Schools

Carleton Named Friendliest College

The Huffington Post on Thursday called Carleton College the friendliest college in America.

One week after being dubbed the , Carleton College is now considered the friendliest.

The Huffington Post released its list of the nine friendliest colleges on Thursday and took the top spot.

Here's what writer Lindsay Dittman had to say:

Find out what's happening in Northfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Over the years, Carleton students have created a laundry list of bizarre traditions: Seniors in the "Bubble Brigade" blow bubbles on faculty members from the balcony above at every formal Chapel event.

Every Friday, students buy and stuff flowers from the Campus Center into their friends mailboxes. At random, students kidnap and display a plaster bust of the German poet, Friedrich Von Schiller, all over campus and beyond; "Schiller [has flown] on Air Force One, dangled from a helicopter, [been] signed by President Bill Clinton, [and] even made an appearance on Comedy Central's Colbert Report." Every Wednesday of Spring term, the Senior Class travels to a nearby island to celebrate their final term together.

Find out what's happening in Northfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During finals week, frazzled students gather in the library armed with iPods and an hour-long playlist of synched music and proceed to rave silently all over campus. There's nudity ("A word to the wise," Says one student, "If streaking embarrasses you, stay away"). There's Primal Scream. There's Freshman Frisbee Toss. There's ice croquet, tray sledding and Convocations. There's ice sculpting contests and balls galore.

These rituals, exponentially quirkified as they're passed from "Carl" to "Carl," represent one thing: The average Carleton kid shares, "a respect for one another that seems unique to Carleton." According to a student interviewed in America's Best 357 Colleges, everyone is "so friendly, I feel like I'm in Mr. Rogers neighborhood."


Editor's note: The Huffington Post and Patch are both part of The Huffington Post Media Group.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Northfield