Hi! I got into Grinnell college. I can’t visit because of Covid. I like the school academically, but I’m in the Facebook group of admitted students and everyone seems so weird.
I’m wondering if that’s a true assessment of the students at Grinnell. I want a good school but not at the expense of social life and cute girls 
Weird (not judging) people are pretty commonplace at LACs. I know because I go to a LAC. I have been to the Grinnell campus and the location is pretty bad. I can’t imagine the social life being very exciting. The school is small so automatically you have less options for meeting cute girls. Not to mention if you take out the somewhat weird people ( I’m guessing they’re most likely not cute) then there’s even less. But yes, the school is strong academically. What are your other choices?
@Higheredlearner mmm… speaking as a current student, the location is… not that bad. are you saying it’s bad because we’re in iowa and not in, say, massachusetts or california? technically speaking, our location is much better than bowdoin’s, colby’s, and bates’… all three are, basically, in the middle of nowhere. you’ve commented on two separate threads about the location. if you’re going to make an effort to have people be that concerned about it, you need to realize that for most liberal arts colleges—besides certain ones that come to mind such as rhodes, the claremont colleges, and macalester—location will often be a “con.” it’s completely relative depending on whether or not it’s a positive or negative characteristic.
anyway, because of our location, and because of how much money our school has, the administration makes an incredible effort to bring as many attractions as they can to campus, and they do… every day. there is always something happening. now, how often a student takes advantage of the events/talks/whatever else is completely up to them.
next, op, there are plenty of beautiful women at grinnell of all sexual orientations: heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual, etc. (i don’t know your sex or sexual orientation, so i’m just stating them all). i can assure you that my heterosexual male friends and lesbian female friends are all able to find a very decent size of women to pursue. furthermore, the female:male population at grinnell is around 55:45 (the average for liberal arts colleges), so statistically speaking, you’re more likely to find girls because the student population skews more female-dominated. if you’re incredibly worried about finding girls, maybe consider schools like skidmore where the female:male student population is, like, 70:30.
because of our small student population, and because the town is small, everyone is fairly close with everyone. you will see the same people every day, but that’s not to say you won’t see someone new every day. the social life is what you make of it. all-campus parties are thrown on the weekends as well as other social events hosted by various different organizations. all events are open to everyone on campus, unless it’s a private party hosted by a group of friends specifically for their friends.
yes. people at grinnell are weird. they’re quirky. you won’t really find people at other schools that you find at grinnell. that’s because grinnell is an incredibly diverse, come-as-you-are kind of school. no one really judges anyone. we embrace each other’s differences and uniqueness. we don’t want to be like any other peer school. that’s what makes us special.
if you’re more worried about having a social life & finding cute women than getting a world-class education at a top liberal arts college that sends graduates to the country’s/world’s top graduate programs every year, then i’m not sure being at grinnell would really benefit you very much? i only say that because, again, the academics are no joke: grinnell is known for pushing you academically further than you’re probably used to. that’s not a bad thing, but many people are very focused on academics. it’s more of an academics first THEN social life/girls second, not the other way around.
definitely PM me any questions you have about grinnell. i know the coronavirus SERIOUSLY messed so many things up for everyone, so i know picking a college will be harder than ever this year. if you have any questions about how the other schools you’re choosing among compare with grinnell, definitely ask me about that as well! grinnell is very different from, say, washington and lee, so if you’d be happy at one, you may not be happy at the other.
best of luck!
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I like Grinnell but, @humanrights
Seriously? Bates is in the twin cities of Lewiston/Auburn, population 60,000. Bowdoin’s in a charming coastal town twice as large as Grinnell Iowa (pop. 9,200). Go three blocks off the Grinnell campus and you’re literally in cornfields. (Tip: Google Street Map the neighborhoods around schools you’re considering) Even the most remote of the 3, Colby’s Waterville is larger than Grinnell and as close to Maine’s capital, Portland, as Grinnell is to Des Moines.
As I said, I like Grinnell. It has a lot to offer. But don’t try to oversell it.
Grinnell students do have a reputation for being a little quirky and the people I know who go there like it that way.
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@Sue22 i’m not trying to oversell it… i’m sick and tired of witnessing people on this website attempt to undersell it.
no, three blocks off campus does NOT put you in cornfields. those kinds of generalizations are EXACTLY what i mean. none of you really know what you’re talking about? three blocks off campus puts you in the town, the college-owned golf-course, and/or various neighborhoods? i’m a student… pretty confident that i would know. does it put you CLOSE to cornfields? i mean… it’s iowa… corn isn’t far away no matter how you look at it.
so many people on here need to understand that a vast majority of liberal arts colleges are going to be in small, underpopulated areas. if you and/or your student can’t handle that… fine? it’s really that simple. don’t “caution” other people that the location is as horrible as you personally claim it to be, because other liberal arts colleges are exactly the same.
