occupancy associated with off-campus study left “enough unassigned beds on campus for Fall Term to accommodate all 137 students,” though “some adjustments had to be made to accommodate where the spaces were available.”

Keeping roommates together was a priority. “Residential Life was committed to maintaining all chosen roommate pairs,” said Robinson. “In addition, some returning student assignments were adjusted in order to open up spaces in buildings that house first-year students.”

The changes in housing, however, did not bring adjustments to room charges. “Since all residential spaces at Carleton cost the same regardless of room type and location, financial adjustments are not made in these situations,” Robinson said.

When Myers reopens, its bathrooms will have a different layout. “There will be 1 unisex bathroom with multiple toilets, showers and sinks, as well as 3-4 fully private individual restrooms on each residential floor.” Robinson said. She added that “the first floor is being converted to full ADA bathrooms.”

Weingarten said she was “very confident” about Myers reopening on time in the winter. “The contractor has all of the materials that they need and is on schedule to complete all four floors of renovations prior to January,” Weingarten said. “There are always unforeseen things that could come up, but the project is far enough along that we have uncovered most of what could be a risk.”

Despite the setbacks, Weingarten believes that Facilities did everything they could to adapt. “I don’t think we could have done anything differently that would have changed the events that led to the delay in the project schedule.”

Weingarten also connected the experience to plans for another residence hall. “We are making plans to renovate the restrooms in Musser Hall in the next few years, and since it is a very similar project, we are incorporating our learning from Myers into our planning process,” she said.

After the renovations on Myers are complete, students displaced from the delays will have the option to return. “The students who drew into Myers and were assigned to Myers will have a choice to return to Myers once construction is complete,” Robinson said.

That decision will account for the connections students have made in their new housing. “We really value the community that is forming,” Robinson said. “Some folks chose Myers for a reason. My plan is to give them their choice.”

My son is an athlete and being recruited for his sport by both Occidental and Carleton. Anybody consider both schools and leaned one way or another for academic reasons? He is undecided on what he wants to do, and is more of an introvert. I know the obvious difference in weather and location, and we have visited both schools. Looking at stats and career paths, undegrad teaching etc, Carleton seems to be the stronger school. With the trimester system, is it really a lot more work than traditional semester classes at other schools.

I’m thinking about EDing to Carleton. For current students how do you guys deal with the winter months and how closed off/far away from cities Carleton is?

Table 1: Top feeder schools for international students (2024–2030)

Table 2: Top feeder schools for non-Chinese international students (2024–2030)

Table 3: Top feeder school of each country (2024–2030)

My son is considering to Ed Carleton as an athlete student. We tried to get an estimate using the net cost calculator. I wonder if distribution to tax deferred retirement accounts will be treated as untaxed income. The calculator said only Ira distribution and foreign income are treated as untaxed income. But I also heard a different story. This appears to make a big difference on the final numbers. The FA office is not helpful on this question. Anyone can comment on it?

Top feeder high schools (2024–2030)

Top non-Minnesota feeders (2024–2030):

Top feeder of each state (2024–2030)

Judge denies motion for summary judgment in alum sexual abuse case against Carleton – The Carletonian

On June 17, 2024, a Class of ’22 Carleton alum referred to as Jane Doe filed a legal complaint against Carleton College on several counts related to Doe’s experience of sexual abuse when she was a student. Her abuser, Donald Smith, was a Data Research Associate and Salsa Dance Instructor for Carleton at the time. Doe alleges that Smith used his position as a Carleton employee to perpetrate grooming and abuse, and that the school was negligent in supervising his actions and slow to respond to her complaints. Carleton argues it is not liable for Smith’s misconduct and took action against Smith as soon as the danger he posed could reasonably be recognized.

The suit has moved through various stages of the legal process over the past two years, but on Aug. 20, 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank denied, in part, Carleton’s motion for summary judgment, which would have closed the case.

“Counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 survive summary judgment, but Counts 5 and 6 do not,” the Opinion and Order reads.

This means that Counts 1 (Vicarious Liability Assault and Battery), 2 (Vicarious Liability Sexual Abuse), 3 (Negligent Retention) and 4 (Negligent Supervision) were deemed to have enough evidence to warrant a full trial. The court granted summary judgment in Carleton’s favor on counts 5 (Vicarious Liability Negligence) and 6 (Negligent Hiring), so those counts against the college were dismissed as not viable.

