<p>I just was accepted at both schools and the out-of-pocket costs are very similar, and honestly I'm torn. I love them both, so hopefully y'all will be able to give me some advice! :D</p>
<p>1) I don't care about rankings, average scores, acceptance rates, etc. so don't tell me to go to Grinnell because it's harder.</p>
<p>2) I want to major in government and minor in French, and eventually I'm hoping to go to law school in California or New York. </p>
<p>3) I play (and want to continue playing) piano, not necessarily in an ensemble but just in general. Also, I want to continue with theater/vocals, as I've been in a couple of plays and like to sing in musicals.</p>
<p>4) My personality is generally main-stream, but I've got a bit of an artsy taste in music, books, and films, and my sense of humor is somewhat...strange. But not that strange. Just, you know, more Will Ferrell / Tina Fey instead of Adam Sandler / Jim Carrey.</p>
<p>I'm a female from Illinois, btdubs. Not that it matters that much in this.
Any information on these colleges would be MUCH appreciated!</p>
<p>F&M has an excellent political science program. I personally would prefer Grinnell for the student culture but that’s all a matter of personal preference.</p>
<p>do an overnight at each if you can. My S is a first-year at Grinnell, and he tried to figure out his decision with a spreadsheet for his acceptances, but it came down to where he felt most at home.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help! I have done an overnight at Grinnell, and I loved the students there. They’re just like me! But whenever I’m at F&M, I just feel so comfortable. And therein lies my problem, haha.</p>
<p>I have to be honest - I don’t think there is a real comparison. I think it’s Grinnell, hands down. Grinnell has a national reputation as a top LAC. F&M is very much a regional school.</p>
<p>How many times have you visited F&M? My D also loved F&M during her first visit and had it at the top of her list until her second visit. Although F&M does not have a formal overnight program, D made arrangements with one of the tour guides to stay in her dorm for an evening and she also made arrangements to attended a class. She really liked her overnight host but did not have the greatest “vibe” after her extended visit and it was dropped from her top spot. Her best friend is an F&M student and she did not like it until she joined a sorority. The social life turns some students off. It does have a great reputation for their Political Science program and is considered academically strong. Just make sure you are comfortable with the social life.</p>
<p>Grinnell has a superior overall academic reputation but I don’t know anything about their social life or Political Science department. Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>I admit to a strong bias in favor of Grinnell: Check out the Grinnell-in-Washington semester which includes an internship in DC - sounds right up your alley. The financial resources associated with Grinnell’s massive endowment mean that the class sizes are smaller (none bigger than 30, even intro classes), the facilities are awesome (the sports facilities alone are palatial), the food is excellent, the money available to support student activities is plentiful, and yes, the theater complex (three stages each designed for different kinds of performances) is architecturally beautiful and huge. there are several a cappella groups and choirs. All activities on campus are free to students and open to the public (a good town/gown relationship is important to the admin). The lack of distribution requirements and the lack of frats/sororities were both appealing to my S. And the mentoring from faculty has been extraordinary. He also loves the unpretentious, understated, and individualistic student body.</p>
<p>Downside? The weather is bitter cold in the winter compared to F&M. And definitely rural - you have to be okay with being an hour from a city (although the town of Grinnell is adjacent to the campus.)</p>
<p>I think you should try to visit both and then decide.</p>
<p>I would probably choose Grinnell b/c I like it’s clearly articulated social mission and the graduates I have met have been uniformly impressive and interesting.</p>
<p>Characteristics of the colleges themselves are obviously paramount, but FWIW:</p>
<p>You can easily get back & forth from home to Grinnell by car, which will facilitate likelihood and expense of getting home occasionally. On the other hand, if you’d rather wind up in the east, or would like to check out that area of the country during college years, being at Franklin & Marshall may help facilitate that transition somewhat.</p>
<p>The Chicago alumni group of Franklin & Marshall claims 300 members, That’s more than I would have thought. On the other hand the Grinnell Chicago alumni group claims 1,681 members, including 460 “young” alums. Over the years, I’ve found the alumni clubs of my alma mater (not these) to be quite useful, they sponsor activities, lectures, etc, can be useful for meeting new people too.</p>