This is most likely going to be a cross post with the Swarthmore board. If that breaks any CC rules please let me know I’m pretty much a scrub here.
So I’ve been admitted off the Swarthmore waitlist and are giving me until the 11th to decide. I’m honestly at a loss as Swarthmore was my previous top choice but before hearing back, I had just fallen completely in love with Grinnell. If anyone has any insight on the differences or could enlighten me on whats the real difference between the colleges. I’ll make a short list of what I perceive to be the pro’s/cons of each college.
Cost-Quite literally the same. Swat is slightly more but with taking the plane tickets into account (I live 1.5 hours away from Swat vs 18 hours from Grinnell) they are quite literal the same so cost isn’t a factor into this.
My major interests are biology and physics with a slight interest in engineering. I hope to eventually pursue a PhD and I know both schools will do whatever they can to help me reach my goals.
Grinnell-Pros
The student body- On my visit there I felt like I really belonged with the student body. Smart, quirky/weird, and laid back. The people I spoke to admitted that they studied a lot but also that they felt very relaxed at times and that the myriad of clubs and activities made them let loose. From what I’ve heard dance clubs are a big thing there but what really struck me was Nerf at Noyce, a testament to how weird and nerdy these people are, which I loved.
The open curriculum/advising- The idea of having the freedom to choose classes while having a close relation to my tutorial adviser seemed like a neat idea.
Use of Endowment- Even though Grinnell has a smaller overall endowment it seems like they put it well more into use than Swat but correct me if I’m wrong.
Lots of new Initiatives- Things like the Grinnell first year global learning experience and the new humanities complex is very promising. A friend that I met during Grinnell ASDs also ended up getting into Swarthmore and said that generally the Grinnell facilities where a little bit nicer.
It feels like I’m really wanted here. I got an early write and had the chance to speak to their head of fellowships and had a very pleasant conversation regarding international awards such as the Goldwater scholarship.
Grinnell Cons
Location- the location to me is kind off a pro-con more than anything. In one way it’s undeniable that it is very limiting on a number of activities one can do outside of the college but in a way, it also brings together people since we all chose to attend despite the fields of corn surrounding the school. Though it’s undeniable that Grinnell Iowa isn’t considered the best college town for a reason.
No dedicated engineering- I’m interested in Engineering but Grinnell does not have a dedicated engineering major and while I have looked at 3-2 programs they sacrifice the study abroad portion and it seems for one reason or another not a lot of students complete said 3-2 programs.
Swarthmore Pros
Location- not far from Philadelphia and an hour drive to my house. Nothing too huge as I was ready to leave for Iowa but plane ticket expenses could stack up.
Engineering Dep. As previously stated they have an engineering department that would let me see if engineering is actually right for me.
Super beautiful campus- a sure given
I can’t say much more about the student body since I haven’t visited but I would guess that they are all bright students but perhaps a little less lax than at Grinnell and perhaps more intellectual.
Probably an easier time getting internships from the proximity to Philly.
I have a close friend going to Swarthmore in my year and another super close friend going to Penn. I do know the quaker consortium isn’t used much but it is nice knowing I’ll be close to some of my best friends for college.
Swarthmore Cons
Rigor- from everyone that has visited and what I’ve read online, it’s apparent that Swarthmore is very very hard. Some students have said that many friends have transferred for they couldn’t handle the work. I guess my fear stems from a sense of imposter syndrome I’m getting from swat. I guess I feel more confident in really succeeding at Grinnell than at Swarthmore.
Stress Culture- seems to be a lot of stress from what I’ve read which is only expected from a top school. I wouldn’t say Swarthmore is more stressful than Grinnell but more on the way that the campus culture handles stress. From what I’m getting Swarthmore takes the more Hopkins approach of making self-depreciating jokes on the amount of work/stress/rigor. I even saw an alumni musical that talked about “This would have been an A anywhere else”.
