<p>My son chose Carleton over Grinnell after visiting both, but it was a close call in many ways. They’re both great places where you will work hard and get a great education. </p>
<p>If your parents are with you when you visit, tell them to go wander around by themselves. If they’re not around, you’ll get a better sense of what the students are like. (As we all know, parents are essentially aliens and thus tend to chill conversation among student peers.) </p>
<p>Also, feel free to knock on faculty office doors and strike up conversations, or to encourage your parents to do this. The faculty are generally approachable at both places.</p>