<p>Btw, Opaline, I am not trying to convince you to go to Grinnell – it may very well not be the place where you feel the most comfortable – but I did want to address some of the points that you raised. I am sure you will end up at a great school and have a great time in college, wherever that turns out to be. I am happy that you gave the school a chance by trekking out to Iowa!</p>
<p>Another thing I would say about Grinnell social life is this: don’t underestimate the benefit of having just about everything on campus as FREE. There is very little that goes on that students have to pay for. </p>
<p>If you attend an urban school and want to take advantage of the city, then be sure you either have the resources to do so, or the school provides a sufficient amount of subsidized events and access to student prices for things you want to do…</p>
<p>I am grateful for the assembled knowledge here!</p>
<p>My son’s greatest concern after talking with students is that the workload is crushing. He spent the night on campus last fall, and unfortunately his host abandoned him after dinner (citing work) without introducing him to other students. He wandered the campus alone and was concerned that he didn’t see many signs of social life (but of course it wasn’t a Friday or Saturday night). I’ve chalked this up to a lame host, but his concerns about the workload remain. </p>
<p>Any thoughts on how Grinnell’s workload compares to other upper level LAC’s? My son got the early invite, so I assume he has the educational background for Grinnell level work, but he also wants to have time for activities and athletics.</p>
<p>My son got any early write 6 years ago. He was also accepted to Carleton, Macalester, Oberlin, Vassar, Pomona, Haverford, everywhere he applied. He chose Grinnell and had a great 4 years. He had no problem with balancing academics and a social life, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, worked on-campus jobs, studied abroad, not as many ECs as in high school. He just loved hanging out with friends in his free time. He did say that some of his friends were more stressed by academics than he was. He was a history major and studied Arabic, French and Russian. The advising is close at Grinnell. A student could work with an advisor to keep a workload manageable.</p>
<p>4Clarity–sorry about your son’s lame host! Had my son not graduated, he’d have been happy to host your son. My son made more friends at Grinnell in his first semester than in his entire life before college.</p>
<p>that’s too bad about the host. I would be surprised if the workload is greater than the other top LACs. They expect alot from these kids. Time management makes a big difference, as does the point in the semester at which one visits – closer to midterm and finals is when the workload increases.</p>
<p>Grinnell students keep busy not just by attending events that are brought onto campus but by the ongoing activities the students participate in. They are not studying 24/7 and perhaps one reason why there is stress is some students do not always manage their time well…and perhaps tip the balance too much to socializing or procrastinating. But, yes, the school is academically demanding. </p>
<p>My son has made so many friends, and they come from various avenues of his life at Grinnell. They are not only close friends, but really value each other as individuals and love and support their varied interests and idiosyncracies…</p>
<p>Grinnell also offers alot of advising and support systems. The Academic Resource Center has trained professionals to give time management and other support. Many schools just offer peer tutoring services.</p>
<p>Nosering, first, the Grinnell academics are as independent a group of individuals I have ever seen, and I’ve seen many. I’ve been told that the nickname for a Grinnellian is “one who thinks otherwise” meaning they foster independence. So I doubt that any academic would think more or less of a student who came with merit money. My daughter squeaked into the school and did very well and formed lasting bonds with her adviser and teachers. But what is worrisome in your write-up is that while you are saying that your concern is your daughter’s future perception at Grinnell, I think what you are implicitly doing is accusing the school of elitism in their approach to merit $$. I think that Grinnell’s approach is the opposite of elitism, it’s a meritocracy. I am only a parent of one child, and my child had issues as well in high school that some might say were unfair - that impacted her merit money as well. Life isn’t fair, and we do the best we can with the hand we’re dealt - and it sounds like your daughter is in a great position!</p>
<p>By the way, nosering, regarding how special your daughter would feel if she got merit money, there are MANY high quality liberal arts schools of a only slightly lower ranking than Grinnell that most probably would give your daughter meaningful merit money!! If she is of the caliber academically to enter Grinnell but not get merit money, then she would definitely be able to go to a less prestigious school and get loads of money. My daughter was offered $4K/year at Grinnell but $20K at another school. So if merit money is a priority you should have loads of options!!!</p>
<p>I would like to generally thank everyone for their great comments. Too many times, CC conversations meltdown over differing views, even when all views are legitimate and well-reasoned. </p>
<p>And a particular thanks to opaline for fleshing out the college so well in writing. I do agree though that pre-vet is so unique that it cannot be compared to pre-med. I bet that pre-med acceptances from Grinnell is the same as any other top school. Getting live animal experience and specific animal-only physiology classes are not the venue of LACs, especially when there are so few pre-vet people attending them.</p>
<p>I’ve got to say, this program definitely makes me feel less inclined to attend Grinnell if I get accepted. I’m sure there are other students who feel the same way. This favors negatively to in their goal of raising yield.</p>
<p>Why did you think that, thirrdplanet?</p>
<p>Personally, it made me a little more inclined. The university was very hospitable and did a good job of marketing itself. That, and I realized that going to Iowa isn’t the same as dropping off the face of the earth. :D</p>
<p>Oh, and I also remembered another thing that really struck me about the school. People just leave their things lying around everywhere - backpacks and coats are left on the floor outside the dining hall, and I saw more than one unattended laptop. Not only that, but some of the bikes don’t have chains, and a lot of people leave their dorm rooms perpetually unlocked. It really shocked me, but I suppose in such a small town safety isn’t too much of a concern.</p>
<p>“One who thinks otherwise” is a good description of Grinnell students and a big factor, I think, in why my son chose this school over his other excellent options. He only applied to schools that were described as quirky in guide books, but Grinnell’s quirkiness was the type that fit him best.</p>
<p>Thirddplanet, I think you might be overly sensitive and singling this program out when many schools do things to increase yield. When my D was accepted to WashU, she received a “free airfare” voucher to visit the school (even though she had visited already)because they said her application was “one of the strongest they had received.” Many schools send “early writes” to candidates they feel are at the top of their application pile specifically to increase yield. Schools have Discovery Weekends during the fall that are open only to invited students and / or those who meet a pre-screening review – would you not apply to a school if you weren’t in that selected group?</p>
<p>Not sure whether other schools have a special admitted student weekend like Grinnell just did, but trust me, they are not unique in doing things to encourage certain students to attend.</p>
<p>Opaline, I think Grinnell might have to add your quote to its admissions material: “I realized going to Iowa isn’t the same as dropping off the face of the earth.”</p>
<p>However, the fact that Grinnell is in the middle of Iowa does affect how hard they work to get the best students, imo.</p>
<p>and, actually, I think the location turns out to be a positive for campus life. The students who come to Grinnell do so because they really want to be there! And, they don’t care so much about whether everyone knows the school. I always preface my explanation of where my son goes by saying, “He goes to school in Iowa, Grinnell College.” Otherwise, people say, “Oh, Cornell, how wonderful.” </p>
<p>There’s a reason the bookstore sells a t-shirt: "Where the hell is Grinnell? Who the hell cares?</p>
<p>btw, thirddplanet, I now see that you received airfare to visit Earlham and merit aid. So you know whereof I speak…Earlham is courting you more than it is courting others at that school…</p>
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<p>It’s always possible they’re confusing Grinnell with Cornell College, also in Iowa. </p>
<p>;-)</p>
<p>Seriously, how do you think those folks feel constantly having to explain themselves? And it’s a really good school too!</p>
<p>Thirddplanet has made disparaging remarks before on several boards (see Macalester). Her entitlement issues may keep her out of selective colleges like Grinnell.</p>