I would like to major in Mathematics and Economics. Which of these schools would be the best? Which one has better professors and more undergraduate research opportunities?
Both are very fine schools; I give Grinnell the edge for real. They win major prizes out of proportion to their size – such as Marshalls, Rhodes etc. G is more famous and prestigious than D for whatever that is worth. Visit if you can.
Disagree that Grinnell is more prestigious than Davidson. Both are excellent. In the East Coast, Davidson considered more highly regarded, in the midwest it would be Grinnell. The schools are more similar than different. Weather of course is different and Davidson is sportier. Academics very fine at both
Have you visited Grinnell? It is in a very rural area. You should visit both schools before deciding.
Grinnell appears to be strong for mathematics.
I second (or third) the suggestion to visit both, if you are able. Both are excellent schools and you can’t go wrong with either. But I think a lot of people from outside of the Midwest write off Grinnell just because of its location, without ever seeing it. My very urban East Coast son would have done the same, but we happened to fit in a visit and he fell in love with it. It’s a beautiful campus with amazing facilities and an interesting and highly engaged student body. Admittedly not a ton to do in the surrounding area, but that campus-centric environment appeals to many. He is a very happy freshman there now.