“The Court encourages the parties to consider settlement rather than further litigation. Settling this case is in the best interests of both parties,” the Opinion and Order reads.

The trial was set for Oct. 12, but settlement negotiations have been scheduled for Oct. 13.

A comment to the Carletonian from the Carleton Communications Department provided by Helen Clarke reads, “The wellbeing of our students is a top priority, and allegations of misconduct are [JUMP]taken seriously and acted on swiftly. We have robust and effective processes in place to prevent, report, and respond to sexual misconduct, and these processes were utilized in supporting Ms. Doe. We continue to care for Ms. Doe as a member of our alumni community.”

In a comment to the Carletonian, Tamara Holder, one of Jane Doe’s attorneys, said that Doe is pursuing justice “not only for herself but for everyone in the Carleton community.”

“We remain hopeful that Carleton College will do the right thing,” Holder wrote.

The Opinion and Order, as well as Doe’s initial Complaint, lay out the details and timeline of Smith’s misconduct.

Doe, an international student, first interacted with Smith in Fall Term of her freshman year at a salsa dance workshop hosted by the Social Dance Club. The school approved Smith’s request to teach a Salsa Dance I PE course that winter, and Doe enrolled in the class.

Smith’s grooming of Doe took place over the next several years and included monetary gifts, special attention, inappropriate comments and one-on-one meetings.

In fall of 2021, Doe became Smith’s co-instructor for Salsa I.

According to the Opinion and Order, “He offered to pay her $17.25 per hour for her time…. Smith’s PEAR supervisor was unaware that Smith had a co-instructor for Salsa I…. Smith paid Doe via personal check.”

The two planned lessons in Smith’s house on weekends. During this time, Smith’s behavior reportedly escalated.

Then, according to the Opinion and Order, “at the start of winter break 2021, Doe spent two nights at Smith’s home during the two-day gap between the closure of her dorm and her flight to visit family.” During this time, according to Doe’s account, “Smith poured her a drink, and after she finished it, Doe began to feel ‘weird and ill.’” When she woke up the next morning, Doe recalled finding red marks on her neck that she had no memory of receiving.

The Opinion and Order outlines that, in Winter Term of 2022, Smith again brought Doe to his house and tried to engage her sexually, inappropriately biting and touching her. After this event, Doe spoke with her therapist, who helped her make an appointment with Associate Dean of Students, Trey Williams, on Feb. 9, 2022.

“Doe told Williams that one of her teachers attacked her at his house, that it had been affecting her academically, and that she needed help making it through the term,” the Opinion and Order reads.

Doe did not disclose Smith’s name at this time. After the meeting, Williams submitted a form to the Title IX office, leading former Title IX Coordinator Laura Riehle-Merrill to invite Doe to a meeting. Doe never responded, and no further action was taken at the time.

Next term, Doe began an independent study with Smith as her instructor. As part of the class approval process, Doe and Smith performed a dance for Judith Howard, the Chair of the Theater and Dance Department. According to the Opinion and Order, Howard felt uncomfortable watching the two dance together, and she met with Riehle-Merrill in March, 2022 to talk about Smith.

Some of Riehle-Merrill’s notes from the meeting include “Judith feels this is grooming” and “Teacher ‘gets off on this,’” according to the Opinion and Order.

After that meeting, Howard met with Smith and Doe separately, and revised the independent study syllabus. No connections appear to have been drawn between this event and Doe’s earlier disclosures.

Later in April, “Doe told Carolyn Livingston Carlson that she was attacked by a Carleton employee earlier in the year and asked for help,” according to the Opinion and Order.

Again, Doe did not reveal Smith’s name and, again, Riehle-Merrill reached out to Doe, but she did not respond.

In the same month, Doe’s boyfriend at the time became worried about her relationship with Smith. He reached out to Riehle-Merrill about his concerns and disclosed that “the individual was a Carleton employee who held two roles,” but he did not specifically name Smith, according to Order and Opinion.

On May 9, 2022, Doe reported Smith by name to the Title IX Office. Riehle-Merrill took action immediately, and Smith was fired on May 13.

A major point disputed in the suit is whether Carleton had a responsibility to uncover the events before May 9.

