<p>Also an update on costs. Grinnell would be a thousand dollars more per year and they would both use the outside scholarship the same.</p>
<p>Further update: Rejected from Swarthmore and waitlisted at Wesleyan.</p>
<p>I just received notification that I’ve received a 16,000 CBE scholarship at Earlham. This makes it 5k cheaper per year or 20k over the course of 4 years. I think this will be hard to turn down. Opinions?</p>
<p>From Earlham web site: “The College food service provides a wide selection of food, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options.” Since this is a big concern, I suggest you contact the head of the college’s dining services to find out how well their food service is designed to include students on gluten-free diets. (Just ask admissions office for that contact info) First year students are required to have the 19-meal dining plan only for the first semester and then they can make changes. There’s a full kitchen on almost every dorm floor. </p>
<p>What kind of outdoor program are you looking for? </p>
<p>August Wilderness is a pre-orientation experience for incoming first year and transfer students at Earlham College. “Earlham was one of the first colleges in the country to initiate student and faculty led wilderness programs, back in 1970”. (Wikipedia)
[August</a> Wilderness | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/augustwilderness]August”>http://www.earlham.edu/augustwilderness) </p>
<p>The Outdoor Education Center (OEC) serves the Earlham community through facilitating field trips and outdoor excursions both locally, regionally, and further afield. Equipment is available to rent including tents, sleeping bags, and stoves. In addition, the Center has a wealth of guide books and other resources for planning both personal or group trips.
[Outdoor</a> Education Center, Outdoor Education | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/outdoor-education/outdoor-education-center]Outdoor”>http://www.earlham.edu/outdoor-education/outdoor-education-center) </p>
<p>The Outdoors Club encourages enthusiasm for the outdoors and wilderness by promoting and sponsoring activities where participants gain first-hand experience. We hope to inspire people to lead trips or expeditions and to foster an appreciation of the unique attributes of outdoor activities. We also wish to serve as a resource and provide opportunities for fun.
[Hobbies</a> and Interest, Student Life | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/student-life/student-organizations/hobbies-and-interest]Hobbies”>http://www.earlham.edu/student-life/student-organizations/hobbies-and-interest) </p>
<p>Outdoor Ed Group Spring Breaks in NC
[Outdoor</a> Ed Group Spring Breaks in NC Mountains | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/news/news/?id=15109&r=14619]Outdoor”>http://www.earlham.edu/news/news/?id=15109&r=14619) </p>
<p>Earlham offers a Minor in Outdoor Education
[Plan</a> of Study, Outdoor Education | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/outdoor-education/plan-of-study]Plan”>http://www.earlham.edu/outdoor-education/plan-of-study)
“Earlham has a national reputation for training outstanding outdoor educators. The unique combination of on-campus courses, field experiences and leadership practicums provides an excellent opportunity for development of both technical and interpersonal skills.”</p>
<p>Thanks woody, that is very useful. I would love to do August Wilderness but a summer job might prevent that. I could always postpone that job till next summer. Do they give a lot of scholarships for it?</p>
<p>BUMP. Grinnell or Earlham???</p>
<p>thirrdplanet, I don’t want to hijack your thread but could you do a brief comparison between Reed and Earlham? You seemed to have visited both and I plan on visiting this month. You mentioned that Reed has more students per class but I am wondering if you sensed a gap in terms of intellectual qualities between the students at reed and earlham. </p>
<p>I am currently deciding between the two.</p>
<p>Bump…</p>
<p>Bump bump bump. Grinnell or Earlham for 5k a year cheaper?</p>
<p>well let’s see.</p>
<p>Grinnell 25th percentile - 75th percentile ACT = 28-32
62% in top 10% of graduating class</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.grinnell.edu/files/gc_cds_1112.pdf[/url]”>http://www.grinnell.edu/files/gc_cds_1112.pdf</a></p>
<p>Earlham 25th percentile - 75th percentile ACT 23-30
30% in top 10% of graduating class</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/media/672759/CDS_2012-13.pdf[/url]”>http://www.earlham.edu/media/672759/CDS_2012-13.pdf</a></p>
<p>Where do you belong?</p>
<p>I don’t really want to choose a college based on the average ACT score. As long as it isn’t exceptionally low, I think I will be okay.</p>
<p>I thought you might feel that way based on your prior posts! That’s why I included the % in top 10 percent as well.</p>
<p>By all means, go with the better fit. Have you sat in on classes at Earlham? Will you be sufficiently challenged by your classes and your peers? I’m really not advocating one over the other, just suggesting questions to consider.</p>
<p>Take a look at career placement and post graduate opportunities too. That $20,000 difference over 4 years could be made up in as few as 1-2 years in salary.</p>
<p>Good luck and congratulations!</p>
