Hi guys,
So I’m down to Grinnell vs Bates for deciding where to go. I was pretty sure till now about Grinnell primarily because I was considering biology (which grinnell is known for). However, I am also considering economics and political science now. Can you guys please help me choose between these two. I love the campus and social life of Bates, but I feel like Grinnell might have better academics. What do you all feel?
If both are the same cost, there’s no wrong choice, really. Both are awesome.
Have you visited them both? I don’t think there’s a wrong choice here. Whatever the academic differences might be are unlikely to make a difference (and will vary by department). What matters more is how you feel about the place itself … how excited you are to go there … how much at home you feel there. Big fan of Grinnell, but I’ve heard excellent things about Bates as well. What do you like about the social scene at Bates vs. Grinnell? That might be useful info.
We visited both schools multiple times, and I think the student culture is pretty similar, in that both have a tradition of inclusiveness and tolerance. There may be slightly more quirky students at Grinnell, and more economic diversity at Grinnell, as best I recall from the NY Times study. For a kid into winter sports, Bates would be preferable.
Econ and Poli Sci at Grinnell are certainly good departments so if a student preferred Grinnell, a shifting academic interest from Bio to Social Sciences would not, in my mind, be sufficient reason to doubt the decision.
Other factors would be money and ease of travel. No wrong decision here.
Grinnell definitely has the edge in terms of economic, ethnic and geographic diversity, and also deep pockets to fund student activities. See the NYTimes study and also information on collegedata.com - https://nyti.ms/2j9yoae.
I think the sports culture at Bates may be a little stronger at Bates than at Grinnell (generalizing about NESCAC schools). Neither have Greek life though.
No bad choice.
@porcupine98 I remember reading on a forum that Grinnell tends to be very left-winged, while Bates tends to be closer to moderate (which I would prefer). How welll do you suppose this holds through?
I’m not sure why you think Grinnell is more known for biology than Bates, as Bates is at least as strong. In fact, comparing research expenditures, Bates has spent far more on life science research over the last decade (average of $725,800 per year) than Grinnell (average of $393,700 per year).
They both have pretty deep liberal roots, so I think you’ll find both campuses overall pretty liberal, but it’s possible you’ll find more of a range at Bates. Have a look at campus newspapers, online activities, student groups to see which appeal to you politically.
Both schools tend to lean liberal. Visit both, then decide.