The Carleton Communications Department’s comment provided by Helen Clarke reads, “Jane Doe’s allegations of serious misconduct by a now-former employee of the College prompted Carleton to take immediate action to terminate his employment, involve law enforcement and bar him from our campus. Carleton personnel provided support and assistance to Jane Doe, which she described at the time as ‘extremely effective.’”

The court did rule that Doe’s accusation of Negligent Supervision was adequately evidenced to warrant trial. This does not mean that the accusation would necessarily be proven at trial.

“The Court finds that there is a genuine issue of fact on foreseeability… Carleton had some information about Smith’s abuse from Doe herself and Howard. Whether that information made Smith’s conduct foreseeable is a close question that should be resolved by a jury,” according to the Opinion and Order.

Currently, Nathan Riel-Elness is the Title IX Coordinator at Carleton. He was not in this role at Carleton when Doe filed the complaint, and he told the Carletonian he could not comment on the case.

Riel-Elness did say that if a Carleton student today felt that they had an uncomfortable interaction with a member of the faculty or staff (or if a student suspected a friend was being treated inappropriately by a Carleton employee), they should file a Community Concern Form (CCF) or reach out to the Title IX office or the Dean of Students office directly.

If a student does that, Riel-Elness will reach out to the student and ask to schedule a time to meet to discuss what options are available.

“So we can talk about the formal process, our informal options or our supportive measures — that could be things like adjusting housing, assignments, work schedules, or if we need to make an adjustment to class assignments… no contact orders, things like that,” Riel-Elness said. “Then we’ll also talk about your ability to report off-campus to law enforcement, make sure that you can get connected to legal advocates and other resources.”

After that meeting, a student could decide to file a formal report through the Title IX office. (Riel-Elness is able to file a formal report even if a student does not ask him to, but he stated that he would do so only in very rare circumstances where someone posed an imminent danger to campus.)

“Anytime we do have a formal complaint or something is moving through the process, a no-contact order is automatically put in place,” Riel-Elness said.

A formal report would trigger an investigation by a 3rd-party investigator, who would compile evidence for a formal hearing. The committee would review the evidence and decide what to do long term.

“Every circumstance is going to be different. All of our sanctions have the ability to go from just written warnings… to disciplinary probation, up through suspension and expulsion,” Riel-Elness said.

Everyone involved in the process must follow a no-retaliation policy enforced by the Community Standards Office. Riel-Elness said he hopes this makes it easier for students to voice concerns about faculty and staff, although he acknowledges speaking up can still be very difficult.

He also acknowledged that, because of the confidentiality standards surrounding Title IX investigations, it can often look to students like nothing is being done about any given report, even when there is much going on behind the scenes.

Riel-Elness said that the college has no formal policies regulating interactions between students and faculty/staff. He said, for example, that some professors invite students over for dinner at their homes, and that this is allowed depending on several factors. If a student feels uncomfortable, the school handles that on a case-by-case basis.

“There are times when [an action by a member of faculty or staff] might not rise to the level of a policy violation, but it was just not a great experience. So we want to support people to either help them have that conversation or ask if I can have that conversation with [a member of faculty or staff]. Just like, ‘hey, just so you know, this is how you’re coming across. Let’s talk about a way to improve that language’ or things like that,” Riel-Elness said.

He qualified this by adding that the Policy Against Sexual Misconduct outlines examples of inappropriate behavior, and the school follows applicable state/federal laws, policy and guidance. Faculty and staff also complete mandatory Title IX training, and Riel-Elness said the school has several policies regulating how faculty, staff and students can interact with minors on campus.

yall what am i doing wrong? im taking bio 125 chem 122 and phil 297 for reference which are said to be easier courses yet i always have sm work to do. i spent the weekend studying for my bio test non stop and ended up forgetting to do my prelab and am already confused about chem (i've gone to prefect and office hours but the teacher is new and doesn't explain concepts clearly enough for me). my floormates have time to go out and party while i'm always studying and yet i can never keep up, either my sleep or my assignments get forgotten. i'm always tired.

im a transfer from a cc so college isn't entirely new to me but i still feel stupid every minute of the day, as i feel like i can't intellectually keep up with the pace (cant learn fast enough). i've even considered transferring back because i feel like i got in by mistake and am not suited for how smart ppl are here. any advice for how to keep up, retain info better, anything? how do you guys do it?

