Anonymous
01/16/2026 16:35
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
If you care about your kid going to an “elite” school, Carleton probably isn’t the right fit. But also, or course, it’s a reach in RD. It rejects 80% of applicants. I could only imagine it being a target for certain applicants in the ED round.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 15:46
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our DD was admitted ED this cycle. Not sure how much of an advantage ED is at Carleton over RD, but we've heard not as much as at other places (Midd, Tufts). Here are her stats:
4.0 unweighted, public school
10 AP's, all 5's + one 4 so far (Spanish)
1530 (770 verbal, 760 math)
EIC school newspaper
Varsity captain of two team sports (not recruited athlete)
Lots of school leadership
No awards other than commended student, AP scholar
No hooks (e.g. national-level EC's, FGLI)
At the moment, she knows five other kids admitted ED this cycle from various publics. Three are recruited athletes.
What is crazy to me is that this would put her at an ivy 20 years ago. Carelton is amazing and congrats to her. I am just shocked as a kid with this provide would be EDing to yale in my HS class, and carelton wouldnt be on the radar. Man times change. You kids seems awesome!
One thing to note is that APs and the SAT are easier today than they were 20 years ago.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 15:10
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:Our DD was admitted ED this cycle. Not sure how much of an advantage ED is at Carleton over RD, but we've heard not as much as at other places (Midd, Tufts). Here are her stats:
4.0 unweighted, public school
10 AP's, all 5's + one 4 so far (Spanish)
1530 (770 verbal, 760 math)
EIC school newspaper
Varsity captain of two team sports (not recruited athlete)
Lots of school leadership
No awards other than commended student, AP scholar
No hooks (e.g. national-level EC's, FGLI)
At the moment, she knows five other kids admitted ED this cycle from various publics. Three are recruited athletes.
What is crazy to me is that this would put her at an ivy 20 years ago. Carelton is amazing and congrats to her. I am just shocked as a kid with this provide would be EDing to yale in my HS class, and carelton wouldnt be on the radar. Man times change. You kids seems awesome!
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:57
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:It's a reach.
Given that they are a small LAC, recruited athletes really skew the admission rate upward. But if you take out the students who are only getting in due to full coach support, the admission rate is very low and definitely makes it a reach for almost everyone (except recruited athletes).
It's a fabulous place so worth applying to! Just be reasonable about expectations.
It has a pretty low yield rate. There’s space.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:53
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:It has the problem of heavily favoring recruited athletes. The popular SLACs really should publish separate admissions rates.
Title says RD. Recruits got in ED.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:41
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
We considered it a reach for our 1560/4.0 student.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:26
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
It has the problem of heavily favoring recruited athletes. The popular SLACs really should publish separate admissions rates.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:14
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:Carleton is one of very few elite schools left that is attainable to high stats no spike unhook kids.
But the other day someone argued that Carleton is a reach in RD, which makes me worried. How so? Its acceptance rate is about 20%, higher than most of the 13s.
What was your DC's experience applying to Carleton?
It’s a reach. They take tons of top tier kids but are also looking for other things. Don’t assume if you have a top tier kid, you will get in.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:14
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Our DD was admitted ED this cycle. Not sure how much of an advantage ED is at Carleton over RD, but we've heard not as much as at other places (Midd, Tufts). Here are her stats:
4.0 unweighted, public school
10 AP's, all 5's + one 4 so far (Spanish)
1530 (770 verbal, 760 math)
EIC school newspaper
Varsity captain of two team sports (not recruited athlete)
Lots of school leadership
No awards other than commended student, AP scholar
No hooks (e.g. national-level EC's, FGLI)
At the moment, she knows five other kids admitted ED this cycle from various publics. Three are recruited athletes.
4.0 unweighted, public school
10 AP's, all 5's + one 4 so far (Spanish)
1530 (770 verbal, 760 math)
EIC school newspaper
Varsity captain of two team sports (not recruited athlete)
Lots of school leadership
No awards other than commended student, AP scholar
No hooks (e.g. national-level EC's, FGLI)
At the moment, she knows five other kids admitted ED this cycle from various publics. Three are recruited athletes.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 14:01
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Of course it is, who wouldn't want to spend 4 years in Northfield, MN :/
Anonymous
01/16/2026 13:57
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
It's a reach.
Given that they are a small LAC, recruited athletes really skew the admission rate upward. But if you take out the students who are only getting in due to full coach support, the admission rate is very low and definitely makes it a reach for almost everyone (except recruited athletes).
It's a fabulous place so worth applying to! Just be reasonable about expectations.
Given that they are a small LAC, recruited athletes really skew the admission rate upward. But if you take out the students who are only getting in due to full coach support, the admission rate is very low and definitely makes it a reach for almost everyone (except recruited athletes).
It's a fabulous place so worth applying to! Just be reasonable about expectations.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 13:54
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
The only thing that matters for you is the Scoir/Naviance data for your school. Other people's experiences at other HSs are irrelevant.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 13:53
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Anonymous wrote:Carleton is one of very few elite schools left that is attainable to high stats no spike unhook kids.
But the other day someone argued that Carleton is a reach in RD, which makes me worried. How so? Its acceptance rate is about 20%, higher than most of the 13s.
What was your DC's experience applying to Carleton?
Because it denies 80% of applicants.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 13:52
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
FWIW, people on that thread were arguing that all schools with under 25% admissions rates are reaches-for-all. If that’s not how you understand the word “reach,” I wouldn’t worry about it.
Anonymous
01/16/2026 13:50
Subject: Carleton - Is it a reach RD?
Carleton is one of very few elite schools left that is attainable to high stats no spike unhook kids.
But the other day someone argued that Carleton is a reach in RD, which makes me worried. How so? Its acceptance rate is about 20%, higher than most of the 13s.
What was your DC's experience applying to Carleton?
But the other day someone argued that Carleton is a reach in RD, which makes me worried. How so? Its acceptance rate is about 20%, higher than most of the 13s.
What was your DC's experience applying to Carleton?