<p>I dont really know how to figure out what school would prepare me better for medical school or pursuing a phd. Any advice on that?</p>
<p>What makes you think I care that much about test scores? Im a huge proponent for test optional.</p>
<p>No no, sorry I wasn’t clear. I meant I knew you would say that you didn’t care about test scores, that’s why I included the statistic on the top 10% as well.</p>
<p>You should be able to research your questions on medical school and/or phd. a bit. If I can find out anything further, I’ll post it here!</p>
<p>Wow, Grinnell is a huge feeder for phd candidates:</p>
<p><a href=“http://web.grinnell.edu/institutionalresearch/webdocs/PhDProd_F06.pdf[/url]”>http://web.grinnell.edu/institutionalresearch/webdocs/PhDProd_F06.pdf</a></p>
<p>[The</a> Colleges Where PhD’s Get Their Start | The College Solution](<a href=“http://www.thecollegesolution.com/the-colleges-where-phds-get-their-start/]The”>The Colleges Where PhD's Get Their Start)</p>
<p>Picking a LAC based off of test score averages is silly.</p>
<p>You probably already looked at these, but I think it has some good information. In my opinion, Grinnell or Earlham would prepare you adequately.</p>
<p>I would just wait until you visit Grinnell. I think everything there has to be said about both colleges have been said.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/hpac/criteria[/url]”>http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/hpac/criteria</a>
<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/health-careers-advising/earlham-medical-students/[/url]”>http://www.earlham.edu/health-careers-advising/earlham-medical-students/</a></p>
<p>Grinnell has specific data on how many are accepted but I didn’t really see that for Earlham. Would Grinnell give me a leg up if I wanted to pursue a PhD? Most likely in chemistry. I know Earlham has super high rates for Bio though.</p>
<p>No. Neither would give you an appreciable difference in preparation. When are you going to visit Grinnell again? :)</p>
<p>I’m visiting the last weekend in April. Obviously by ideal so I am trying to get all the info I can that doesn’t go under fit.</p>
<p>Which school has better study abroad options? Somewhere that is Spanish speaking. It would have to be in spring for Earlham.</p>
<p>Also Earlham is getting a gluten free station next fall!</p>
<p>We are talking to grinnell to see if they would match financial aid.</p>
<p>My daughter will be a senior next year at Earlham. She loves it. She is in Jordan right now on an Earlham program and loves that too. She chose it over Bard because the campus was so much more friendly. My cousin’s son went to Grinnell and loved it as well. Both are good choices. Richmond is nothing to write home about, but you can get everything you need socially on campus. Both are good choices. I would visit both, try to stay over-night, and see where you feel you fit best.</p>
<p>Earlham’s 4-year graduation rate is probably substantially lower than Grinnell’s.</p>
<p>Earlham’s Richmond is pretty depressing, but Grinnell’s Grinnell isn’t that hot either. Both locations’ retail “hot-spot” is probably Walmart. So that’s probably equal. Food choices in both towns are limited. Grinnell has a stupendous cafeteria with “chefs” rather than usual food service provider. </p>
<p>Grinnell’s campus appearance resonates with reflected affluence of its high-flier boosters, and the facilities are outstanding. Earlham has a decent endowment, but campus is somewhat scruffy. You’ll recognize this immediately upon stepping into Grinnell campus.</p>
<p>Grinnell now has far more “prestige” than Earlham, though alumni median salary reporting is probably fairly same. Many folks have heard of Warren Buffett’s interest in Grinnell.</p>
<p>I’d go to Grinnell before Earlham, but I’d expect a fair amount of snobby “we’re Grinnell” puffery too. NYT recently chastised Grinnell’s basketball team for annihilating a local Christian college’s team, outscoring them by about 100 points rather than calling the game. Very interesting article; very accurate reflection upon Grinnell’s current mindset.</p>
<p>Oh, wow, that puffery about Grinnell is a bunch of BS. The students at Grinnell are as down to earth, open and unassuming as one could ever want. The basketball game had its detractors, but it was a moment when the team decided to give a player with a really hot hand a chance to set a record.</p>
<p>It boggles my mind to hear the word “snobby” in the same sentence as Grinnell. “Where the hell is Grinnell? Who the hell cares?” That’s still the popular t-shirt for sale. Grinnellians to there because they want to be there, not because it is well-known. I always have to preface telling people where my son goes by saying, “He goes to school in Iowa, to Grinnell,” because otherwise they think it’s Cornell.</p>
<p>The town of Grinnell isn’t depressing in the least. It is a charming Midwestern town, with friendly people who look strangers in the eye to say hello. Yes, my son goes to Wal-Mart to buy things (even though I hate him giving them any money) but he also does things in town, and enjoys having dinner out with friends occasionally. He took me to one cafe he frequents, and the owner knew his name and what he liked to eat. </p>
<p>If you buy a bike from the local shop, they will store it for free for you over the summer. And on and on and on…</p>