Grinnell vs. McGill

Colleges and Universities A-Z Grinnell College
1

<p>Hey everyone, so I've brought down my college choices to Grinnell College and McGill University. Before anyone asks, yes they are two completely opposite schools but as an international student in need of FA, you can't be too picky. </p>

<p>My interests are mainly Biology and Anthropology. </p>

<p>Here are the pros and cons of each college as I see them:</p>

<p>Grinnell:
Pros: Small class size, personalized care from professors, focus on undergraduate education, more opportunities to form close friendships (for networking later in my career), good endowment (for study abroad/internships), guaranteed housing for four years</p>

<p>Cons: Rural location (will I get many internship opportunities? Will I die of boredom?), not much international recognition</p>

<p>McGill:
Pros: Urban location (more internship opportunities + more enjoyable), more international recognition, more chance to see what's going on in the field</p>

<p>Cons:
Huge class size, little focus on undergrad education, the hassle of finding my own housing and supporting myself after my first year, not sure about FA after first year, less opportunities to form close friendships (less networking)</p>

<p>There you have it. I know it looks like I prefer Grinnell...and I suppose I do. However, I just can't seem to let go of the urban environment McGill would offer and the recognition it would lend to my degree at top grad schools. Some important questions:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Which school's name will be looked upon more favorably by top grad school/professional schools (Ivies etc.)? Will Grinnell's relatively obscure name prove to be a disadvantage? Or will a Canadian degree be more disadvantageous than an American degree? Keeping in mind that I myself am an international student?</p></li>
<li><p>Will I get many internship opportunities in rural Iowa?</p></li>
<li><p>What's the career advise center like at each school?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Please let me know your views without considering FA. </p>

<p>Thanks a million for your help!</p>

2

<p>As you mentioned, McGill and Grinnell are polar opposites and it is odd that your choice came down to these two schools.</p>

<p>If you are planning on returning to your home country, the McGill name is widely recognized around the world, while Grinnell is not.</p>

<p>If you are planning on settling in North America, obtaining student work permits, and later legal immigrant status, is easier in Canada than in the US.</p>

<p>If you are seeking graduate study, both McGill and Grinnell are recognized by leading graduate schools as excellent programs. </p>

<p>In terms of diversity, McGill is 25% international and is located in the incredibly diverse city of Montreal. I can’t speak for Grinnell on this matter.</p>

3

<p>Not sure how well known McGill is in India, but probably more so than Grinnell because the latter has no graduate programs, so no Indian grad students to talk up ‘the brand.’ </p>

<p>Grinnell is 11-12% international.</p>

<p>Can’t speak specifically to anthro internships, but there are lots of bio internships available all over the country, as well as research opportunities on campus year round, and Grinnell has the money to fund you while you are doing them. The kind of bio you want to do might make a difference here - since Grinnell is smaller and will have a narrower range of courses in say, zoology. The bio (and other science) profs are fantastic and very available (S was a biochem major at Grinnell). No TAs either, so you are always in small classes (the largest is 45, I believe and all the intro classes are 25 or less) with the profs.</p>

<p>As to ‘dying of boredom,’ I think it comes down to what you value and like to do in your spare time. There is a very strong sense of community at Grinnell - everyone lives on campus, eats together in the big dining hall, plays together, and people only occasionally head off to the nearby cities of Des Moines and Iowa City (about an hour’s drive to each) for entertainment because the school brings a great deal to campus. You will never walk across campus or enter the dining hall without running into friends. But that inward focus can be claustrophobic to those who value anonymity and/or need to get out of the campus environment regularly to clear their heads. Re what you do in your spare time: if you are into sports, Grinnell’s walk-on teams are welcoming, inclusive and fun. The athletic facilities are palatial. The music and arts venue is stunning and you don’t have to be a theater major or music major to get an important role in the orchestra or in a play. On the other hand, you don’t have a lot of world class symphony, theater and performing arts going on all the time as you would in Montreal. Do you prefer to do it or see it? This is all personal preference.</p>

<p>As I mentioned, I had one at Grinnell, who loved it, and another at a large research university who would never have considered it. Two different people with different needs. You know what matters to you.</p>

<p>And I will ignore the “you can’t be too picky” comment when speaking of McGill and Grinnell and assume you didn’t mean to sound like a jerk.</p>

4

<p>M’s Mom: I’m very sorry, I didn’t meant to be offensive or anything. I just meant that I played the field quite a bit when applying, instead of sticking to just the type of school I prefer. Hence my widely different college options. :)</p>

<p>Thanks to the both of you for your insights! Please keep them coming!</p>

5

<p>In terms of community feel, a LAC like Grinnell will make it easier to make friends and get a feeling of belonging. This assumes that you are comfortable in that community. At any large university, there is usually no dominant type of student and dozens or even hundreds of “communities” for you to become a part of. But at large universities in general, and at McGill in particular, it will be up to you to take the initiative in finding the right community. Otherwise, it can be a lonely experience. </p>

<p>BTW, there are currently 354 students from India enroled at McGill according to their website.</p>

6

<p>

You can get internships in either of the two cities within a 45 minute drive.</p>

<p>

They make a point of having events on campus basically every single day.</p>

<p>

Grinnell is one of the best schools in the country for grad school admissions. In terms of future PhD production, Grinnell falls at #7 in the country, beating every single Ivy. [REED</a> COLLEGE PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/phd.html]REED”>Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College) McGill is more prestigious on the international scene, but it’s a tie at best in terms of prestige within American academia. There is no way in hell being associated with Grinnell is going to be a disadvantage on that front.</p>