<p>It is definitely addictive SDon CC, as I can very well attest. CC has been so helpful and supportive to me over the years and now the Grinnell forum gives me a feeling of being a little more connected with my son, who is so far away. I’m sure I also get defensive and protective of Grinnell because my son is there and I want to believe it is perfect. Well, nothing is perfect, of course.</p>
<p>dan–I absolutely do think your scheduling issue would be extremely annoying and unworkable. I’m glad my son hasn’t run into that with his classes.</p>
<p>Now that I look at the link, it seems to me that there is consistency as to the time of day most classes are scheduled (as in Keilexandra’s #2 above). Languages and sciences seem to have sometimes have one additional time; I’m guessing that’s lab time.</p>
<p>to get back to curiousitydog’s question, there are alot of courses still open and alot that are closed. I think that by limiting class sizes, as Grinnell does and as do many LACs, there will always be classes that have to limit enrollment. The plus side is that having small classes is a reason to choose an LAC; the negative is that sometimes a student has to wait to take some classes. I believe that upperclass students would get priority in enrollment, but you can check this out.</p>
<p>The OP makes an interesting point:
“In addition certain classes meet at times that almost guarantee that you won’t be able to design an optimal schedule. For example, many classes meet at different times each day.”</p>
<p>If you look at the schedule, here are a few of the classes that meet at inconsistent times:</p>
<p>Italian I T 11:00 AM-11:50 AM; TH10:00 AM-10:50 AM
Hindi I M 8:00 AM-8:50 AM; T-TH 10:00 AM-10:50 AM
Human Evolution T 10:00 AM-11:50 AM; TH 10:00 AM-10:50 AM
Intermediate Chinese I MTWF 11:00 AM-11:50 AM; TH 2:15 PM-3:05 PM
Inorgnc & Analytcl Chem w/lab MWF 9:00 AM-9:50 AM; TH 1:15 PM-4:05 PM
Introductory German MWF 8:00 AM-8:50 AM; T 11:00 AM-11:50 AM
Functions & Differential Calc MWF 9:00 AM-9:50 AM; T 10:00 AM-10:50 AM
Calculus I MWF 8:00 AM-8:50 AM; T 10:00 AM-10:50 AM</p>
<p>How do students keep track of classes that meet at different times?</p>
<p>If you are smart enough to go to College you are also smart enough to keep track of your classes one would think. Most classes you listed either have a Lab section or meet on a different time on Tuesdays or Thursdays because otherwise they would conflict with Tutorial and First-years wouldn’t be able to take them (for example German). Hindi and Italian are not actual classes, they are part of the ALSO program and the hours are arranged at the beginning of the semester between the instructor and the student.</p>
<p>1st semester of freshmen year all 1st years are in tutorial from 8-10 on T Th. This means that introductory courses which usually meet during those hours are pushed back, because freshmen make up the majority of intro class students. (this holds true for german, calc, and functions)</p>
<p>The reason intermediate Chinese is at a different time on Th is because that hour is reserved for convocation on Thursdays, which are talks from visiting scholars. </p>
<p>Inorganic Chem has a lab and Human Evo doesn’t actually meet at a different time, it just has one class that’s an hour shorter. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what calc section the original poster was talking about, but my calc meets MWThF from 10-11</p>
<p>It seriously upsets me to see anyone saying they don’t want to apply to Grinnell anymore just because of one post. This guy is upset, yes, but people who come into any school assuming it’s going to be a paradise and their lives will be perfect will obviously end up less than pleased with their experiences. My advice to prospies: take Grinnell for how you see it and experience it during visits and talking with current students. Nothing more or less is fair to you or the school. Grinnell, just like any college, is what you make of it. If you complain of being bored, it’s because you don’t try hard enough to find something to do. If you complain of scheduling problems, feel thankful that in return for a few minor conflicts (I have yet to experience any) you are receiving a world-class education in an amazing discussion-based atmosphere. Drugs are illegal and, if an incident gets called in, police officers would be violating their codes to turn a blind eye, so don’t complain about that. Hate crimes are horrible and it’s awful that they still happen, but that’s human behavior, not just Grinnell behavior. </p>
<p>I respect Dan’s opinions on this place I call home, but I very much disagree with them. I love my school and my experiences. I urge all prospective students to make their own decisions on this and not let any one source of information influence their choice more than another.</p>
<p>One thing you should consider about Grinnell is there has already been a suicide this year. There are only 1,700 kids here and we have a suicide already. Call the school and ask if you think I am playing. Oh and a student arrested for using drugs in their dorm room which happens all the time.</p>
