International student so i have no clue what the US is like. Accepted to Grinnell and the acdemics/rank among others make it my number 1 easily. What keeps throwing me off though is the amount of flack it gets for its location. “Nothing but flat land, cornfields and train tracks and the occasional tumbleweed”. I love Grinnell and its a great fit but the location is a serious concern.
I think it sort of depends where you are from and what kind of environment you are looking for. I’ve never been to Grinnell so I can’t exactly say, but that area of the country can be beautiful but somewhat boring.
I think the biggest problem with Grinnell’s location is the lack of a mid-size town, not the surrounding geography. College students rarely leave campus to explore the surrounding area unless they are in a city. And there are lots of great schools in the US in not-so-great locations. Poughkeepsie (Vassar) is a pretty bad location. Grinnell in comparison is probably just a little small and no-frills.
My daughter was accepted to Grinnell and we visited. Grinnell is a little college town. a little run down but with shops, I was stunned there is actually a video store there, like the old fashioned block busters like a big video store. It has two main streets lined with three story brick buildings. There is a Walmart. the thing is it is this very small town but it is the center of the area. Iowa is endless corn fields with low rolling hills with tiny towns here and there. The city is Des Moines which looks like nothing has happened there since the 1940’s but It is a city and the university of Iowa is there which has like 40000 college aged people so something must happen. Des Moines is an hour car ride. My daughter was not impressed by Iowa but I must say they seem to be the nicest people on earth. BTW my son goes to Vassar which is actually just outside of Poughkeepsie in Arlington which has a nice street with some restaurants. And the Hudson river valley is arguably one of the most beautiful areas on the planet earth and the train goes right into NYC. And around Poughkeepsie there are wonderful attractions like the FDR mansion, hiking. There are a couple of other colleges in Poughkeepsie and the culinary institute of America. Iowa doesn’t hold a candle to Poughkeepsie . But there is a town there around Grinnell. Campus is nice. Spend your time studying. Your not going any where.
Loool fair enough. Even if its a bit rundown, its still probably a massive upgrade on where i currently live. And when the impending zombie apocalypse does roll around, think Iowa will be the safest place to be.
Many American liberal arts colleges are going to be in somewhat remote areas. Unlike the posters above, I have a student at Grinnell and have been there a number of times.
First, the town: I never saw it as rundown. It is an older town, but it has been maintained well. Unlike some “college towns,” Grinnell itself actually is frequented by and oriented to the community residents as much, and perhaps even more than, the college population. The students go into town to the restaurants (to eat in or get take out), get supplies, go to Saint’s Rest coffee house, the new smoothy place, etc.) but not generally to party at night. Some of the restaurants are REALLY REALLY good!! This is coming from someone who lives in a sophisticated New York City suburb and often goes to NYC. (just to give you a culinary frame of reference!). There is a variety of options, even chains if you crave American junk. The town has a famous architectural gem from which it gets its name “the Jewel of the Prairie.” Take the time to see it and get a tour. There is also a town green with a gazebo. Bottom line: this is a quintessential midwestern prairie town (although technically the prairie has been overtaken by the farmland). Strangers smile at you and say hello in the streets.
The town center is literally a two block walk from campus, including a grocery store. Some of the bigger stores are a drive away (like WalMart - boo hiss, shop local! There’s another hardware / general store too!) – but it is always easy to get a ride from a friend with a car (my son borrowed friends’ cars, too). I believe that the college now has some rental cars on campus, too (not sure if this applies to internationals or not).
As to the scenery: do you like to ride bikes or take long runs? If so, then you will soon find yourself with amazing vistas: wide, open, rolling farmlands set against an endless blue sky. Depending on the time of year, the colors will be different according to what is growing on the ground. You can’t get lost, really, because all the streets are lined on a grid pattern for miles beyond. If you don’t ride a bike, then be sure to get a friend with a car to take a scenic tour – perhaps you can go up north and eat at a famous steak house as i did with my son on Family Weekend. The drive there was unbelievably gorgeous! Eating at these midwestern steakhouses is an experience all unto itself! Tons of side dishes, everyone gathers around a big grill to cook their own. There is one in Grinnell and the one I mentioned further north.
The college also maintains a prairie reserve: the Conard Environmental Reserve Area. it is a beautiful place to walk, and classes also use it. My S was never able to take a class there unfortunately. Cars are needed to get there, but i do believe the college is starting a shuttle service.
https://www.grinnell.edu/academics/areas/biology/cera
The campus itself is about two-thirds canopied by old growth trees, with squirrels scrambling all around (the squirrels seem to be a popular Grinnell reference point). The quad in the northern third has a gigantic open lawn that is used for events, for frisbee playing, etc. Then, of course, there are the sports fields beyond. The facilities at Grinnell are first-rate. Amazing campus center to eat in, hang out, have organizational meetings. New sports/ fitness center. New arts facilities. A second campus center with a theater where they show movies every weekend, have a themed dance party, etc. If current music is your thing, then check this out: http://grinnellconcerts.com/.
