<p>Among all LACs in the US, Grinnell is among the most diverse. There is no “typical” Grinnellian. The students really have an attitude of, as someone on this site said, “come as you are.” A defining characteristic of Grinnell is its self-governance system, which gives it a sense of community in that the students are responsible to and for each other. </p>
<p>I think that being on a team will help to integrate you as a transfer. However, even if you weren’t, at least speaking for Grinnell, I would imagine that it would be a fairly easy transition if you get involved in some activities. It is a small, friendly school, and housing is mixed up every year; students go through a room draw, and live in entirely different dorms each year, unlike some schools where you stay in a housing cluster or something like that for your whole time, so that you will be in with other students who are getting to know their dorm mates even though they are not new to the school. </p>
<p>Grinnell does not have Greek life; Kenyon does. It’s up to you whether that makes a difference. </p>
<p>In terms of reputation, that’s difficult to answer. People who know LACs generally have heard of both; many people not from either region may not have heard of either! Certainly both schools would be known to grad schools. </p>
<p>Kenyon is best “known” for its writing programs. I’m sure the education is excellent in other departments, though. However, Grinnell’s student body is more balanced in terms of majors (divided among the humanities, social sciences, and sciences) and interestingly enough, also with the SAT scores, with a higher percentage of 700+ scores in both CR and M, while Kenyon students demonstrate a more uneven scoring, with a much lower percentage of students in the 700+ M range. </p>
<p>Grinnell students also rank among the highest in the country among LACs and universities on a per capita basis for students who go on to get PhDs. There’s a chart somewhere. It covers a variety of disciplines.</p>
<p>Just speaking personally, even though Grinnell might seem like it’s “more in the middle of nowhere,” we actually found that it felt less isolated than Kenyon (we just visited Kenyon for a tour, and neither of my kids wanted to apply). Grinnell’s campus is two blocks from a downtown – a historic town center with a number of restaurants and a movie theater. It is not just a college town; it is a lived-in Midwestern town, and students can feel a part of that if they want. The surrounding countryside is also beautiful: rolling farmlands, wide open sky.</p>
<p>Please read other threads on this forum, particularly “Why Grinnell” to get more of a feel for the school. Good luck to you.</p>