I can’t really think of much else since I have yet to visit.
Hopefully, with everyone’s perspective, I can make my decision with a clearer mind that is less held back by my own biases.
Well, for heaven’s sake, get in the car or on public transit, and visit Swat. You can’t possibly make a decision on Swat without setting foot on campus. It has it’s own flavor, that is for sure. Swat is intense – but for some students that is okay or even great. I have a kid who was accepted there. She made a different choice in the end. but there is no excuse for not running over for a visit. Take a day off school and ECs if you have to, no matter what is going on. This is too big a decision to leave to what you can glean on paper when it is only an hour away.
Pick the one that feels right. I can vouch for the stressful environment at Swarthmore; doesn’t mean that everyone will be overwhelmed, but the vibe is in the air.
You can’t know how it feels if you don’t go, though. Just go visit. Your choice might be a lot clearer if you do.
Environment wise it seems that you fit in more at Grinnell. But the engineering stuff is key. From everything I’ve read, nobody really recommends a 3-2 engineering program. Mainly because people don’t want to switch to another school- they want to graduate with their class.
My D considered both but only applied to Grinnell. I went to the presentations however for both schools and can say that I really liked the Grinnell people. They were very friendly and down to earth. The Swat people were kind of too full of themselves and a little snobby about how intellectual their school was. I have nothing against intellectuals but I was turned off by the in your face kind of attitude. But these were not the students- the admissions people. Id vote for visiting if you can.
You mentioned an interest in grad school after college. If you majored in, say, Physics or Bio at Grinnell and you still were feeling the Engineering vibe upon graduating, would you consider getting an MS in Engineering?
If you think there’s a strong chance that you’ll want to major in Engineering, Swat is the choice.
If not, it sounds like most of the fit variables are in Grinnell’s favor: social vibe, academic vibe, curricular style chief among them. Swat has location and an environmental edge (things to do off-campus).
Regarding that last part, Grinnell is not far from Des Moines or Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, three cities with plenty to do. They aren’t Philly, but if you felt you needed some city time, they could probably quench your thirst. If you can road trip farther, Chicago, Milwaukee, and the Twin Cities are all around 4 hrs away, and I think KC and the Lou (feeling my inner Nelly…) are just a bit farther.
I’m with @intparent : Clear your schedule and go visit Swarthmore. It’ll feel different to you with the acceptance in hand, and you will either discover you prefer it or or be even clearer about going to Grinnell. (Based on your comments, I’m betting on the latter.) I think your assessments of both are spot-on. The question is how they work for YOU.
For what it’s worth, I’m a parent of a very very happy Grinnellian who visited both, but applied only to one. And you are absolutely correct about the pro/con piece of the location. It’s an interesting dynamic, and perfect for the right kid. Keep us posted.
Oh, and I wouldn’t give even a second thought to the endowment. Both Swarthmore and Grinnell are in the top ten in terms of endowment per student. As a practical matter for any given student, that’s a negligible difference.
p.s. I have a hunch you’ll have a bunch of people telling you to pick Swarthmore due to proximity and local recognition factor. Try to tune that out and see how YOU feel on campus. I think it will be pretty clear one way or the other.
I would agree that heading over to Swarthmore is a good idea, but you need to appreciate that you’re right in the middle of finals. If you head there worried about everyone seeming very stressed, you picked the wrong week to observe the students.
If you do go, focus on the staff and professors. Make sure to speak with the admissions folks…go to the Physics, Bio and Engineering departments and ask questions.
The train to Penn runs through the Swat campus. It’s 20 mins on the train and a 5-10 min walk.
All schools continue to invest in infrastrcture. Swat is finishing a new set of dorms, upgraded/expanded another, recently built a hotel / restaurant, a new gym, and breaks ground on a new engineering / sciences facility soon that will be done for your Junior year (I believe…you should ask if you visit).
