We just returned from Admitted Students Day at Grinnell. While there, we learned Grinnell experienced a 15% increase in applications this year–to a new record–and its admission rate dropped to approximately 18%. Here’s an article from the student newspaper: http://www.thesandb.com/news/college-receives-record-applications-for-2020.html
Yikes! I think I’m glad my S16 applied EDII. Hope you and your student enjoyed the visit. We are going down on Sunday for round 2 of the Admitted Students day. Even though he’s committed, he wants to meet possible classmates, get more comfortable with the campus attend some classes. I’ve been hearing from some great families on other threads whose kids are headed to central Iowa, so S16 is feeling really good about his choice.
Did your S or D decide to commit to Grinnell?
Yes, my son is now a Grinnellian, Class of 2020. He likes just about everything about Grinnell–the academic programs and flexibility, the options for overseas study, the facilities, the students he has met–and has no problem with living in central Iowa (even though he has spent his entire life on the East Coast). He was fortunate enough to receive a Founder’s Scholarship as well, so the decision was easy. Mom and Dad agree with him that Grinnell is an excellent fit and are very happy with his choice. Grinnell has abundant resources devoted to ensuring a successful and fulfilling undergraduate experience. After the Admitted Students day, we were ready to go back to college ourselves!
My son is still on the fence but headed to Grinnell this weekend. I would love to hear what put Grinnell over the fence for your sons. I think Grinnell is a perfect fit for him but he was looking for 4 years in a bigger city so he is not as convinced.
So, @Mommyesq2020 - How did your S’s visit to Grinnell go? Was he on his own for the visit? I was there, with my S, and he had a great time. He alreay applied ED, but wanted to meet up with other future potential classmates of 2020, and to attend more classes, as he is completely undecided. I know Grinnell is a small town (I am a city girl, myself) but the town is cute and clean, and very accessible to the students, as the campus is right in town.
However 2 things about Grinnell College being in a small town vs. a city: #1 - They have a large entertainment budget, and bring all sorts of musicians, dancers, comedians, speakers, authors, etc, (Plus from all the posters I saw around school, the students provide a lot of performing arts entertainment created by themselves); and all of it is “free” ie. included in the activities fee. #2 - From our Sun & Mon visit we found that the students do indeed take their work very seriously, and spend a good deal of their time on their studies and lab work, etc… So, other than Friday late afternoon, until Sunday afternoon, the students are too busy to do much else.
So remote location can be looked at as an advantage in couple of ways - Most of life is centered around campus life, fostering a well-known strong sense of community among the students, and there are very few distractions, allowing students to stay focused on studies, If your student is on a budget, as mine will be, there just aren’t a lot of things for a student to spend (waste) his or her money on.
One of the hallmarks of a student’s life at Grinnell, and I heard this from both students and administrators, is that they treat the students like adults, not kids, and give them a lot of opportunities, to forge their own paths; but also to take a lot of responsibility for their actions. There are not a lot of rules to follow at Grinnell. If there are problems with academics or behavior, their system is not punitive, and look at it as a health, safety and wellness issue. There was a lot of discussion about mental health and overall wellness, (as studies are very rigorous, and there are other pressures) and students are encouraged to use the free services provided on campus. They have a 24 hour hotline for nights and weekends, as well. So, although there is plenty of support, if you need it, a student is expected to conduct themselves as a young adult, not a kid. There definitely was some concern among parents about the “Self Governance” model at Grinnell, with regard to drinking and illegal drug use, but from everything I’ve heard, the lack of “rules” about it seems to keep kids from sneaking around, and they don’t appear to have a real problem with binge drinking, and other heavy use problems on other campuses. With a small school and this program, the students, whom almost all of them live in the dorms, are responsible to each other for their behavior. It was my impression that, mostly, there is just not a lot of time for “partying,” except on the weekends, as the academic standards are so high.
Also, I would say the talk from the Center for Careers, Life & Service staff (which included a senior student who works in the dept) was really impressive. They have a lot of service and support to give your student, and help them connect with (or find) a ton of opportunities for research, internships, ex-ternships (2 week stints shadowing alumni during spring break), help applying to graduate level studies/med school, etc. I’ve told my S that he needs to start spending time in that little white building on the west side of campus as soon as he settles in, so he gets to know them, and vice versa. They even have a “life coach” who can help a student like my S, who is so undecided regarding what he wants to do with his life. Obviously, his academic advisor will be a large part of this process for my S, as well.
As an example: I met the senior student who interviewed my S last fall, and she said she go her first internship, actually working for the summer at Iowa State, in Ames, as a rising sophomore. She said that even though she was the youngest student working on the research, she had the most experience in working on a project, because she had been given so much opportunity to work on and pursue her own work, in her freshman year at Grinnell. Now, as a Sr, she is finishing up work on a research project that was actually written up in the Washington Post, and is heading off to medical school, feeling completely prepared for the next phase of her life. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-bacteria-fighting-super-element-making-a-return-to-hospitals-copper/2015/09/20/19251704-5beb-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html
And my final note in this long post: My rather reserved and shy S, after his campus visit last fall, felt like Grinnell’s campus culture was one of complete acceptance, no matter where you come from, what you look like, athletic, artsy or geeky, all students are part of one community. He felt comfortable talking to anyone and everyone he met at Grinnell. His visit this weekend just confirmed his fall experience and he now can’t wait to be on-campus in August, and become a true “Grinnellian!”
Grinnell on the President’s Scholarship is a phenonmenal deal. It’s essentially free tuition, correct? There are not a lot of colleges of this caliber that give out that much merit aid. If it had been my D, she would have snapped that up in a nanosecond. Are you also getting any financial aid?