The value of a Carthage education can’t be summed up in percentage points or statistics. But the following quick facts will give you a quick look at what a Carthage education is all about.

The Basics

• Founded in 1847. (Read more about Carthage’s rich history)
• More than 80 acres campus on the shore of Lake Michigan. (Read more about our location)
• 2,600 full-time undergraduate students.
• 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. (Read more about our faculty)
• 120+ student organizations. (Read more about student orgs)
• Named a Best Midwestern College by The Princeton Review (2019), a designation given to only 25 percent of four-year schools.
• Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1916. (Read more about accreditation)

Academics and Outcomes

• Majors, minors, and concentrations in more than 50 areas of study. (See all areas of study)
• Professors, not teaching assistants, teach all classes. (Read more about our faculty)
• 90% of Carthage professors have the highest degrees in their fields. (Read more about our faculty)
• Average class size is just 17 students. (See course schedules)
• Curriculum designed to cultivate critical thinking and provide hands-on learning. (See the Carthage Plan)
• Monthlong J-Term for travel abroad and in-depth study. (Read about J-Term)
• Ranked No. 5 nationally for student participation in short-term study abroad. (Read why)
• Named a top producer of Fulbright Fellows three years running. (Read about Carthage Fulbright winners)
• Within six months of graduation, 90 percent of alumni report landing a satisfying career position or enrollment in graduate school.

Lakefront Campus

• Arboretum located on the shore of Lake Michigan. (Read more about our location)
• More than $200 million invested in campus facilities in recent years. (See our facilities)
• New Science Center contains a dozen new labs, gathering spaces outside classrooms and faculty offices, and an outdoor classroom overlooking the lake.
• The new Campbell Student Union offers four dining options, a theatre, convenience store, pool tables, and a gaming wall.
• Tarble Arena seats nearly 2,400 for basketball and volleyball games, concerts, and other special events.
• Award-winning Hedberg Library includes a café offering bagels and smoothies.
• N.E. Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center has a pool, indoor rock-climbing wall, and more.
• A.W. Clausen Center for World Business features classrooms designed to enable lively discussion, a boardroom for student presentations, and a Starbucks.
• Within an hour’s drive of both Milwaukee and Chicago. (Read more about area attractions)
• Carthage in Chicago program provides option to live, intern, and take classes in a city of 2.7 million.

Enrollment, Admissions, and Financial Aid

• In 2018, 8,124 high school students applied for 760 positions in the freshman class.
• More than 90 percent of students receive financial aid. (FAFSA code: 003839)
• Carthage awards more than $1.5 million annually in competitive scholarships. (See a full list of scholarships)
• Average high school GPA for Fall 2018 freshman applicants: 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
• Average ACT composite score: 24 for Fall 2018 freshmen.
• Middle 50 percent of ACT scores: 21-27.
• More than 50% of entering students are in the top 20% of their class.
• In Fall 2018, Carthage welcomed its most racially diverse class ever; 28% of incoming students came from historically underrepresented minorities. 
• Approximately 26% of Carthage’s student body self-identified as American Indian, Asian, black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, or multiracial in 2018.
• Competitive scholarships in language, business, fine arts, math, and science. (See a full list of scholarships)
• Request information
• Apply online
• Visit the Admissions website
• Check out our online viewbook

Athletics

• 24 NCAA Division III sports. (Visit the Athletics website)
• Teams or individuals in eight spring sports qualified for NCAA postseason competition in 2015.
• Men’s sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
• Women’s sports: basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and water polo.
• About one-third of Carthage students are involved in varsity intercollegiate athletics, and another one-third participate in intramurals and club sports offered here (men’s and women’s bowling, soccer, and co-ed ice hockey).

Student Life

• More than 120 student organizations on campus.
• Through the Carthage Activities Board (CAB), students pick, plan, and promote weekly campus events from movies, to musicians and bands, to comedians.
• Carthage has 16 active sororities and fraternities and about 20 percent of students are involved in a Greek social organization.
• 70 percent of students live on campus in residence halls and campus apartments; full-time undergraduate students are required to live on campus until their senior year.
• The Tower Residence Hall is Carthage’s newest housing option. Its eight stories offer single and double rooms, semi-private bathrooms, and two floors of common space.
• The Center for Faith and Spirituality welcomes those of all faith journeys. Weekly chapel services rooted in the Lutheran tradition and Catholic Mass are offered, along with interfaith discussions.