<p>DD admitted to both, with merit aid at each. Merit aid less at Grinnell but COA is also less, so the money is basically a wash. Interested in music but not as a major or degree. Undecided as to major. She wouldn't mind taking a required core curriculum (applies only to Oberlin, as I understand.) Would be interested to hear from persons familiar with both schools. We live in California - which is easier to get to and from? How do they compare in terms of the workload? Thanks.</p>
<p>I’m not familiar enough with Grinnell to answer your question in detail, but my general sense is that academically the schools are quite similar in terms of workload, academic excellence, etc. There is no required core curriculum at Oberlin, just a broad set of academic requirements that can be satisfied by choosing from a variety of courses in different departments. Oberlin is very easy to reach: half an hour from the Cleveland airport. I think Grinnell feels a good deal more remote–it’s an hour from Des Moines and 3 hours from Omaha. I recommend a visit to both schools if you can possibly manage it, which would clarify the cultural differences between the two schools. Otherwise, spend some time browsing around on the Oberlin blogs, which will give you a good sense of what the students are like: [Oberlin</a> Blogs](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/).</p>
<p>Hi, we live in California too. Our S is accepted and going to Grinnell in the fall. He was very interested in both schools. Oberlin has an incredible music conservatory, but if your DD does not want to be that serious about music, than Grinnell may be better. Don’t get me wrong, as Grinnell has a very good music scene and music program. Our S is musical too, but does not want to major in music. He wanted to go to a school where his ability would be respected and could contribute without being a music major. Grinnell is ranked very high and is a very intellectual school. Oberlin has a good name too. I think that both are very liberal schools, but Oberlin is probably a little more liberal outwardly and wears there heart on their sleeve a little bit more if that makes sense. Grinnell is a very easy drive from Des Moines or Iowa City. It’s a small town, but the college because of its incredible endowment(7th in country) brings in amazing lectures, artists, bands, and activities for the students. Everything is free at Grinnell. Grinnell has amazing facilities as they have been on a building blitz in the past five to ten years. You would need to visit both. Grinnell has an incredible number of students that go on to earn their ph’d’s. I can put the link on here if you would like to see those stats. Grinnell is very remote, but the kids that we have talked to find it very relaxing and can catch the free shuttle bus into Des Moines if they want to do city shopping etc. although most have told us that the college brings in so much that they don’t ever really want to leave. Grinnell does not have any core requirements except the Freshman tutorial, but from what we have heard from many, you will be working very closely with a professor who is your advisor and they really do help you put together a very well thought out curriculum. It took us about five hours from air port to air port and then had about a 45 to 50 minute car ride to the campus. Again, it was a very easy drive to campus. Grinnell has regular shuttles to and from the airport during holiday and vacation times and can help you set up transportation for your DD. Grinnell is in the process of finishing up their new natatorium, indoor tennis courts, indoor track and climbing wall and they will be ready this August. The science building is top notch and they recently built an incredible new student center and the food was very good. The new fitness center is wonderful too. They had very nice music and performing arts centers as well. As I said, they have a lot of money and many kids get to do research projects too. Everything is free so the kids don’t need much in the way of spending money. Big plus in our opinion. I like Oberlin too. It feels similar and many kids who chose one or the other, many times get into both. I think Grinnell is a little more academic, but would not say enough so to really make a difference. Grinnell is known to be one of the most intellectual schools in the country. I think both give a lot of work, and it would depend more on what your major is. We absolutely fell in love with Grinnell and our S felt very accepted by the kids he met while visiting there. I think it will come down to little things in your case, but those little things can sometimes mean a lot depending on what you are looking for. Please let me know if you have any other questions and congrats to your DD as they are both great schools.</p>
<p>My son is a senior at Oberlin. He loves music but is not majoring in it. He has loved the music environment at Oberlin. He has formed and plays in an orchestra for non-music majors. He attends concerts every week. He has been able to listen to music ranging across a huge variety of genres as well as see top name performers for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere. Students who want to be immersed in music without majoring in it could do a lot worse than Oberlin.</p>
<p>If you search on Grinnell for Oberlin and Grinnell, you will see several prior threads with this comparison.</p>
<p>Oberlin is an easy commute from California - Continental and SW both fly to Cleveland and the airport is an easy and almost traffic-less ride to Oberlin. There is a large California contingent.<br>
I haven’t visited Grinnell, so I can’t speak to the campus or academics.