@humanrights Yes, it is true that most LACs are not located in big cities or college towns. It is true that I have been talking about the location of the college in several threads, not just Grinnell. I just feel that LACs, especially ones in rural locations are only the right fit for a certain type of student. IMO, pretty much anyone can find their people at a large university, but harder at a LAC if you don’t fit the vibe. With the coronavirus going around and students not being able to visit schools, it may be hard for prospective students to judge whether a school is a fit for them or not. Especially with the other thread about Grinnell, the student is international I believe. In Asian countries, I believe schools in rural locations are not really a thing, I just wanted him/her to be aware of it.
@humanrights,
Okay, maybe 6 block. The cornfields are closer than the golf course.
As I’ve said, I like Grinnell. I have a relative and children of close friends currently attending. That said, I don’t think it does the OP or anyone else reading this any favors to try to paint Grinnell Iowa as something it’s not.
I don’t have anything against cornfields. Lots of kids like attending schools in rural small towns. Some don’t. I can’t judge for the OP whether the rural nature of Grinnell Iowa would be a positive or a negative.
Grinnell has strong academics and a huge endowment. Graduates do well. I’m not trying to dissuade the OP from Grinnell, but I think they should go on Google Maps to take a virtual tour of the area if that’s a concern.
Two of my kids attended Bates. I would do a prospective student no favors by saying “Lewiston Maine isn’t really cold and snowy. Most other college towns are just as cold” because, let’s face it, Maine is cold in the winter. As is Iowa. Some kids love it and spend all winter skiing and otherwise enjoying the outdoors. Some would be miserable. Better to know what you’re getting into up front.
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Anyone who is considering Grinnell and who has not been there needs to understand the location. We visited with S19 twice. It is indeed in the middle of nowhere. You get off of the highway, drive ten minutes through corn and come to the cute town of Grinnell. The houses in the town are cute enough but the town itself has practically nothing going on. What Grinnell does, though, is bring a ton of entertainment to campus. That is true.
S19 decided on Bowdoin and passed up $100k in merit at Grinnell primarily because of location so it can be a deal breaker. Brunswick is 100% more hopping than Grinnell even though it’s hardly bustling. Multiple restaurants, ice cream, coffee, a grocery store, a cute bookstore are all within walking distance with the town attached to campus. And, as a runner, he can be to the ocean in a 15 minute run. Portland is a very easy and short train ride. Flying into Portland is easy and it’s 30 min from campus. In the end, we preferred that to the four hour drive to Grinnell. Grinnell is hard to get to for kids who have to fly there and then offers none of the above. There is almost nothing in the town.
That being said, I think Grinnell College itself is an amazing school for academics and, since they offer merit, has to be seriously considered. The food was really good and the facilities are amazing. And, honestly, we thought the kids we met were pretty mainstream and not “alternative” or “weird”.
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@porcupine98 , any advice for this student? What would your son say about cute girls and social life?
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If a student’s primary criteria is access to cute girls, he may have some growing up to do before he is ready to make the most of the vibrant intellectual communities he will find at top LACs
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Note that Grinnell’s popularity with international students registers as one its distinguishing aspects, however.
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/most-international
My thoughts on location… once you get there (and it’s a pain in the rear to get there), you won’t be bothered by location at all. I have a hard time believing that a town of 60,000 or even 100,000 has that much more to offer than Grinnell. Let’s be real, here. Kids rarely go off campus except to Walmart/Target, grocery store, restaurant, coffee shop, or local pub. Grinnell has all these things.
As far as the students go, I’m sure everyone on your Facebook page is trying hard to present themself as intellectual advanced and quirky. It’s a big enough school that you’ll find people to date.
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My son is currently a third year at Grinnell. True, there are plenty of quirky students there but plenty of more mainstream students as well. He and his friend group/sports teammates do not seem to have any difficulties having fun or finding people in the social/dating scene. I suspect that scene is typical of small LACs.
Several posters commented on location. If a student is looking for a college in an urban location, obviously Grinnell is not the choice. But, the location has a ton of advantages. My son, like most students at Grinnell, grew up in a large metropolitan area. He will almost surely live in a large metropolitan area after graduating. He saw college as a chance to try something different.
