<p>Grinnell has very good math and science programs. The Noyce center is a wonderful facility that really shows what the $1 billion endowment means for a student.</p>
<p>^That highlights some of Grinnell’s strongest departments. Physics and Mathematics both rank well. Because the large investments in math and science are actually more recent than the statistics in that study, you could probably assume mathematics and physics would do even better today.</p>
<p>50 Top Schools for Science & Engineering PhDs</p>
<p>Without further ado, here are the top 50 schools where graduates ultimately received a PhD in science or engineering:</p>
<pre><code>Cal Tech
Harvey Mudd College
MIT
Reed College
Swarthmore College
Carleton College
University of Chicago
</code></pre>
<p>** Grinnell College**
Rice University
Princeton University
Harvard University
Bryn Mawr College
Haverford College
Pomona College
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
Williams College
Yale Univeristy
Oberlin College
Stanford University
Johns Hopkins University
Kalamazoo College
Cornell University
Case Western Reserve</p>
<p>For those of you who were admitted to Grinnell and are now making decisions about which school to attend, I am bumping this thread in a shameless plug for the school.</p>
<p>S graduated, by the way. He’s now working and his first text to me, on his first day at work was, “I miss Grinnell.”</p>
<p>As a recent Grinnell grad I just wanted to say what a fantastic experience I had at Grinnell. Academically Grinnell was terrific and do an exceptional job getting students into grad school. On quite a few med school interviews I had admissions members tell me what a fantastic reputation Grinnell had. The profs are generally great and the facilities are unmatched by many large state schools. As an athlete Grinnell balances academics and athletics very well. Coaches understand that you are a student first and athlete second. The teams are very cohesive and supporting of one another but also welcome all outsiders (Grinnell has a no cut policy). Finally, I found Grinnellians to be extremely friendly, intelligent, and down to earth. I had a phenomenal time at Grinnell and highly recommend it to others.</p>
<p>I do not know how to ask this without sounding right wing or prudish or homophobic. Really I am cool with whatever floats your boat. BUT… I have some <em>awkward</em> questions to ask to those who know Grinnell well. My son was just admitted and is seriously considering Grinnell and the other top LACs (admitted to all) – he really likes the midwestern ones best. But… I have heard that Grinnell has a very large portion of gay students and that maybe 20% of the females are gay. I want my super shy and inexperienced son to have enough straight women around to maybe get a girlfriend. And to have a substantially straight culture at college. Can anyone give me a clearer idea of what social life is like at Grinnell? How gay is it there? And additionally, is it more of a hookup culture or more of a going steady culture? Thanks!</p>
<p>There’s no shortage of straight women. Yes, there is a very significant LGBT community here at Grinnell, but it doesn’t disproportionately affect either gender and women hold a significant majority in the overall school population. In other words, there are more straight women than straight men.</p>
<p>Also, 20% is probably an exaggeration. There are no statistics, of course, but I don’t think even at a school like Grinnell it’s that common. Most people you meet will be straight, and even if they aren’t, you probably won’t even be able to tell unless you ask them.</p>
<p>And yes, there is a hookup culture, especially at Harris parties. There are plenty of people that have more substantial relationships, though, so it’s possible to find the kind of relationship one is looking for.</p>
<p>My son developed a long term relationship with a wonderful young woman while he was at Grinnell. That lasted for 3 years. He is now graduated and in a relationship with another lovely young woman, also a graduated Grinnell student. I know some of his other guy friends are also in long-term relationships with Grinnell woman. If your son concentrates on making friends first, romantic relationships can happen without “hookups”.</p>
<p>“there is a very significant LGBT community here at Grinnell” and at all the top LACs. I don’t think the number of LGBT students has actually changed anywhere - what’s changed is the level of comfort people have in being open about who they are. All good. </p>
<p>The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force estimates that 3-8% of the population is gay. If we assume that the 8% is more accurate, and then double that for Grinnell, it’s still 16%. Like Kudryavka says, 20% sounds a bit unlikely.</p>
<p>I don’t think your son needs worry about this. It never even came up as an issue for S, who found his true love during his second year at Grinnell, just like bethievt’s son.</p>
<p>Thanks for the social scene answers. A few more-- does anyone know people at both Carleton and Grinnell and can compare the social life? What kids do when not in class? What they do on weekends? </p>
<p>I have read a lot of stuff on ***** and college ******* as well as this site and it seems like maybe Grinnell has more big parties (loud music, drinking) than Carleton. “Stressed out kids” is reported more at Grinnell as well. Can someone give me first hand info on both schools? </p>
<p>Looking for the best fit for a quiet nerdy super smart young man interested in science/math. Thanks.</p>
<p>Grinnell and Carleton are very similar. Carleton isn’t quite as offbeat as Grinnell and has more preppy kids, but other than that there’s not a huge difference. Grinnell certainly isn’t a party school, but there are Harris parties on most Saturday nights. If you’re not looking to party, you don’t have to go to Harris. 10/10 is the only time you can’t really avoid the party.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Looking for the best fit for a quiet nerdy super smart young man interested in science/math. Thanks.<a href=“Disclaimer:%20personal%20opinion/impression%20here,%20don’t%20crucify%20me”>/quote</a> I would say Grinnell has better sciences while Carleton has a better math department.</p>