<p>They don’t have good student mental health help here. They don’t care about the students and they don’t do anything to help kids they know are in trouble. We are on our own. You try to help your friends when you can but in the end what can you do. Within the last 10 years they had a cluster suicide situation and another kid who wandered off and killed himself in a pool and they didn’t find his body for like 6 months. And maybe more suicides, it is hard to say because you can’t find this out because they keep it so quiet. They try to keep too much quiet here, so consider that when you consider Grinnell.</p>
<p>The rise in the number of college students reporting serious mental health issues has risen noticeably on college campuses across the country over the past decade. The reasons are many and complex. Grinnell is just part of that trend. Have you seen data that suggests that it’s worse there than elsewhere? Colleges everywhere, including Grinnell, have been beefing up their ‘early warning’ and counseling capacity. </p>
<p>“They don’t care about the students and they don’t do anything to help kids they know are in trouble.” That’s a pretty broad statement. You sound upset. If something has happened, or is happening, that you feel isn’t getting the necessary attention, I’d start with the dean of student affairs and go higher if necessary. No student should ever feel helpless in the face of a friend’s serious mental health issue. (Realize though that for reasons of confidentiality, the school won’t be able to report back to you on it’s actions/intervention.)</p>
<p>Nowayjosie, I am so sorry for the loss of the student at Grinnell and I am sure you, like everyone on campus, is hurting.</p>
<p>But, I do want to set the record straight. The school sent an email campus wide informing them of a student’s death, with a list of resources that students could use to help them deal with the event, news of a community gathering open to all Grinnellians and suggestions on how students could take care of their own well-being during this time of stress (which coincides with the end of semester). The students were also told to feel free to forward the email to their families, and subsequently, we (the parents) received our own email from the school. No details of this tragedy were provided in the communications beyond the news of a death with “cause of death unknown at this time.” Out of respect for the victim’s family, I would not have expected the details to be provided anyway.</p>
<p>I have not seen any evidence that this is a school that does not care about the students. There are multiple levels of support available, including Residence Life Coordinators who live in the dorms with students, in addition to the counselors in the office of Student Health and Counseling Services. The college brings a psychiatrist on campus for limited hours (the college’s own staff has two psychologists), and students can also get therapy at the Poweshiek Mental Health Center which is probably a five minute walk from campus.</p>
<p>I should add more details of the “resources” i mentioned to help students deal with the grief. One of them included news that “counseling and support will be available in Main Lounge from now until 2:00 am.” Keeping staff working until 2:00 in the morning doesn’t sound to me like a school that doesn’t care about its students. </p>
<p>It included the phone numbers and locations of the Security office, the Student counseling center, the Chaplain’s Office and Academic Advising, along with information about what kind of support each of these offices could provide. </p>
<p>In addition to the news of a Community gathering to be held the following day, which I referenced above.</p>
<p>Both my D and I went into this school year with extremely high hopes and expectations. The visits to the campus gave us both a good sense of what it might be like to live and study in a small town Iowa. The classes she sat in on and the people she met seemed like a great match, especially compared to other schools we visited. Have everything met our expectations - of course not! They were really high! But, I have to say they have been closely aligned. Yes, she’s had scheduling issues getting into her first choice classes. Some have been because she didn’t get into the section with the prof who was highly rated. None kept her out of a class she needed or wanted (and she’s premed). When she looked at the online schedule that shows actual numbers of enrolled students it became clear that the intro classes were mainly the ones full (and full at 25) while many of the 200+ level classes had plenty of room Socially - with a small school she’s met tons of people and has made great friends. Work - it’s tough! What??? Oh, yeah, we read that before even coming that there was little grade inflation. Quality of profs? Even without getting into the “top” sections - 2/4 of her profs are great, one is okay, and one seems to be really tough and doesn’t communicate. So, based on this - should she transfer???