As with all these LACs, the schools bring an amazing number of people to give talks, perform, etc. etc. That is in addition to all the organizations and academic departments having their own events, talks, every day of the week. There are clubs for every interest, and if your interest isn’t represented, then start one! My son did!
The college has alot of financial resources and puts them to use. Many of the students are from major metropolitan areas, and yet manage to have a wonderful time. The thing about college is that it really is about spending four years with your peers, hanging out, making adventures, learning and growing together. You don’t need a city or scenery to do that!
As far as LACs go, Grinnell is among the most diverse. So, whether you want to meet people from around the world or representing different American geographies, races and ethnicities, few LACs will offer you as much opportunity as Grinnell.
As an international, you also have a unique opportunity to become more absorbed in the town life, if that is of interest. The college offers you an opportunity to be paired up with a host family. Take advantage of that! Also, all students, if they are so inclined, can volunteer or do academic-related work in town activities. Tell the naysayers that you are going to see a side of American life where yes, corn grows, but the best minds and the friendliest people come together! (cue: “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies, for amber waves of grain…”
If you’re at all interested in American politics, then here’s another plus regarding Iowa: all the presidential candidates will be coming through the state to campaign. The Iowa caucuses are one of the most important markers along the campaign trail. For the 2008 election, both Obama and Hilary Clinton were on the Grinnell campus. True, the Democratic primary may not be contested – although there is at least one person who is trying to run against Hilary – chances are that even Hilary will be coming to Iowa. Whether or not she comes to Grinnell is another matter, but i would bet that some students would travel to see her and / or some other candidates.
Republican candidates would not be likely to visit the campus, though… But, again, they are all coming to Iowa!
You could even get involved in working on a campaign if you were so inclined.
Of course, you should not base your decision on the next four years on this, but I thought that Presidential politics vis a vis Iowa might be something of interest! If not for you, then at least to tell the folks at home!
Oops, I thought I had posted this, but hadn’t, so there is some repetition with what @SDOnCC said – who has a student there. We have visited it 3 times, with 2 students, and it is my son’s strong first choice right now, as a junior.
The town of Grinnell has what you need – an excellent small grocery, with organic food, great wine and beer, prepared foods if you want a change from dining hall; there is also a great old fashioned bakery and a movie theater playing first run movies, plus a great bike shop. There is a pretty park, a band shell where what seems like the whole town was headed for an evening concert when we visited in the summer. The homes around campus are lovely, 100 year old homes, some faculty, some student houses, some B&Bs etc.
Grinnell campus is gorgeous, the facilities are beautiful, the new and old blend together, and from what we have heard, the college makes sure there is plenty to do on campus since it is in a small town with not much else going on.
Further out from town, close to the highway, is Walmart.
Iowa City is just under an hour away, a major state public university, with 40,000 students. Des Moines is a different direction.
Its not Chicago, but many LACs are in smaller communities, like Kenyon (Gambier, Ohio makes Grinnell, Iowa look like a bustling metropolis), Oberlin, Denison.
You two should really look into writing for the Grinnell Website!!! That was all the information i needed. I’m firming Grinnell. Thank you so much
Does Grinnell have shuttles to airports during breaks? Which breaks are the dorms closed?
@Mom24boys They do have shuttles (I asked when D went for her Accepted Students visit). And I was just looking at the calendar and noticed that the dorms are open spring break. Not sure about the other holidays, but they’ll be listed on the academic calendar.
The town isn’t terrible, but I definitely found it depressing. The atmosphere of a college matters a lot to me, so location is a big enough factor to deter me from attending. I visited many small, semi-rural LACs (Oberlin, Whitman, MHC, Kenyon, Colby, Middlebury, Dickinson, etc.) and I greatly preferred their towns (or lack-thereof) to Grinnell. Grinnell felt desolate and didn’t have any spunk. It wasn’t thriving. No one seemed particularly happy to be there.
The town consists of two-three main streets with shops. None of the shops are hip or incredibly enticing (with the exception of the wonderful bike shop). The food, however, is quite good. Prairie Canary is by far the best restaurant in town, and is not unlike nice restaurants in bigger cities. The town is nicest by the college and looks a bit run-down closer to the main road that takes you out of Grinnell (the section with a McDonald’s, a hardware store, and gas-stations). The one thing that struck me was how empty the town was – it almost felt deserted. As was mentioned, the major grocery store and the Walmart (ugh) are far enough away that you’d need a car. I think a car could really alleviate the sense of isolation. Lastly, there seems to be a bit of animosity between the town and the school, which is not uncommon for rural LACS.
