Student Body

<p>Could you describe the student body at Grinnell? Hippies? Activists? Non-descript?</p>

<p>The majority is liberal in a very generic and non-passionate way. Conservatives are a very small minority. Extreme liberals are common, but do not make up a majority. There is a great deal of activism on campus, mostly driven by a small core of passionate students.</p>

<p>I would say the core of passionate students is large, but otherwise exeuntsl is correct. I would also reiterate that extreme liberals are common.</p>

<p>grinnell is an intersting mix</p>

<p>I don't think you get the crazy out there liberals that you get at somewhere like Oberlin, and you don't get the crazy out there hippies you might get at Antioch. </p>

<p>I can't say I was here last year during elections, but on the whole I feel like Grinnell isn't nearly as politically charged as I expected it to be, which was nice. Take it there's the Coke boycott and any number of random little individual agendas, but it's really not obnoxious, it's just something that comes with the territory. I think the majority of people definitely are liberal, but the majority isn't activist, which is an atmosphere I enjoy. (I wouldn't go so far to say it's apathetic though, definitely).</p>

<p>You also have your exceptions. I know a girl who was going to become a nun ... and then decided to come to Grinnell. A guy on my floor is quite religious, and attends a popular Bible Study group at Grinnell, of which there appear to be more than a select few. Another girl on my floor definitely has her W'04 sticker up in her room, a bold move perhaps, but still. </p>

<p>Pretty much, if you're liberal, have a mind for politics and activism, but aren't psychotic about it, I think the student body will suit you quite well. If you're conservative, I'd just be prepared to have to defend your views, but Republican's with supported views are just as liked as Democrats with the same, and anyone who's obnoxious on both sides of the spectrum are equally disliked.</p>

<p>Everyone's nice. That's about how it works here because if you're going to be a prick there's only 1600 of us and we're all stuck in the same place with nowhere to go.</p>