But for someone interested in music, I cannot imagine that any other LAC is comparable to Oberlin! There is both a classical and jazz conservatory, concerts and recitals almost daily, operas…no comparison on that front.<br>
And there is a wide array of nonmusical cultural events and little or no cost - a wonderful library and art museum, and excellent academics - second to none. The town is friendly and very inexpensive.
The best thing to do is visit both colleges and get a feel for the fit, though you probably can’t go wrong.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for your interesting viewpoints. I’m sure either G. or O. would be a wonderful experience for our DD.</p>
<p>shennie: It was interesting the hear that your son started an Oberlin orchestra for non-music majors. Was the conservatory faculty helpful in this endeavor? Is there a good chance that this orchestra will continue after he graduates?</p>
<p>Conveniently enough, there’s a new video about that orchestra:
[YouTube</a> - Oberlin College Arts & Sciences Orchestra](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrqXe0z454]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrqXe0z454)
And according to this blog:
[Oberlin</a> Blogs | Blog Entry: “College Orchestra! (not our official name)”](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/music_theater_arts/college_orchest.shtml]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/music_theater_arts/college_orchest.shtml) , it’s been chartered and will continue after the founders graduate.</p>
<p>Capandgown,</p>
<p>In May, both Bill Cosby and Stevie Wonder are coming to Oberlin to celebrate the opening of the new Jazz Conservatory! No college has a self-contained Jazz Conservatory, a world-class classical conservatory, and a prestigious liberal arts college on the same campus, and with all the students living together. Only Oberlin. :)</p>
<p>My D is not in either conservatory, but she is very musical. She hopes to stay in a dorm next year that has practice rooms, so she can once again enjoy playing her instrument.</p>
<p>even if she winds up in a different dorm, there is no shortage of practice rooms! and with the new jazz building there will be even more - with windows!
In addition to the orchestra for non-Con students, there is a huge peer group for chamber music; also lots of non-classical music going on.</p>
<p>capandgown - the conservatory was not supportive originally for a variety of reasons. However, they have softened over the years and things have improved every year. This year they were approved for club status which gives them a souce for some funding which will help them quite a bit. They have also been using grad student conducting majors which has helped the group as well. Son is very much hoping that the group will continue after he and the co-founder graduate this spring. They are looking for an underclassman or 2 to take over the organization. Being an official club should help it to continue.</p>
<p>Thanks, dave72, Plainsman, mamenyu, and shennie. Sounds like a great setting.</p>
<p>I chose Oberlin over Grinnell! (I realize I work for Oberlin now, so I may not be your best unbiased source of information, but 8 years ago I was choosing directly between the two.) I had a friend attending Grinnell at the time who felt like the professors tended to assign an excessive amount of work, more than what was really needed to teach and learn the subject matter. Ultimately, I chose Oberlin because I got the impression that Oberlin students (while still academically focused) were better at finding a good work/life balance. Also, I really liked the idea of the housing/dining co-ops. And Oberlin gave me slightly more financial aid.</p>
<p>I chose Oberlin over Grinnell just last year. While both schools are small, Midwestern, and known for having generally liberal student bodies, I found that Oberlin had much, much more going on on campus. At Oberlin, I was able to go to an Oberlin Orchestra concert - on a Wednesday night, no less! At Grinnell, I wandered around bored on a Friday afternoon. Grinnell’s setting also felt much more rural and isolated to me, and the social life of the school was nowhere near as thriving as at Oberlin. Both schools are very intellectual and have hard-working students, but Oberlin was a better fit for me socially.</p>
<p>Another California parent weighing in. Oberlin is very easy to get to. Continental flies non-stop which is makes it about a 4-5 hour trip. Daughter is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences and although she is not a music major (but a musician) she is taking private piano lessons (as one of her classes for credit) from a conservatory student which is such a gift to study from such unbelievable talent. And the music concerts this year have been equally unbelievable. Non conservatory students can definitely access and participate with music at all levels. As college choices are all about fit and match, your daughter should try and visit both schools.</p>