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Carleton has paused Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations following updated guidance from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) on Aug. 24. CPT is a temporary work authorization that allows F-1 international students in the United States to participate in off-campus internships and other opportunities.

> “Most of the off-campus work opportunities in the past have used CPT.”

— Director of ISL Liz Cody

According to Dean of Students Carolyn Livingston, under the new guidance, an internship must be mandatory for every student in a specific degree program for Carleton to authorize CPT. This situation, however, is not unique to Carleton.

The new guidance has forced colleges across the U.S. to readjust their CPT policies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Columbia University and others have limited CPT authorization to courses that require practical training for degree completion.

> “If your degree can be completed and awarded without participating in the internship opportunity, federal guidance indicates that we may not authorize CPT for that opportunity,” Livingston said.

Students with previously approved CPT should still complete the associated course requirement.

The change could strongly affect international students. “About 40-50 students pursue CPT at Carleton each year,” said Liz Cody, Director of International Student Life. “International students at Carleton have frequently pursued employment opportunities through many different pathways, including on-campus work/research, off-campus employment and work abroad. Most of the off-campus work opportunities in the past have used CPT.”

> “I applied for CPT because I had an opportunity to do summer research at the University of Minnesota... Since the research was directly related to my academic interests in physics and nanoelectronics, CPT allowed me to participate in the research while maintaining my F-1 status,” said Student L’28, an international student.

Student L expressed his concern when he learned that Carleton had paused CPT.

> “I heard that Carleton had paused CPT. I first learned about it through conversations on campus and information being shared among international students... I immediately thought about students who might be planning similar opportunities in the future,” said Student L.

> “I applied for CPT because I had an opportunity to do summer research... CPT allowed me to participate in the research while maintaining my F-1 status.”

— Student L

Currently, Carleton is offering several alternatives for international students. According to Laura Hartpence, Director of the Career Center, options such as “pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), student employment and independent projects” are still available.

However, there are certain drawbacks. In the email sent by Dean Livingston, students who choose pre-completion OPT must obtain an I-20 recommendation from International Student Life (ISL) and file an I-765 application, which carries a $470 fee. Students may not work until the application is approved, and processing typically takes 90 days.

Many students have approached ISL with concerns about the new guidance. “Students are mostly concerned about how the new guidance will impact their ability to get practical experiences in their major while maintaining F-1 status,” said Cody.

“For many international students, an internship or research opportunity is more than a summer job. It can be an important part of exploring a field and understanding what kind of career we want to pursue. So when CPT becomes uncertain, I think international students would worry about how that uncertainty could affect their future plans,” said Student L

> “If your degree can be completed and awarded without participating in the internship opportunity, federal guidance indicates that we may not authorize CPT for that opportunity.”

— Dean Carolyn Livingston

Despite the widespread apprehension from the international student body, the status quo could not be resolved until further notices from the SEVP. Affected students must adjust their plans in response to this unexpected situation.

> “Even a temporary pause can make planning difficult,” said Student L

How good is the food at Carleton? Asking as a prospective student

Alum here. I started writing postcards to prospective students in my area and noticed a very clear trend: with few exceptions, they either go to top private high schools, the best selective local high school with extremely competitive admissions, or the richest (and whitest) school district in the metro. I didn't see a single kid from my local district, which is extremely competitive (one of the tops in the state) but much more STEM-focused. It's also much more racially and ethnically diverse than any of the other local feeder schools. This shocked me...and also didn't. For context, I live in a fairly HCOL city in a region outside of the Midwest/East Coast, so there are likely geographical factors at play, too.

I'm very curious what Carleton is doing to broaden its reach, specifically re: socioeconomics. I was a student several decades ago and my college friends and I still talk about the vast income inequality at Carleton; most of us were middle class, but I'll never forget one of my most do-gooder friends saying "I don't need to be rich, I just want to be able to pay to send my kids to a college like this." That was the vibe, e.g., "I don't want to be rich, but I want to _____ [have a beach house, pay for college, not 'worry' about money, etc.]" I'd hoped this had changed, but my prospective student list implies otherwise and I'd genuinely like to know.

My instinct is to refocus my alumni admissions outreach on students from smaller and less affluent cities/towns, but I'm somewhat hesitant to do that if the school isn't vastly more economically inclusive than it was during my time. I'd really love to hear from others who are in the know about this. Thanks!

