About Carleton College. Carleton College in Northfield, MN reports an overall acceptance rate of 20.0%, an early-round acceptance rate of 32.0%, an SAT middle 50% of 1450–1530, a class size of 518, and a yield of 35.0% based on the most recent Common Data Set filings. Elite liberal arts college with the highest rate of PhD production per capita among U.S. colleges. Known for trimester system and exceptionally strong STEM and social science programs.