<p>Having looked at 20 “quirky” colleges, I wonder how they get that way. Are they looking for certain kinds of students, or did they just happen upon a critical mass of quirky students and now that’s who is drawn to them? At Grinnell orientation, they described how the social consciousness of the college evolved from its original religious roots to the present. I have to think they aren’t just looking for the tuba player, but something more elusive.</p>