STUPID QUESTION. can I get into Carleton with 30?

bingle
Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:28:02 +0000

Not stupid at all - it’s great to get a realistic assessment so you don’t either sell yourself short or set yourself up for disappointment.

1 in 3 students went to Carleton with below a 30 ACT (from '07-08 CDS) and Carleton does not put all it’s weight on a single test:) Geography is considered (so international will help a bit). You don’t say what your courseload has been, but if you’ve taken a rigorous schedule (some honors and APs where available) then your good grades and recs will be a strong plus in demonstrating that the test isn’t the whole story. Rigor of hs record and gpa are considered very important, recs, essay, and ECs are important.

With the economic situation, places like Carleton with minimal merit aid may have a decline in apps, so acceptance rate may be a bit higher next year. And not needing FA may help, depending on where in the process they have to shift from need-blind to need-sensitive (a few years ago they shifted from 100% need blind to 85%).

So bottom line, if Carleton is a clear first choice, then definitely apply ED.