Grinnell College Top Questions

Grinnell is a place where you can be yourself without any limitations or social oppressions. Acceptance is a fundamental value at Grinnell in all aspects - social, political, etc.

Grinnell tries very hard to be accepting of every culture, and is usually pretty successful. I do feel like conservatives and very religious people would feel uncomfortable on campus. I'm a Christian, not even a very hard-core one, and I still get asked constantly about my religion. This wouldn't be so bad if the questions were asked with the intention of learning, not just refuting everything I say... "Normal" and "mainstream" are dirty words here in Grinnell, which can be nice in that you get to express every part of yourself that maybe you didn't get to in high school. I really do like Grinnell, but it does have its negative aspects which should be considered.

Grinnell College is a school that truly cares about the student: this is especially shown from the core concept of academic freedom, in which the only required class is a writing tutorial for the first semester. The academics at Grinnell are simply phenomenal. Further, the social life at Grinnell is better than expected. Myself included, most think that there is nothing to do in the small town of Grinnell. However, this is not true. The campus brings bands, comedians, art shows, movies, and much more to the campus, giving its students the same opportunities others at larger schools would have.

Highly overrated. Talented professors and departments who ultimately suck because of rigid ideology and high or unknowable standards. Terrible social scene. Terrible town. Nothing to do but schoolwork, drugs, and extra currics. Annoying ideological arrogance. Cold and icy Odd, ideological, and politcally charged school spirit Dumb, dumb administration whose losing millions and millions of dollars a year. Have I made myself clear?

Grinnell students are generally happy with their school because the whole culture revolves around them. The administration bends over backwards to serve the student body - or at least give the impression that it is doing so - and it creates an aura of entitlement among students.

small and mid-western

All of the schools I applied to were top-notch liberal arts colleges, but Grinnell seemed to offer something beyond that. Students at Grinnell seemed enthusiastically devoted to not only their studies but to social change and justice. When I'm not studying (which is most of the time, I won't lie), I have so many clubs and projects to join, along with so many just for fun groups, from choir to zombie movie night. Grinnell also has a huge endowment and their financial aid package was bar-none the best I recieved.

Senior Barbara discusses the positives and negatives of a uniquely Grinnellian institution: self governance.

Grinnell is a very quirky wonderful place with a lot of people who care about the state of the world and where it will go in the future. Many bright minds have passed through the loggias of Grinnell, and there are some who aren't as bright who also have. Everyone's situation is different, and really visiting the school yourself is the best way to find out what Grinnell is really like.

Grinnell is not perfect we have had hate crimes on campus, and many students are constantly trying to better the climate and continue communication. Also, in recent years a shift has occurred and many students are unhappy with the running and decisions of Student Affairs. Student Groups have also formed to support proper and helpful decision making that supports Self Governance instead of hurting it. The big picture deal is understand your limits, but also understand Grinnell will make you grow and test those limits. No one is stagnate being and any College will make you grow. Grinnell will simply ask you to actively add to the community, by adding you beliefs, values and culture. Just as long as we are all held accountable self gov will always be love.

In my opinion, this is the eptiome of a classic Grinnell story. First, let me explain that architectually, Grinnell's new design involves lots of windows. Last year, my friends and I studied for finals in a building called the JRC (Joe Rosenfield Center) in a room where one wall was entirely windows. We decided to have a wild dance study break, only to realize that everyone across from us, in another building made almost entirely out of windows, could see us. Instead of becoming embarrassed or shy, we climbed up into the window sills and danced up there so everyone can see. In other places, I'm sure we would have gotten weird looks and an adult would have come to ask us to stop. But instead, people in the building across climbed into their window sills and danced with us! Grinnell has the greatest community, everyone is up for anything.

The people come not only from all areas of the country but also from all areas of the world. While there are certainly a magnitude of kids from the Midwest, there are also kids from Texas and California and New York, Bangladesh and Korea and Ghana. There is also a propensity among Grinnell students to study abroad, and this international curiousity is reflected on the campus, which I think is really cool.

the individuals are the most unique part (as i would imagine the individuals would be the most unique part at most all schools)

There's a real desire to learn here, but it is very well balanced with a sense of good humor and fun. Nowhere else I looked at were students simultaneously academically competitive but also very willing to help each other out. The location, which may not be considered ideal by all students helps foster a sense of community. We have an exceptionally vibrant campus life, in part because there's very little else around.

