Carleton College is one of the renowned universities in the USA. It is very competitive to get admission to. The acceptance rate of Carleton College is 17.55%. This means that only 18 out of every 100 applicants are admitted.
With one of the lowest acceptance rates in the US, you need to be excellent in every area to get selected. However, since the acceptance rate is not below 10%, you still have a chance if your GPA isn't perfect. You can make up for a GPA deficiency by scoring high on the SAT, ACT, and taking IB or AP courses. Meeting their general GPA and test (SAT/ACT) requirements is crucial, as without them, you won't proceed to the second round of application processing. These requirements act as automatic filters, so meeting them is vital; failing to do so makes your chance of getting in nearly zero.
Additionally, a well-written letter of recommendation, your participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and your interpersonal communication skills can enhance your admission chances.
Carleton College Admission Requirements
Carleton College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of the admitted students at Carleton College is 4.09. It means that Carleton College is very selective in terms of GPA of the students. (Most schools report a weighted GPA, which is out of 4.0. However, some schools may use unweighted GPA. For exact information, contact the school admission staff).
With an average GPA of 4.09, Carleton College requires you to be near the top of your class. You need to score mostly A's in all classes to have good chances of admission. A couple of B's will not hurt you much, but more B's will put you in the lower category of the students. Additionally, you must take AP or IB courses to demonstrate your academic ability. More specifically, your AP and IB courses must be related to the area of your selected course of study. For example, if you are planning a career in engineering or IT, courses related to mathematics, calculus and physics will help you.
If your GPA is less than 4.09 and higher than 3.79 then you need higher SAT or ACT scores to compensate. You need to have a minimum of 3.69 GPA, to secure admission at Carleton College. Below this, chances of admission will be very slim.
Can I Get Into Carleton College Without SAT Or ACT?: Carleton College considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process, but does not require them. Although, it is not strictly a requirement, but the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test for 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. Hence you are required to plan early and appear in upcoming SAT / ACT tests. Check the schedule of test and plan accordingly. It is advisable to appear multiple times in the test unless you score well above the average SAT / ACT score of the admitted students, as given below.
Carleton College SAT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for SAT and ACT testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them. The test score policy is already mentioned.
Carleton College Average SAT Score: 1482
The average SAT score of the admitted students at Carleton College is a 1482 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes it very Competitive for SAT test scores. You need to do very well to score 1482 on SAT
If your score is lower than 1408, you may appear again to improve your score to have better chances of admissions at Carleton College. It is not strange to appear multiple times for SAT to improve scores. Colleges don’t mind if you have appeared multiple times, but not more than 5 times.
SAT 25th Percentile: 1408
SAT 75th Percentile: 1550
It means that if you have scored less than 1408 then you are below the most of the admitted students at Carleton College and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1550 or more, then your chances of admissions are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer score than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of upper 25% of the students. View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1500
Can I get into Carleton College with a 1550 SAT?.
With 1550 SAT Score, your chances of admission at Carleton College are good but the admission staff at Carleton College tests your all round personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores and IP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you could not perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will definitely increase your chances of admissions. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, then your chances of admissions are high.
Carleton College ACT Requirements
The average ACT Score at is 33.
This score makes Carleton College very Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do very well to score 33 on ACT
ACT 25th Percentile: 31
ACT 75th Percentile: 35
Can I get into Carleton College with a 35 ACT?
With 35 ACT Score, your chances of admission at Carleton College are good but the admission staff does not check your ACT Score only. College Admission process tests your all round personality and your academics. your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores and IP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you could not perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission.
SAT Vs ACT: Which score to send
You can compare your scores in SAT and ACT to average SAT and ACT Scores of the admitted students at Carleton College. More importantly, comparing your scores with 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT and ACT scores will give you better understanding of where you stand. If your score in SAT is near to the 75th percentile SAT score, then you must send SAT score. If your ACT score is near to the 75th percentile, then you must send your ACT Score.
But there is more, if both of your scores are in same range, then it is better to send ACT Score, as in case of ACT, you can control which score to send as opposed to SAT.
Here it is how: When sending ACT Score, you can yourself decide which score you want to send to the colleges. You could take 8 ACT tests, and only send your highest one. This is not the case with SAT, where your score report mentions all of your attempts.
View list of all colleges with Average ACT score of 33.Carleton College Profile
Name: Carleton College
City: Northfield
State: Minnesota
Type: Non-Profit Private
Zip: 55057
Campus: Main
Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Does a degree from Carleton College Worth It?
Getting into Carleton College can be a great opportunity for many students. It is a prestigious institution known for its strong programs. However, whether it is worth it depends on your personal and academic goals, as well as your financial situation. Carleton College offers a rigorous academic environment and access to cutting-edge research, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. It's important to consider factors such as cost, location, and specific academic programs when making this decision. Please note that the average household income of the admitted students at Carleton College is USD: 71070.84 and unemployment rate is 3.23%.
How much a degree from Carleton College Cost?The average annual cost of the degree at Carleton College is USD: 77433. As most of the students receive Pell grants and Federal Grant the average annual net price a student has to pay at Carleton College is much less than this.
How can I get a scholarship?
14.18% of the students are receiving Pell grants and 43.87 percent are receiving federal grants. So it is a better choice to go to Carleton College and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At Carleton College, you will have no problem in receiving any scholarship form federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist Carleton College as your choice in the form.
How much a Carleton College Graduate makes?
The average annual salary of the Carleton College graduate after 4-6 year of graduation is USD 70334. An average Carleton College graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4-6 years after graduation).
The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is USD: 36834
Degree Programs
Bachelor Programs
- Archeology
- Area Studies
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Computer Science
- Dance
- Drama/Theatre Arts
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Full list of All degree programs offered by Carleton College.
Data on this page is sourced from IPEDS, College Scorecard, US Department of Education, Institute's official websites and printed material as well as additional publicly available sources.