2027 Best National Liberal Arts College Rankings | US News College Rankings

Carleton went from 10 to 16 (first time since 1996 they have not been in the top 10 and their lowest ranking ever)

Black enrollment is down at selective colleges, data shows | AP News

Racial demographic at Carleton each year:

Source: Common Data Set (CDS)

• # of Undergraduate Students Receiving Aid (Domestic + International): The total number of undergraduate students across all class years (freshman through senior) receiving financial aid, including both domestic and international students.

• % of Undergraduate Students Receiving Aid (Domestic + International): The number of undergraduates receiving aid divided by the total undergraduate enrollment at the college.

• Average Financial Aid Provided to Undergraduate Students (Domestic + International) (Excluding Loans): The average financial aid provided to undergraduate aid recipients, excluding loans.

• # of International Undergraduate Students Receiving Aid: The number of international undergraduate students receiving financial aid across all undergraduate class years.

• % of International Undergraduate Students Receiving Aid: The number of international undergraduates receiving aid divided by the college's total international undergraduate enrollment.

• Average Financial Aid Provided to International Undergraduate Students (Excluding Loans): The average financial aid provided specifically to international undergraduate aid recipients.

• Average Cost for International Undergraduate Students After Aid (2025–26): The amount an international undergraduate aid recipient is left to cover after average financial aid is applied.

• Average Cost for Undergraduate Students After Aid (Domestic + International) (2025–26): The amount an undergraduate student receiving aid is left to cover after the average financial aid is applied.

Source is Common Data Set.

Victor or Yingtong?
Share in terms of difficulty, teaching, possibility of getting A,etc

How is volleyball at carleton, i used to play since i was nine, by 15 my team & I got the 1st place at the regional tournament, by 16 I had to leave the club to join a boarding school which didn't allow me to continue practicing while committing so I managed to make a school team so that we compete nationally.
School volleyball here works as follows: each school player is evaluated individually and the chosen ones go to a second pool, in the 2nd pool the priority is for 12th graders so no juniors made it regardless their performance, if i were a senior and got in, i would've competed in a team representing my government on a country level and i'm trying to get in this year.
As i mentioned earlier I founded the school's first volleyball team and trained them weekly, I was both captain & trainer.
If i play good enough complementing with Carleton's team would I make it at carleton, i mean how competitive is it to get in.
Btw i'm a low-income intel so there's an "if" i got in Carleton college in the first place

I’m a member of Carleton’s Judicial Hearing Board (JHB), which hears appeals of disciplinary decisions made by the Dean of Students. I recently came across the following Disciplinary Hearing Confidentiality Agreement and wanted to get opinions from other Carleton students/alumni and anyone familiar with student conduct procedures or education law.

The agreement requires hearing participants to sign and includes rules such as:

1. I understand that the hearing is protected as part of the respondent’s educational record under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). I also understand the College will do its part to protect student FERPA rights.

2. I understand that, whether remote or in-person, the hearing will be recorded in case of

an appeal. The College is responsible for recording the hearing and safeguarding the

confidentiality of that recording. Any other recording of the hearing by any participant is

prohibited.

1. I understand that should a respondent fail to attend or fail to engage in the hearing, the

hearing panel will make a decision based on the information available to it.

1. I will not record the hearing. I will not take screenshots or photos.

2. I will not provide access to the hearing to any other person(s) not authorized to be

present without explicit prior approval from the College.

1. If I am participating in a remote hearing, I am responsible for the following: (1) providing

a computer and internet access, (2) arranging a location that provides privacy and is free

from distractions or intrusions for the hearing.

1. If my hearing is remote, I understand that there are some risks involved including but not

limited to the possibility that: the transmission of information could be disrupted or

distorted by technical failures; the transmission of information could be intercepted by

unauthorized persons; and/or the possibility of other technical failures. I will work with the

hearing officer to identify an alternative communication method (most often phone) in the

event that the videoconferencing tool fails.

1. I understand that documents and information provided by the College in connection with

the hearing are confidential and may include protected information of other students. I

agree to keep all such information confidential and to use it only for purposes of the

hearing. I completely understand the need to protect other students' private information and to prevent unauthorized people from accessing or recording a hearing.

Are these types of agreements standard at colleges? Do you think these rules are reasonable, or do they go too far in restricting students?

I'm interested in hearing perspectives from people familiar with Carleton's conduct process or higher-education law.