When I first visited Grinnell, something clicked. The winter months are abysmally cold, and the classes are challenging, and sometimes people are awkward. But, I fell in love with the place, and the people. Grinnellians are just....different. I'm reminded of that old gatorade commercial- Is It in you? Grinnell just brings something out of people. Grinnell makes people think more, be more confident, explore, ask more questions, learn an obscene amount, then try and figure out what they learned.

Grinnell is the best thing that has happened to my life! I came to think of the faculty as family.

We work hard and party hard.

Grinnell is awesome! People work hard, and party hard.

I love Grinnell. It is a wonderful school filled with wonderful people. I have changed into a better person for attending Grinnell.

I've never been happier.

Grinnell is perfect for me and I love it. I couldn't really imagine a better school. But be warned - we're in Iowa, which is a great state with amazing people. Still, you will be 1 hour from the nearest city. Don't apply to Grinnell unless you are sure you can handle the location. That's the one thing Grinnell is unforgiving about - location. I love it, but I was 110{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure it was what I wanted. So think long and hard about whether a rural education is what you want. We're certainly not cut off from the rest of the world, but we are in a small town. Choose carefully and know what you want! Grinnell is not a good safety school - it thrives because everyone here wants to be here.

The most important thing about Grinnell is the visit. It was the first college I visited and I remember being SO impressed with the sense of community. It was a crappy day -- rainy and dreary -- when I visited and my guide knew everyone we bumped into and had something different to say and talk about with each of them. This really left an impression. There is something for everyone. It may be hard to find at first; it takes most people a while to realize what exactly it is they want and then to find exactly how they fit into the Grinnell scene, but once they do, they really grow as a person and can experience tremendous things. Grinnellians are always willing to talk about their experiences and if you do come for a visit, ask a student for their opinion or a suggestion or something... they'll gladly help you out and probably go out of their way to make sure you find it. Grinnell really is like one big family and I love it.

The students are really supportive of each other.

Grinnell is a great place with so many opportunites that arise from it. It is hard to get used to at first but pretty easy to warm up to.

OK. No popped collars allowed. If you aren't big on environmental activism and all things liberal and progressive, (mostly if you find yourself on the other side of the aisle on these things) Grinnell might get a little in your face at times. But if you want a place that will not only challenge you to perform academically, but give you every opportunity to engage in these and other issues alongside your friends and the campus, then apply or come and visit.

Grinnell is just a great place. I couldn't imagine going anywhere else, and while the academics are very rigorous and stress-inducing, we always manage to have a lot of fun.

i really like grynel--like a lot

I miss Chicken Patty Parmesan

Grinnell is awesome. I love it here. I am learning a lot about myself, and how society works. It is such a great community with the town, the professors, the staff and the students. Everyone really looks out for each other.

Plainly speaking, Grinnell is not a place for someone who thinks of themself as "socially conservative" or "strictly traditional". This person would feel VERY out of place and most likely uncomfortable around campus.

We are isolated, Grinnell is commonly refered to as the bubble by its community members. This isolation leads to apathy about the outside world, self-centered thought and activity with depression being an periodic issue, academic focus, cabin fever drug use, high levels of social responsibility and local perspective. The school pays for lots of cool shit and we consume it to the point of contentedness, that is how they keep us from exercising our radical social philosophies. Iowans suck.

Grinnell really is a fantastic place, but you should come here with an open mind. You will be challenged every day, whether it is in academics, athletics, work or social experiences and you have to be willing to learn. If you've got that down, you're on the right track.

Grinnell students have a lot of GC Pride. Most people either marry each other or get Grinnell tattoos.

I love grinnell!

Prepare for shitty weather during the winter. Iowa is a windy state, so that coupled with negative temperatures suck. But then again I'm from Texas, so a cold winter for us was anything below 20degrees.

Grinnellians are extremely intense. If you are at all balanced or laid-back, you will go insane here.

One thing I love about Grinnell: the people. I've met some people here whom I think are the nicest on earth. And they are genuinely nice, not even pretending to be. But you know what? I don't have time to hang out with them because I have tons of homework to do. That's the sad part.

Grinnell is tough, but if you are dedicated and willing to work hard, you wil go far and you will have aquired a broad range of in depth knowledge on a diverse range of topics.