The main problem with the school’s location is its proximity to other towns. Iowa is very spread out, unlike states in the Northeast, so you have to drive a fair distance before getting to a desirable city. Des Moines is the cleanest and quietest big city I have ever encountered (and not in a good way).
That being said, the neighborhood surrounding the college is beautiful, well-kept, and grand. The streets are lined with wonderful old homes and large trees.
Bottom line: Come to Grinnell knowing that the main draw is the campus.
^^FWIW, when we visited Kenyon on our college visits, we thought that it felt the dreariest and most isolated of any campus we’d seen! Be careful of impressions of one-time visitors!
From my perspective as a parent with several years of experience with Grinnell, town-gown relations seem quite good. There are interactions between campus and community, the college is generous in supporting some town initiatives, many events on the campus are open to the public. In fact, because as I said in my previous post, Grinnell College students generally do not look to town for their night life, they are not heading into town loudly carousing, which is what can create problems in other communities.
I imagine there are some disagreements over some issues, and i think there may have been times when some high school kids have driven by and said or done stuff. But, most years at Grinnell some local graduates stay to enroll in the college. Life there can’t be all that bad! Sometimes even alumni stay on to start businesses there after graduation. Some people grew pretty fond of that small town life…
I agree with Wombat on two things: one, the campus is the main draw, but no matter the nature of the town associated with it, that will be true for most American LACs – life is campus-centric. two, the shopping is not hip. Don’t go to Grinnell if you go are going to college to shop!
SDonCC is right about one-time visitors – there are so many factors that can unfairly influence one’s impression of a college (weather, mood, etc.). I’d have to agree that I was unfair about Grinnell in terms of Kenyon. Kenyon does not even have a distinct town, and is very isolated from city life (there really isn’t much to do in Mt. Vernon, is there?). I think the most redeeming aspect of the school is its bucolic campus.
A number of high school friends attend Grinnell, and they feel that the town and college exist in separate worlds. I’ve heard that over the last number of years, the college has been trying to encourage students to contribute to commerce, but that the effort hasn’t been extremely successful. Grinnell is really the hub, and that may work for you!
Who here is going to college to shop? Does the desire to window shop once or twice a semester make me an air-head? I was simply pointing out that it isn’t a town with independent boutiques or eccentric shops (unique bookstores, vegan bakeries, tea shops, etc.), but instead a town that provides necessities with no fuss. You’d have to pay me to step foot into a shopping center or mall, but I do enjoy the occasional window shopping. Some people like being able to get away from campus for a time, and towns can serve as a distraction and temporary stress reliever. I don’t think that Grinnell is big enough or varied enough to serve this purpose.
All in all, it’s a fantastic school that offers top-notch academics. The town of Grinnell is rural and caters to the community rather than the college. And you may like such an environment.
Unlike most of the above posters, I actually attend Grinnell.
The location is a contentious issue.
I’m an American who grew up in a much larger metro in Iowa (40x bigger than Grinnell), and almost all of my friends are like you, international students. Here is my perspective.
All of us hate the location. If there aren’t events on campus, which there often the case, then you’ll have to go to town. Unfortunately, town consists of a handful of restaurants, a small movie theater, and a few random shops. The movies get boring pretty quickly and the restaurants are pretty mediocre, but not bad. In the Winter, you will rarely leave campus to venture to town. It’s just not really worth it, when it is 0F or -10F with wind chill.
On campus, you’re basically trapped into attending Gardner, Harris, or [weekend]. If you drink or do drugs or don’t mind being around a lot of substance use, then this might be good for you. Gardner is an event where a band comes to play, and Harris is a themed dance party. Both have high levels of substance use or pre-gaming. As for [weekend], it’s an organization that throws ridiculous substance free activities. They usually ask us 17-23 year olds to come decorate cookies, gingerbread houses, play gym games, or board games. Unfortunately, you can only decorate cookies a few times a semester before you lose your sanity. If you want to go to Iowa City or Des Moines, it’s possible, but the shuttles ARE NOT every week. You may realistically be able to go to Des Moines or Iowa City once a month. Des Moines and Iowa City are much more enjoyable towns and have a lot more to do than Grinnell.
I’ll be transferring to Vanderbilt for the 2015-2016 academic year, because I just can’t really handle so many aspects of this school anymore. The academics are great, but the social scene, substance culture, and geographic isolation are just terrible. I know about 5-6 other students who are also transferring and about 5-6 who want to but can’t, because Grinnell’s financial aid is just too good.
We had a survey first semester that asked #GRINHELL or #GRINWELL. If I remember correctly, it was 54% #GRINHELL and 46% #GRINWELL.
This school is great for individuals who want a great academic experience and have a really peculiar niche, play Division III athletics, or like/engage in heavy substance culture.
Rollercosta, can you handle cold and snowy winters?