Like most students there, he really likes the location and living in a small town. Of course, most of his time is spent on campus, which is a very international, active place. Always more stuff to do than he has time for. Des Moines and Iowa City are less than an hour drive away for concerts, internships or more variety in restaurants. He has a car but rarely uses it as most things he needs are an easy walk from campus. In the town, he’s made all sorts of connections. The staff and townspeople reflect the environment…more laid back, less stressed, less in a rush, eager to talk and help. The air is cleaner, there is no heat island effect, you can sometimes see the Milky Way walking across campus. He loves running on the gravel roads in the open countryside. The location is one of the features that makes Grinnell special. The friendly, unpretentious student vibe is a direct reflection of that location. I wish you could visit, as that is truly the best way to see if it is a fit for you.
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Parent of graduating senior this year. The best way to make this decision is to visit and it is shame you can’t make that trip.
Grinnell is an hour away from two cities. The town of Grinnell has restaurants / movie theater / bars / shops…Comparing Iowa to coastal Maine is sort of silly. If your priority is running the beach go somewhere with a beach! For our kids they wanted to feel at home. For our son Grinnell felt more at home than McGill / Lehigh / etc.
Figure out what your number 1 to 3 or 5 priorities are and then rank the schools in those categories. You will use your heart and preconceptions bc you cant visit but at least when you get to your #1 choice you will have tangible reasons you picked one option or the other.
For our son the priorities were highly rated LAC that would help him get into a good grad school program in his major, overall cost - merit aid, campus vibe, and far enough away to be independent. We live in a major metro with 2M plus people and the vibe worked for him. Grinnell is a fantastic education. He received a very generous aid package and the airport is a 2.5 hr nonstop flight from home via SW.
Good luck with your choice!
B-
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If your priority were the beach Brunswick Maine would not be my first choice either! Maine beaches are rocky and rather cold.
Grinnell’s a great school and if you end up there I’m sure you’ll find your people and have a positive four years.
What are your other choices?
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@Bill Marsh, http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/2181833-berkeley-vs-grinnell-vs-davidson.html#latest
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Thanks, Sue. Three great choices!
@fryingpan123 I’m going to cross-post my reply from your other thread here so others can find it if they happen on this thread over that one. I will say though your tone in this question is a little different than the one you had in the other. To be clear: Grinnellians put academics before hookups and, for the most part, before our social lives. We party, but you better bust your butt in class. Also, to be honest, we’re not the most conventionally attractive student body on the whole, but I happen to love those “weird” personalities. People are typically a little extra on that facebook page as compared to real life, but they’re still true to themselves. Just picture your class to be a little less out there, but the same content as what you’re seeing on the Facebook. Also keep in mind that there are a heck of a lot of people who are not as active on that and you may find your friends in those people.
Hey @fryingpan123 I’m a third year at Grinnell. Let me know if there is something in particular you are interested in learning about the campus, but I can tell you why I chose Grinnell. I’m from New York State and I didn’t know I wanted something like Grinnell in Iowa until I visited. I really feel for your position not being able to visit. It’s a hard decision to make cold, but know that I have TONS of international friends who had to make the decision cold and love it here. Two things made me choose Grinnell: the professors/classes and the students. Three additional things keep me here: the town, the events on campus, and alumni. Let me tell you about all of them! 
The Professors/Classes: When I visited for accepted students day on a windy day in April, 2017, we were directed to take one or two classes as a try-out. My first choice, Game Theory (Econ 300 level) had already been snatched up by other eager students, so I chose two others: GLS 291 - Perspectives in 20th-Century Central and Eastern European Literature and ECN 111 - Introduction to Economics. The GLS class was my first and I fell in love. Professor Todd P. Armstrong was teaching the class. I walked into a room of five current students and two fellow prospies (the affectionate term Grinnellians use for prospective students) around a small, oblong table. We proceeded to watch news reel from Czechoslovakia and talk about the implications of propaganda literature contrasted with underground anti communist artists’ and writers’ creative output. Professor Armstrong engaged the prospective students in the class just as much as the current students. I attended Intro Econ with Professor Chan, who is no longer at Grinnell, and the same participation was true of her class. I was lucky enough to hear another prospective student in the hallway after that class declare that she wanted to go get something to eat instead of going to Game Theory, so I jumped at the chance to take her attendance ticket. I attended all three classes and felt included and excited to participate in all of them despite lacking preparation. This has held true throughout my Grinnell experience and I have enjoyed classes with all the professors I sampled classes with since coming to Grinnell; they delivered on my expectations in every way. Notably stellar professors I’ve had in my time at Grinnell: Professor Sharron Quinsaat (Sociology), Professor John Garrison (English), Professor Mark Chamberland (Math), Professor William (Bill) Ferguson (Economics), and Professor Paul Hutchison (Education). Oh! Also Fredo Rivera (Art History) and Kelly Maynard (History). Top Classes of All Time: Sociology of Asian America, Policy Analysis, and Tyrants and Tunesmiths - Opera, Politics, and Society in Modern Europe.
