Ok so May 1st is obviously really soon and I still have not decided where to go
Do I pick: Brandeis, Grinnell, or Mcgill
Brandeis
pros:
Humanities fellowship; 80k ish in aid; in Boston; good study abroad; lots of courses
Cons: Required courses; do I really want to spend four more years around jews like me; is it prestigious?
Grinnell:
Pros: Open curriculum; generous merit based aid; soccer team; laid back environment
Cons: Bruh its in Iowa tho
Mcgill:
Pros: Good education; 3 years; dirt cheap
Cons: Not much campus culture or support; big classes
Intended major: English or history who knows
Grad/law school placement important
Yes, of course Brandeis is highly regarded as a really fine school. I’ll leave any
“prestig-o” meter nonsense to others.
It’s a more diverse place than you are thinking too. Religious persuasion doesn’t mean monolithic behavior, attitudes or personalities. Also, to many students having others who understand your culture or religion is usually a positive thing. And being paid $80,000 a year for this privilege is quite a gift
Grinell is an outstanding small college as well. And Iowa May relive you of being in the majority from a religious perspective if that’s important to you, bruh.
McGill is as you say. But it’s one of the great and unique cities of North America. You’ll have a great education and a chance to expand your horizons.
I would be a Brandeis buyer with the aid, all things being equal. Grinell if you want a smaller school and perhaps feel that a quirkier student body, in the most positive way, is your tribe. Go for it!
McGill is you want academics first and foremost. And the city being your experience as opposed to the more traditional campus life.
We know happy kids at Brandeis, and my own kid loved Grinnell. When you say Grinnell has soccer, do you mean, you could be on the team there? If so, how important is that to you? Frankly, I wouldn’t get caught up on the “Iowa thing.” In terms of day-to-day experience, it’s not going to feel much different than any other small town LAC on the east coast. And if history/law school is of interest, being in Iowa in 2019- 2020 will be an amazing experience as candidates will be coming to campus.
Have you worked through finances carefully with your family to have a good understanding of your net costs at each school?
Have you visited these schools or joined the online groups of admitted students? You will get a different feeling from each of them—even just online. Try to clear your mind of preconceptions and respond to what you actually see and hear in the moment.
McGill is the outlier and if you are looking for a good college vibe, I would take it off the list. Unless of course, money is a big factor for you.
Brandeis is probably a great compromise between the other two, and it has a good reputation. Not everyone is Jewish. Grinnell is a top LAC. If the only negative is Iowa, I’d say that’s not a really compelling reason. There will be kids from all over the country at Grinnell. If your tiebreaker has to be money, you won’t go wrong at either of those schools. Go with the most affordable. If you aren’t happy with the choice based on that, you have your answer.
I’d vote for Grinnell if price is comparable to Brandeis. Their grad school placement is excellent and a very well resourced college with a lot of opportunities for students. My friend’s son did not have a great experience at Brandeis – but it was likely a ‘him’ issue. But that aside, I just think Grinnell is a really cool place with a lot to offer.
If I recall correctly, when we visited Brandeis they said Jewish students are around 40% of the total. Significant but certainly not “everyone”.
We know a few people who loved Brandeis. (That was the reason we went to visit it - it came highly recommended.)
Yes, Brandeis is prestigious, but some do not like its modern campus or its stereotype for not having the biggest social scene (read: parties, traditional campus culture, etc.). But academically? It’s hard to beat Brandeis, and you’ll be surrounded by intellectual people.
Grinnell will give you the strongest traditional college experience: heading out to Iowa, most likely living on campus all four years, banding together with close friends at a cozy LAC in the midwest. Grinnell is very liberal (think “crunchy” liberal), and Jews will be present (we always are!).
Your sense of McGill is spot-on. Great school but be prepared to be independent, as there is little hand-holding or guidance. The vibe and academic path will be quite different than what’s found in the U.S.
It’s hard to beat Grinnell if grad/law school is your plan. It does a great job of preparing its students. I agree the environment is laid-back, as in the students are more collaborative than competitive and don’t compare grades much, but do NOT think that means it is easy. It also offers many, many study abroad opportunities. Don’t be fooled by its location in Iowa – it’s a very liberal place, with students from all over the U.S. and the world. The professors are also very approachable and easy to get to know.
Brandeis is great but I wouldn’t recommend attending a school which lacks diversity. It’s just too monotonous and dull. Go to Grinnell if you prefer an intimate experience or to McGill if you are looking for something exotic.
@Collagecid I would pick Brandeis first and then Grinnell, unless the cost of each of those two schools will put you and your family in considerable debt. In that case, where cost is the main consideration, go with McGill. And if you don’t like McGill, you can always transfer after a year. Brandeis is a great research University and you will have more courses and research opportunities there than at Grinnell. Brandeis is more culturally diverse than you think. It will prepare you well for law school and you are getting $80,000 in scholarship. However if you have to take on more than $30,000 in debt and if the cost is much less at Grinnell, then that weighs in favor of Grinnell which is a top liberal arts college. How did you feel at Grinnell? Go with your gut instinct.
