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Grinnell College
- Campus Housing

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Grinnell College - Campus Housing - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.62

Campus Housing

A
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Housing rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Housing Grades:

Quick Stats

On-Campus Housing Available? Yes
Campus Housing Capacity 1,340
Average Housing Costs $4,198
Freshmen Required to Live on Campus? Yes
Undergrads Living On Campus 88%
Freshmen Living On Campus 100%
Number of Dormitories 19
Number of Campus-Owned Apartments 0
Best Freshman Dorms Main Hall
Best Upperclassman Dorms Loose Hall
Best Dorms East Campus dorms
Worst Dorms Norris Hall
Worst Freshman Dorms Norris Hall
Worst Upperclassman Dorms Norris Hall

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Grinnell uses a room draw system in which your chances of getting the room you want are based on an ingenious mix of seniority and luck. Every spring, each student is assigned a number. Each class lines up outside of the concert hall in Harris to pick rooms. The juniors with the lowest numbers pick first, then the highest juniors, then the lowest sophomores, all the way down to the highest numbers of the freshman class. If you selected a roommate, the lowest number is used. Lately, given the huge intake of freshmen, campus housing has been under the highest demand. 

Since incoming freshmen are not around to pick a room or dorm, the College selects their rooms for them. While some first-years end up randomly scattered across campus, a good majority ends up in Norris or Cleveland—the far north or south. To be frank, Norris closely resembles a prison camp and is at the very northern tip of campus where students have to take a commercial jet in order to get anywhere on campus. However, Norris is a great place for first-years to end up since there is nothing that can cement friendships faster than shoving 60 nervous and bewildered 18-year-olds into the same building. Overall, the housing facilities are not great. South Campus used to be the women's quarters back in the '50s, while North Campus was the men's. East Campus has fabulous facilities, though. Each dorm on East Campus has its own computer lab, laundry room, air conditioning, and an elevator. In comparison to the high-quality East housing, South Campus and North Campus are fairly unimpressive. However, North Campus and South Campus both offer students an array of rooms.

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Grinnell Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Housing at Grinnell College

shimdooy

'15

Sociology

5.0
A+

East Campus Rules

Campus housings are divided into three: North, South, or East Campus. Generally, North and South Campus dorms are old and do not have a/c, heater, elevator, and very few laundry machines. East Campus, the new dorms, have almost everything. Not that many parties are held in East Campus because of the personalities of people living there.

Nov 06, 2011

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Campus Housing at Grinnell College

Ezk1993

'15

Political Science and Government

4.6
A

To Each His Own

There are three "campuses" (dorm clusters) at Grinnell, East, South, and North. Each campus offers a different scene and different attributes. Although many of the campus stigmas are not always accurate. All housing is perfectly fine and the FMs (Facilities Managment) do a great job keeping the halls clean.

Oct 13, 2011

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Campus Housing at Grinnell College

marya135

'15

French Language and Literature

4.6
A

Darn good.

I live on East campus (Lazier Hall) so some might say I'm privileged with air conditioning, but I think each of the campuses have great pluses. North is right next to Harris and the gyms, East is new, and South has a lot of personality and it's close to the library and Bob's Underground cafe. Based on what I see I'd have to say that halls are most closely knit on South campus and least on East, so if you're looking for a lot of floor companionship, don't request East!! The rooms are very nice and pretty spacious, unless you're really unlucky and get one of the few that are tiny. Communal bathrooms are unfortunate, but hey, most colleges have those. Overall, really good!

Aug 23, 2011

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Page 1 of 6

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus housing on the following subjects

Facts

Types of Housing Offered
  • Coed dorms
  • Cooperative housing
  • Special housing for disabled students
  • Theme housing
  • Wellness housing
Room Types
  • Doubles
  • Quads
  • Singles
  • Triples
Bed Types Twin extra-long
What You Get
  • Bed
  • Bookshelf
  • Desk and chair
  • Dresser
  • Ethernet connection
  • Window coverings
Also Available
  • Chinese House (1227 Park St.)
  • French House (1019 Park St.)
  • German House (1221 Park St.)
  • Russian House (1217 Park St.)
  • Spanish House (1316 Park St.)
  • Special-interest housing
  • Two other houses rotate themes each year.

Available for Rent

Minifridges, lofts

Cleaning Service

In public areas and bathroom

Did You Know?
  • In doubles, it’s usually possible to bunk the beds.
  • The loggias connect all of South Campus. A loggia is a roofed outdoor walkway attached to the side of a building, also described as an "outdoor hallway."
  • North and South Campuses are connected by a series of underground maintenance tunnels that students aren’t permitted to use.

DormitoriesWhat's This?

Clark Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in North Campus

Cleveland Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Community kitchen, computer lab, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in South Campus

Cowles Hall
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 20–49
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, quads
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located right above Cowles dining hall; located in North Campus

Dibble Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 20–49
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, laundry facilities, TV lounges, wireless Internet; active social dorm, located in North Campus

Gates Hall
Floors: 5
Number of Occupants: 20–49
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; considered an icon of Grinnell, located in North Campus

Haines Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples, quads
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in South Campus

James Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; substance-free, located in South Campus

Kershaw Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Air conditioning, community kitchen, elevators, TV lounges, wireless Internet; substance-free, located in East Campus

Langan Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, piano, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in North Campus

Lazier Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Air conditioning, community kitchen, elevator, laundry facilities, piano, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in East Campus

Loose Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Community kitchen, computer lab, laundry facilities, piano, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in South Campus

Main Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Bob’s Underground, community kitchen, elevator, Gardner Lounge, laundry facilities, piano, TV lounges, wireless Internet; Quad Dining Hall, located in South Campus

Norris Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Air conditioning, community kitchen, computer lab, piano, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in North Campus

Rathje Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Community kitchen, computer lab, laundry facilities, recycling, storage, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in East Campus

Rawson Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 20–49
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in North Campus

Read Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples, quads
Special Features: Community kitchen, computer lab, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in South Campus

Rose Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Air conditioning, community kitchen, elevator, laundry facilities, TV lounges, wireless Internet; located in East Campus

Smith Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50–99
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Community kitchen, TV lounges, wireless Internet; substance-free, located in North Campus

Younker Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 100–249
Bathrooms: Communal
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Computer lab, kitchens, laundry, lounges, piano, wireless Internet; located in North Campus

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College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Grinnell

Name: Akshay Bajaj

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Major: Economics

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