The Students: When I first arrived - I loved the quirky-ness of the student body and consistently tell people that the number one reason I decided to come to Grinnell was the vast array of interests I saw confidently expressed in eloquent terms by my soon-to-be peers. In my class year there are students who are avid fly fishers, Shakespeare nerds, original musical composers, drag aficionados, YA literature reviewers, YouTubers, and mbira players. All of these people are unapologetically them and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Now - The community I grew up in was probably just right of center in political views and being placed in a student body that so clearly skews hard to the left has given me ample opportunities to grow in my understanding of the world of politicized communities. Yes, I got more liberal at Grinnell, but I also still hold some of my centrist views. Now though I have good reasons for believing the things I do and am able to back those beliefs up with sound judgments. Also, this campus straight up would not work without the students. There is so much student decision making about how our campus is run (some students may say we don’t have enough power, but we do have a voice and a history of influencing the administrative decision making at high levels). I feel really proud to be a part of that tradition of students caring about and putting in the work to create a college community in our own image.
The Town: OH MY GOD THE TOWN!!! I love exploring all the nooks and crannies of the town. Grinnell has like seven parks and my friends and I love to walk to them late at night to clear our heads and talk away from the four by eight block of grass that is our campus. There’s this old timey gas station called Candyland Station that has the best malt milkshakes and grilled cheeses with an old fashioned juke box in the corner to play tunes for a quarter. Frontier Cafe is THE student hotspot for breakfast Sunday mornings after you’ve slept off the revelry of Saturday night Harris Dances, Gardner Concerts, and High Street parties. Prairie Canary and Relish are upscale and perfect for date night (if that’s what you’re into) or birthday parties with your closest friends. Peace Tree has the best root beer (under 21s) and taps (over 21s). Finally, your time at Grinnell is not complete without seeing movies at the Strand. Even though we show blockbuster movies every weekend in the on-campus movie theater (I saw Baby Driver, Black Panther, The Big Sick, Knives Out, and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood on campus right after they came out), the Strand is another great way to get off campus, support local businesses, and have THE BEST popcorn. Also, if it floats your boat, almost every major Christian denomination has a church in town. My favorite place off campus: The Drake Community Library. Phonebank here for your local candidate, chill on the beanbags and read a book for fun, or explore all the poetry/prose written on the windows.
Campus Events: There are so many to choose from, so I’ll just choose some highlights… The National Theater and The MET Live Opera screen live in our movie theater on Saturdays, Titular Head (affectionatly known as Tit Head) is a raunchy student video submission festival celebrating life as a Grinnellian and all things spoof, QPOC (Queer Persons of Color)'s Drag Festival happens twice a year (once a semester) and I swear it is attended by ~800 students each time and profs even attend, The Grinnellian is a spring music festival on the quad with every Grinnell student band in existence performing and ample hammock/Frisbee game opportunities, Block Party is our end of the year party where we block off all of High Street to play drinking games and just other fun games, and THE IOWA CAUCUS which you are guaranteed to experience in your four years here. These are just some examples of LOTs of events including academic talks, social drinking events, and music events galore.
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The Alumni: What an under-used well-provided resource. First and second years have opportunities to go to work with alumni all across the world over our two week spring break, the student alumni council is an active opportunity to network, alumni send 1,400 care packages to campus for every student in the spring semester, and they often advertise internships through our Careers, Life, and Service office. Alumni can be super supportive of you and are sometimes one of your greatest cheerleaders.
So, that’s my two cents on the college life here. There are some things I do not like: We have a super strenuous work load. It is very hard to find a work-life balance and instead of working hard to find it, it seems like students just take it on and remain on the edge for most of their time at Grinnell. Know your limits folks. Also, there can be a bit of disenchantment with the admin that breeds resentment. I try not to engage in it too much because it can make your college experience feel really negative when we’re fighting for the things we need like improved work-study pay and time off for sickness. Finally, the small school thing takes some getting used to; a lot of people know a lot of people’s business even when you don’t want them to. Oh, one more thing that’s neither good nor bad, we have a very hook-up heavy culture in the main student body and the part of the student body that tends more toward actual dating seems to be athletes. Just an observation.
Feel free to ask me more specific questions if you want to know more.
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