<p>I figured it would be prudent to talk about why I chose Grinnell for the sake of all the kids who are kind of pulling their hair out about college. Because I too was in that spot and really confused about how I wanted to spend the next four years of my life and now I'm sitting in a state of complete contentment about both the certainty and ambiguity of my future.</p>
<p>Grinnellians are there to learn. They legitimately and unobtrusively want to recieve an education. Not just to land a job or accelerate themselves into those professional careers, but simply to know. To understand and question all their basic assumptions about themselves and life as they know it. </p>
<p>They also want to take charge of themselves. The idea of self governance that seems to reign over this campus gives me a profound respect for the inhabitants. They don't just talk about accountability, they carry the whip and lash themselves and others with it. The amount of self-responsibility makes me feel that were I facing issues in my residence hall, I could safely confront a person and rightfully expect others to back me up when I can't do it alone. Grinnell is definitely not a fend for yourself kind of world. Even in academics, there are unspeakable amounts of support. In the form of professors, tutors and labs of all sorts: reading, writing, math, science...</p>
<p>And the thing that really changed my mind about Grinnell is that yes, it's in the middle of the cornfields, yes, it's definitely not Cornell....but who cares? Grinnell certainly doesn't. They don't mind being in the middle of nowhere and they certainly don't mind not having a name linked with prestige. Most of the kids who go there were the wierd kids in the back of class doing extra-credit work for really no credit at all. The kids who made up jokes about the French Revolution and DNA helicases. It's not your typical, all-American school. It's not your typical anything. You can be whoever you want to be at this school and everyone will accept you. Whether you want to study ancient languages and play baseball simultaneously or become a pumpkin harvester who loves math. It's all here, waiting for you.</p>
<p>But think long and hard. Because it is in the cornfields. And it's definitely not for everyone. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're hella interested if you certainly aren't, and hella capable if you really aren't. </p>
<p>So my list of reasons why I shouldn't go to Grinnell kind of dwindled as weeks passed and eventually burned to a cinder after a recent, magnificent discovery:</p>
<p>And what was the last straw? Dude. They offer Arabic.</p>
<p>haha love it.
i'll take the liberty of basically making this a "Why Grinnell is the $hit" thread.</p>
<p>ppl are much more down-to-earth at Grinnell which was a real stand-out feature for me (especially compared to so many (hate to say it) pretentious northeast liberal arts colleges).
also the study jungle gyms are awesome.</p>
<p>altho the squirrels are really fat there. seriously, wut is up with that</p>
<p>My D just applied ED2 to Grinnell. I have been a little worried about the location of the school but she seems to be sure that a small town in a small school is the place she wants to be. After reading the previous post I feel much more at ease - her main question on every tour was do you offer Arabic?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>If she gets in do you have any dorm suggestions? I have been reading about the different locations but I am not sure if what all of the posts are saying are true. </p>
<p>Any information would be of help.</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>I couldn't agree more with everything here. The Arabic prof was just added this year and my son says she is great and RKO, the wonderful president of the college, even mentioned in his Family Weekend talk how much the Arabic prof was enjoying her students. Since they now teach Arabic, they are connected with a study abroad program in Rabat, Morocco that sounds really good.</p>
<p>It was definitely the unpretentious intellectualism--wanting to learn for the fun of learning--that attracted my son. I noticed that Grinnell had more weird sounding student clubs than any other place he looked at. The parties sound wonderfully offbeat as well, but I get the sense that just hanging around talking to friends is often the best activity of all.</p>
<p>About the dorms, my son was in Norris (built in the 60s, I think) last year and is in one of the older buildings, nearer the library, this year. He personally prefers being on the library, rather than the gym and playing field, side of campus, but it's a pretty small place so I don't think it matters much. He requested sub-free (thought it would be quieter) last year and didn't get it, but was grouped on a floor with other requesters, so that worked out great. I think Norris is considered one of the worst dorms and he had a great time there. It's more about the people. What are all the posts saying about the dorms, last_kidsmom?</p>
<p>The small town thing doesn't bother my son at all. Less to do in town means more to do on campus. They bring in an incredible array of speaskers and performers. and of course they do their own plays and concerts too. It's a really diverse student body. My son's friends are from all over the world and they do a fantastic job with socio-economic diversity too. It's not a bunch of spoiled rich kids. It's a community of learners who also know how to have fun. Can you tell I love it?</p>
<p>I have to agree though, that the squirrels are really fat. Don't know what's up with that.</p>
<p>It actually depends on what your daughter wants in a dorm. They do offer substance free housing, but it is said that they have little space for first years, so it's not likely to happen in your first year. South campus has the reputation of being a hippie campus, while the east campus is new and has excellent air conditioning. But I have heard that Norris sucks. You might want to stay away from that old building.</p>
<p>Actually, I don't recall my son having much choice re: dorms. First year, he filled out a form about what kind of a roommate he'd be and he got a great match for a roommate. They were placed in Norris on the 4th floor where they had air conditioning, nice bathrooms, a small lounge and the best floormates you could find anywhere. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember being able to choose a building.</p>
<p>S graduated recently from Grinnell, so I just wanted to weigh in on the dorm issue. I don't recall first years having any say in dorm placement, either, but certainly if you have a health issue (like asthma) that would necessitate being in an air conditioned dorm, make sure you let the school know that. The east dorms are not the only A/C dorms on campus. S started out in one of the older, charming dorms and lived in Norris, too. Norris does have a reputation - maybe because of its architecture - but he loved living there. It really is about the people at Grinnell. </p>
<p>Last spring I was walking with my now senior d. on the coast of Maine, and since it was cool I was wearing the Grinnell sweatshirt that lives in the car. We walked past a couple of teachers in their 20s who were there with their elementary students. The students were from Massachusetts but one of the teachers had graduated from Grinnell in the last 10 years. I asked what she thought of the place and she went on to say how much she loved the school and said "but it was the people at Grinnell" that make it what it is.</p>