Cornell looks very interesting, and while maybe a little bland there it doesn’t look the bad kind of bland (for me, affluent and fratty). Socially the other students would have to accept me because it’s like either me or cornfields.
Npcs of Cornell College and Lawrence come in very nice for me, and way, way less than UCs, which I can’t afford (unless I commute to Davis)
Glad you decided to give the forum another chance. If you found Cornell College interesting, you should definitely look at Colorado College, mentioned above, which has the same (almost unique) block program and also may have the vibe you are looking for. It is quite competitive, but not quite as competitive as Grinnell, I believe. I also agree with the suggestions of Connecticut College, Lawrence and Wooster. I understand you aren’t looking for any extraneous advice, but please do be careful not to put yourself in a box of “dyed-hair types like me.” It makes sense to look for a school where you can find “your people,” but all people are complex and trying too hard to avoid people whom you imagine to be unlike you would be a mistake in my view.
@tkoparent , while Colorado College is the only other school that utilizes a One Course At A Time approach, the financials are quite different and will not meet the poster’s needs. Connecticut College also will not meet her financial needs and is in no way easier to get into than Grinnell. Even if these colleges somehow came up with enough merit, the poster would be at risk of having to transfer if their grades slipped.
@Marmozets , I have a friend that works at Cornell College and I’m really encouraging my son to look there. It seems to be a non-judgemental, live and let live type place. And I don’t think you’ll find many slackers. It’s hard to slack when classes are so small and you are covering a semester’s worth of work in 3 1/2 weeks. But I also don’t think they are the take no prisoner competitive types either. That’s exactly why I think it will work for my son. He wants rigor, depth and a student body that he can have intellectual conversations with, but can not stand kids that only care about their grades and not what they are learning or how they will apply it.
Not necessarily easier to get into, but have you looked at Oberlin? Might be a good fit socially and they offer good merit and need-based aid.
Grinnell may place among the ~50 hardest colleges to get into in the country. In this analysis, for example, it ranked 47th:
Deleted
I would read OP’s other threads, and OP’s dad’s threads to get a sense for the situation. Here is one of dad’s: What LACs are good for ill equipped students?
This is kind of out of left field, but my niece and nephew both went to and liked St. John’s College. The both ended up at the Santa Fe campus though the younger one started in Annapolis. (Great book curriculum.) Intellectual vibe. All types. No frats.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned St. Olaf yet. Beautiful, small LAC in Northfield, MN - which is an awesome college town and less than an hour from the Twin Cities. (Carleton College is also located there.) No frats, friendly vibe, and they give out pretty significant merit aid. There is a bit more of an emphasis on religion, but when we toured, it was presented as very open, non-denominational focus on spirituality (rather than any particular religion or orthodoxy). It did not scare off my son, who was not wanting to be at a school with any overly religious focus. Also, we were there in early 2020 (in the run-up to the election) and saw a lot of liberal candidate’s campaign posters up on campus.
I’ll throw more support in for Lawrence University. My daughter’s final 4 came down to Grinnell, Macalester, Brandeis, and Lawrence. Of those 4, she loved LU the most and has not regretted her choice to go there. Plus Lawrence came through with a nice scholarship and very competitive financial aid.
Eckerd College motto is “think outside.” Very warm and welcoming community, a live and let live attitude. Close professor/mentor relationships. Every freshman is also assigned a peer mentor. Honors college. Writers in Paradise winter term. Not sure of what you are considering to major in. They lean very liberal, there is a new farm manager that was hired as well as a focus on diversity with the new President and a director of exclusive excellence. Offer both merit and financial aid.
Hendrix is a really great option. I know a somewhat fratty sports guy who left. The president used to be provost at SMU. He innovative and fun. They have solid merit aid with small classes. It’s a place for liberal arts and not overly techie. If one doesn’t like to read, LACs may not be a fit.
[edit: to @CTTC. I wasn’t trying to respond to Mwfan1921 but the forum isn’t working right for me.
I did put my stats and kind of indicated what I and my twin brother (not to be confused with me as to literary capabilities) can afford.
In truth we cant even afford our efc, nor can we afford housing and meals without some borrowing, but my father will also borrow to get into the tuition.
NPCs at some of the colleges you all mention have us about 5k over room and board. So those colleges are doable with everyone in the family borrowing and getting the merit and need indicated. I’ve also found threads where many of these same colleges came in under npc by 2-5k for some members here. So there’s hope.
Since the social situation and cost are the main considerations, what my major is doesn’t matter because I will make it work.
by calling myself a “dyed hair type” I’m just trying to give people here a sense, without writing an essay about me. What I say in brief here for others isn’t what I think about for myself. I think I read somewhere that the Princeton President said something like “we need more green hair types.” I was probably thinking of that.
And yeah, it looked like my forum experience was about to go south again but it turned around and now I’m thankful I came back, and thanks for your thoughts on those colleges!
I will say, the schools I’d listed – Knox, Lawrence, Earlham, Beloit, Wooster, Kalamazoo – all meet what we called the “blue hair” test, that is, do you see kids from every range of self-presentation, from Polo shirts to blue hair (and men in skirts).
Blockquote I wasn’t looking for experts to tailor their recommendations exactly to my stats. Once I start talking about such things it kind of kills the spirit of the question.
Hopefully it’s okay for folks here to have fun with the question, “If you like Grinnell, you’ll also like…”
For example, with music you can google “bands like the Marmozets” and many websites will generate a list, or check this out: Music like Marmozets - Similar Bands and Artists
Well, since Grinnell was also on my radar in HS I’m guessing that you’re looking for the same sorts of colleges that I was looking for.
Some of the other schools I looked at (or were recommended to me) included: Carleton (where I eventually ended up), Reed (my very close second choice), Beloit, Lawrence, Oberlin, Earlham, Bard, Skidmore, Pomona, Occidental, Harvey Mudd, Whitman, Linfield, Kenyon, Haverford, Brown, and Macalester.
Carleton is very similar to Grinnell in terms of vibe / campus culture, but it does not offer merit aid in any significant amount. Ditto with Reed. Brown, Pomona, Harvey Mudd are significantly more selective than Grinnell.
I mentioned UPS upthread, I don’t know if you saw it. I actually went to Grinnell and I could see myself being very happy at UPS. It has a far, far better location than Grinnell. It is not difficult to gain admittance and gives great merit aid. If you play an instrument, you’ll likely get some scholarship money for that, too. I also would have suggested Bard, but I’ve heard they don’t give any merit aid.
Thanks! UPS has long been on the tippy top of my list. I don’t know if the merit will be enough since the NPC shows lousy results compared to other colleges, but it gets repeatedly brought up on CC as having good merits so I’m getting my hopes up.
I do play instruments and have had and am currently the leader of a garage band. But, I don’t think I would pass an audition in anything. I don’t know how this could figure in my application.
I have a lot of talents and interests, but the problem is I’m not great at any of them, or even really good tbh. I’ve never really strived for greatness or even goodness as that would have meant focusing in on one or two things. It’s only now that I’m applying that I heard that’s not what gets you things, but I wasn’t thinking about getting anything when I spent my youth dancing, making music, singing, playing sports, doing martial arts, and making art. It wasn’t a strategic plan for college and I also happen to disagree strongly with the value admissions places on people who specialize.
I know you didn’t bring any of that up though.
Thanks for the encouragement about UPS!
I so want to go there and would have gladly focused on music if I knew this when I was young.
And to be clear, Roanoke College in in the own of Salem, VA. Roanoke the city is about 10-15 min from the college.