<p>Carolyn - Excellent point. I would agree that the primary difference between the schools is cultural. Although you might not see women in skirts and high heels at Grinnell, you are likely to see men in that attire at the annual Mary B. James Cross-dressing ball. Grinnell is an extremely supportive community for gay students. It is rumored that there may be four or five Republicans attending Grinnell but most students are well left of center.</p>
<p>A look at a listing of student organizations at Grinnell will give you a sense of the school's culture.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.grinnell.edu/student/groups/%5B/url%5D">http://www.grinnell.edu/student/groups/</a></p>
<p>A student who admires George W. Bush, enjoys frat parties, and wants to see pro basketball will probably not feel comfortable at Grinnell.</p>
<p>Compare the listing of student organizations at Trinity to those at Grinnell.</p>
<p>One simple way of determining what school is a better fit is to look at the listing of clubs each school offers. I think this is a simple way of getting a sense of their respective cultures.</p>