<p>And yes, Grinnell can be pretty stressful. The work load in basically any class you take is going to be pretty heavy, especially if you take a class with lots of reading. My Education 101 class last semester had nine entire books in the required reading.</p>
<p>I’d agree that these 2 schools are very similar. H and I both thought our S would opt for Carleton if he was accepted, partly because it had a National Champion Quiz Bowl team, but no, he wanted Grinnell. The facilities are better across the board at Grinnell, but I love the Carleton campus too. The student center at Carleton is small and a little drab, so there’s one floor of the library that seems to function as a social space (the other floors are quiet, of course). I’m quite sure Grinnell brings more activities and shows (music, dance, plays, speakers etc.) to campus than does Carleton. Your son couldn’t make a bad choice with these two schools. They are both highly academic and quite nerdy in a good way.The thing that was the deciding factor for my son was that Grinnell students were more unconventional in their thinking and that’s what he wanted. What is best for your son could be different but, again, there’s no possible bad decision here.</p>
<p>OK - I want to add a little twist and ask why NOT Grinnell? Are there quirks or features of Grinnell that might work for some, but might be a real red flag for others? How about top 3 reasons to attend for a science major and top 3 things to think twice about for a girl who was up working on a chemistry problem set Saturday night (not partying, in other words).</p>
<p>It’s actually easy to avoid the parties, even 10/10. I strongly dislike party environments and don’t attend, but sometimes do fun things with my friends instead. A lot of people dress up for Harris parties, and if it’s an interesting theme I’ll join in on that part, take pictures, and then skip the actual party. On 10/10 my friends and I built a blanket fort in the lounge of one of the sub-free dorms and had our own small get together. I’ve never been pressured to do something outside of my limits.</p>
<p>Not Your Average Weekend is a group that puts on sub-free activities as well, such as a trip to the pumpkin farm this fall.</p>
<p>Although I tend to stay away from the math/science area, I hear the department is FANTASTIC, and your son would probably like it.</p>
<p>For
Small class sizes and great professors make it easy for everyone to succeed and gain deeper understanding of the material. I babysat for one of my profs and trained for a marathon with him.
Incredible reputation really helps when applying to med and graduate schools. Also all my teachers knew me which helped with LORs and getting research opportunities as a freshman.
Great balance between athletics, music, and schoolwork. I felt challenged but never overwhelmed by the workload.</p>
<p>Cons
Not a lot to do in the town or surrounding area. However the school does bring amazing stuff to campus so I never felt this was a huge problem.
Certain majors in recent years (psych and bio) have gotten so big that it can be difficult to get into certain classes you want. I finished my biochem major after 3 years and was basically denied from all my science classes my last semester. This to me would be the biggest issue but it might be a problem at a lot of smaller schools who try and keep class
sizes small.
There is a large party scene on campus and if large parties are not your scene it is important to find a group of people to do things with on Friday and Saturday nights.</p>
<p>TN Parent: I come from a conservative town and was nervous about the people at Grinnell. Visiting is a great way to meet people, especially if you stay overnight with a host. I love the people at Grinnell. They will push you to think about your views and challenge stereotypes, and for me it has been a very positive environment. </p>
<p>From talking with kids who go to Carleton, the social scene appears to be very similar. There are parties every weekend, but, at least at Grinnell, there are also lots of events not focused on drinking, as well as sub-free events, and some people will even be doing homework on the weekend evenings.</p>
<p>Lastly, Grinnell and Carleton are both stressful places at times. Mid-sems and finals week can be extra rough, but there are lots of things to help you relax such as pancakes at 2am, puppies to play with, and singing groups performing study breaks. Also, coaches know when it is a stressful time and are advocate that school comes first so athletics are not an extra stress.</p>
<p>Thanks to you all for the helpful info about Grinnell. Son will visit in April on one of the admitted student days–hope he likes it as well as Carleton. Any more info on social scene i(or other info) is welcome!</p>
<p>Thank you for this wonderful thread (: I applied to Grinnell somewhat on a whim, and from what I’ve heard about the school, I couldn’t be happier that it’s now an option (I got my acceptance in the mail toady!!.) The reasons posted on this thread and everything my college councilor has told me (she’s a Grinnell alum) has really made it seem like a great place, filled with serious academics, interesting kids, and a socially aware and involved campus.</p>
<p>My one concern is the size- I go to a tiny school in suburban chicago (roughly 160 kids in the entire school), and though I’ve loved my high school academically, sometimes the social aspect can be tough. Grinnell was by far the smallest school I applied to, and though 1600 kids is still a huge step up from 160, relative to some other schools I’m looking at, it seems so small. My question is, how small does that actually feel? Is it ever restrictive, if only from a social stand point? How diverse can a group of 1600 truly be? Any and all feedback is appreciated- I really am in love with the school regarding every other aspect.</p>