Seriously, this is definitely not the best place for everyone. And it’s real world meaning not everyone or everything, or every response is going to be perfect. If it’s not a match - then leave! I’m sure there will be another school that will have a better match to the things that are important to you - tolerance for all lifestyles, students who mix and mingle across racial, ethnic, political, etc groups, a school with data that shows very open schedules, good support for students in need, and a nice downtown with access to a real life.</p>
<p>Jussmal - I just had to do a quick search on Reed and here’s the first I post I read. All I can say is continue your research and take all comments both seriously and with a grain of salt!</p>
<p>"As for rigor, you may go back to Reed and be challenged, but I am leaving because I did not feel like I was being challenged. The professors at Reed are some of the best in the country, and they are extremely intelligent, well-read people. However, because almost every class at Reed is a conference course, you are spending more time listening to your peers than to the professor–or, you are talking yourself. The best part of Reed are the readings assigned and the thesis. Personally I was not going to sit through more boring conferences, listening to kids talk out of their asses while the most educated person in the room sat quietly (the prof)…all that, just to write a thesis. If I wanna do that, I’ll pursue a Masters or PhD. Then my paper will be published, and not just end up in the thesis tower.</p>
<ol>
<li>“Reed [has] the often irritating homogenous and pretentious student bod[y].” Yeah, that is not going to change. Reed is full of entitled white kids. There are normal people there, but they are not the majority. If you already feel this way, then I would strongly suggest transferring. Reed only stays a glittery intellectual dreamscape if you continue to be ignorant to, or ignore, the fact that no one is willing to step outside their entitled, privileged world view. Not to mention, going back to rigor, the fact that people still manage to slide by at Reed, never doing readings, turning all their papers in late and well below the page requirements. Really takes away from the feeling that you’re in a special thinking person’s paradise (especially if you’re not getting the grades that match your work)."</li>
</ol>
<p>I am a high school student but I currently take a class at Reed. Although I can’t comment on the conference class issue as I am in a lecture class, the student body is not diverse in thought or socioeconomic class at all. I was planning to apply there but I don’t really think it would be a good school for me. Is this an issue at Grinnell? I didn’t think it would be as much with a need blind policy. I want a liberal student body but I don’t want it to be homogenous, which is the exact word I would use to describe Reed.</p>
<p>Does anyone know of LACs similar to Grinnell with respect to basically no core credits (except the first year seminar)? I am really interested in Colorado College and Whitman but they both have a lot of requirements which I don’t like.</p>
<p>I don’t thirrdplanet. My son really liked the lack of requirements at Grinnell, but the advisors keep watch and do nudge their advisees when they feel they need to. Pretty strongly at times.</p>
<p>nowayjosie–we were on campus for accepted student’s weekend when Paul was found. This was the student who was found in a swimming pool months after he went missing. My understanding was that it was a pool at a country club maybe that had been closed and covered for months so that’s why they couldn’t find him. I can assure you that the campus was in mourning for this young man and the president and everyone else were very open about their sadness and the loss to the community. My understanding is that every dorm has a paid staff member with a Masters in psychology to help students. Maybe this has changed.</p>
<p>Third Planet - Brown is another one with no gen eds from what I understand. You can easily get a list from a search engine but there are really very few. And my impression is that there is a pretty decent range of socioecomomic backgrounds at Grinnell. One thing we liked is the lack of need for a lot of “cash” (except for books of course)! But my D doesn’t feel like she needs to “keep up” with expensive break trips, clothing, etc.</p>
<p>I thought of Brown, but it’s not exactly a LAC.</p>
<p>To answer another question, Grinnell students are from all over the place, about 12% international, lots of domestic ethnic and socioeconomic diversity too. For my son from VT, he loved all of the different points of view. It added so much to classroom discussion and it added…I don’t know how to describe it really. When we would visit his dorm it was like a mini UN. He has friends to visit all over the country and all over the world. They come and visit us too!</p>