I am going to apply ED at either Grinnell or Oberlin. Grinnell has a slightly higher acceptance rate, however that’s not what I’m concerned about. Both schools sound similar on many aspects based on reviews, and I feel the atmosphere is great at both and fits me. What really directed me towards Grinnell was its huge enforcement on social justice, but then I looked through Oberlin’s website and they do have a large enforcement has well (probably not as strong though?) It seems like both schools have a tight knit community, but I hear about that more from Grinnell students. I’m planning on doing pre-med and I’m not a BIG artist but I do have appreciation and interest for art as a hobby. So I like how Oberlin is better for that, but then again since art isn’t a big part of me I shouldn’t really have a problem at Grinnell right? I also prefer Ohio over Iowa. But it seems that even though Grinnell is in the middle of nowhere, the students know how to make the best of it. I like how the political scene is active at both schools as well, which would you say is more? Thank you!
They are both great schools. My impression has always been that the only school that matches Oberlin in social justice is Berkeley (although I have to admit I’m not sure what you mean by social justice “enforcement”.
My advice would be to visit both and get the feel for each. Then again, the vast majority of people who go to either college end up loving them so it’s hard to make a bad choice between the two.
Pre med, I’d go with Grinnell. Both great schools
S attended Grinnell (pre-med, now in med school), best friend at Oberlin (Bio Phd). Both loved their experiences, so I think the good news is that you can’t go wrong at either school. I would say that the facilities at Grinnell are generally nicer than the ones at Oberlin - the school has a huge endowment and that’s one of the ways it shows up. And there is more money for student activities and somewhat smaller class sizes too. But social justice is a major focus for both schools, although each probably has their own way of approaching it. You might research their programs in that area a bit more. How do the financials play out for you? Grinnell offers merit aid, Oberlin doesn’t, so Grinnell might be less expensive. Would you be eligible for a Trustee Scholarship? (Medical school is very expensive so you want to avoid undergrad debt.)
If you love art, Oberlin has a nice little museum…would that make a significant difference to you? Compare classes available in art and art history to see how the two schools stack up. Great music scene at Oberlin because of the conservatory. Amazing sports facilities at Grinnell which everyone on campus takes advantage of. The towns are about the same size and both are about an hour from urban areas (Cleveland vs. Des Moines and Iowa City).
As above, if you get into either one you will probably have a great experience and excellent prep as a pre-med.
@N’sMom My daughter is at Oberlin and receives a $12000 per year merit scholarship. She was also a NMF. (She gets an extra $2k per year for that). Social justice is a huge part of Oberlin. In fact many subjects have caused quite the discussion/debate at our house. Lol
As the
previous poster stated, Oberlin does offer merit aid. Oberlin is special. Music is everywhere and there’s always something to do. The sciences at Oberlin are very well-regarded. I also don’t understand your comments about enforcement, but it would be hard to find students more engaged and concerned about social justice than the students at Oberlin…
Why do you have to choose now? They are each very strong choices for you. Would hate to see you apply to just one and not get in. My advice is to take something else off the list.
Grinnell is half the size of Oberlin and is wealthier.
I would add that Oberlin has a January term which can be used for internships, travel and other projects. Grinnell is on semesters. Oberlin also has a large Experimental College with student run courses that can be taken for college credit