For us (a Swat family that lives 40 mins away), the proximity is great. We were at Swat for a concert on Sunday, and are headed back today to pick up some stuff before the move home later this week (for 2 weeks until moving back to campus for an internship in Philly). If the situation was reversed (getting off the Grinnell waitlist), could you get to campus to see it? Being able to get home for a birthday party or for us to get to campus for a game or a concert has been really nice. We’ve also been able to host students for Thanksgiving every year…since we’re the locals.
Best of luck with your decision.
Fair point about exam period. Maybe ask the admissions office (or your own school) to connect you with some students who can take some time to talk about life outside of exams? Ask lots of questions.
Also visited both and chose only to apply to Grinnell. Swat just felt overwhelmingly intense to our kid.
@Prospective2021 Where did you end up deciding?!?!?! I’m going to Grinnell ('21) and I’m sooooo excited. Would love to talk to you more if you’re going to be a part of my community. 
What did you eventually decide, Prospective2021? My kid will probably have to make a similar choice: Grinnell or Swarthmore. She compared courses in detail and decided the two colleges are similarly rigorous. They have almost identical (large!) endowments. They both have amazing facilities. They both have very bright students. For her, it will come down to affordability and undergraduate resource opportunities.
@Meggie777 - If your daughter is accepted to both and both are affordable, then overnights and classroom visits will be key. Like the OP, my son was accepted to Swarthmore off the waitlist after he had committed to Grinnell. He stuck with Grinnell and is thriving, happy, and challenged. It was absolutely the right choice for him but only your daughter can say which is right for her.
At any rate, unless you’re weight Early Decision, it’s not something you need to worry about now. March will be here soon enough.
Our S19 is considering Grinnell. Visited last weekend and loved it. He doesn’t currently have Swarthmore on his list because I thought I’d seen that the school feels very intense. Like University of Chicago intense. Grinnell seems full of bright, happy kids who are interested in learning for sure and we both liked that it didn’t feel hyper-competitive. Am I missing something about Swarthmore? I wouldn’t expect the same student to be looking at both of these schools.
@homerdog We visited Swat and while we crossed it off the list, a big positive for the school is location. IMO one of the best locations of any LAC. Easy and quick to get to Philly, near lots of other main line towns that are accessible through local rail as well as things directly off campus to walk to. But still has an idyllic LAC feel and a very beautiful campus. I’ve not been to Grinnell, but would think the isolated venue would be quite different from Swat. The consortium also a plus at Swat.
@Meggie777, not sure where your kid got the idea that they are similarly rigorous. Not true. Swat is one of the 2-3 most intense schools in terms of workload and amount students study in the country. UChicago or Harvey Mudd type intense. Grinnell is certainly challenging, but Swat is a different ballgame. Some students thrive on it, but it is not for everyone.
Agree that Swat is overall more intense – that’s certainly how it felt to my kid. But intensity/workload/stress/stress culture are not the same thing as academic rigor. @Meggie777 is talking about comparing their course catalogs.
There are some schools my kid considered where comparing course offerings gave me pause … options for advanced work seemed too limited, classes were skewed towards a different level, etc. Looking at the Grinnell course catalog did not give me that kind of pause. Swarthmore probably has an edge for the most advanced and hard-driving students thanks to the consortium, but I don’t think the typical applicant at either school would find themselves academically limited by one vs. the other.
Is the experience at Swarthmore seem more hard-driving day-to-day at Swarthmore and more laid back at Grinnell? Yes, I think so. (That was certainly the vibe my kid got.) But that kind of stress/intensity is fertile ground for some and a disaster for others. I think that similar and similarly qualified kids might very well consider both schools (that’s been my experience locally), but my hunch is that most kids would come down strongly in favor of one or the other after visiting. Different strokes.
I agree with these sentiments…best to see which one student feels is the best fit. We are much closer (physically) to Swat but I don’t think that there is any merit aid and we were not willing to look at a school that doesn’t award merit.