Grinnell College Reviews

Most of the classes for my major...

Most of the classes for my major (sociology) were interesting. The professors tried their best to make the class time go by fast. Most profs are older men who have a lot of experience in their field. We‘re starting to get more minorities and women professors, which is good.

Classes are challenging, but well...

Classes are challenging, but well worth the effort if you wake up in time to get to them.

Most of my teachers have been...

Most of my teachers have been incredible, but a few have been really bad. Even at worst, professors are accessible at almost all hours and are competent in their field. At best (and best is often the case), the teachers serve to inspire and create an environment of comprehensive enjoyment for the material outside the classroom. I hated high school, but these classes are great.

Your academic experience here...

Your academic experience here depends entirely on the department you choose. They are all very willing to have one-on-one interactions with students; they enjoy their subjects, and they are genuinely interested in helping you in whatever way they can.

Professors are very accessible,...

Professors are very accessible, and they’re willing to help any student who comes to see them. They are engaging in class and very informative. The professors are concerned, not only about a student’s performance in class, but their general well-being in life. The classes are generally quite interesting. There are some classes that aren’t as good as others (i.e. statistics), but most classes are interesting and fun.

The food at Grinnell is pretty...

The food at Grinnell is pretty good. I’ve had better dorm food, and I have definitely had worse. Dining service employees are very open to feedback. Moreover, there is always a vegetarian option, a vegan option, salad bar, sandwich bar, soup, cereal, bagels, and ice cream.

The dining hall is wonderful. The...

The dining hall is wonderful. The College has more options now instead of the two separate, isolated dining halls, which is be good because I can see my friends who live on the other end of campus at meals. It also means new equipment for dining services, which equates to better food.

Most students here are cute, but...

Most students here are cute, but few are hot (if that makes any sense). However, almost all students are interesting, intelligent, and able to hold up their end of a conversation. We all have some kind of quirk, but practically everyone here is a nice, interesting person if you take the time to get to know them. However, Grinnellians are in no way proud, either.

The guys and girls at Grinnell are...

The guys and girls at Grinnell are plain, weird, and just plain weird. These kids are concerned more with changing the world than changing their looks.

The students here are hot, smart,...

The students here are hot, smart, and rich—enjoy!

Students here are artsy, and...

Students here are artsy, and chances are, they’re bi, gay, or lesbian. I’ve started liking several girls only to find out that they were gay, and my current girlfriend is bi. It just seems like it’s a very prevalent trait. I suppose some of the guys are hot, but they’re probably also gay. They’re also probably the ones that bathe regularly. The opposite goes for the girls.

Campus security is very lenient...

Campus security is very lenient about student drug use. The SAs here work as volunteers and nothing more.

Sports are much bigger than one...

Sports are much bigger than one might expect; college wouldn’t be the same without a select few dumb jocks.

Just walk; there is no bus system,...

Just walk; there is no bus system, and if there was, it would have to go all of a half mile to get to the farthest place you’d need to go. Around breaks, College security organizes shuttles to Des Moines International Airport, and O’Hare in Chicago.

Grinnell is a very wet campus....

Grinnell is a very wet campus. Alcohol is almost always prevalent at parties. Weed is also present, and sometimes harder drugs rear their ugly heads at parties off campus.

Drug use here is mostly...

Drug use here is mostly recreational. Alcohol and marijuana are the more prominent substances during the weekends.

You don’t have to do drugs to have...

You don’t have to do drugs to have fun here. However, if that’s your thing, it’s not hard to find the right people to hang out with.

My experience at Grinnell has been...

My experience at Grinnell has been great. The superior academics, the great party scene, and the friendly townspeople are all irrelevant when you’re surrounded by 1,300 inspired people all seemingly smarter than yourself. Here, I feel there’s respect for intelligence and moreover, ingenuity. Frankly, I could’ve gotten the education I’ve received at Grinnell for the cost of a library card, but the enthusiasm that students and teachers exude comes only from one college—Grinnell.

Grinnell is the only place I could...

Grinnell is the only place I could see myself. I love it here. To quote Field of Dreams: ‘Is this Heaven?’ ‘No, it’s Iowa.’

I applied early decision to...

I applied early decision to Grinnell, and I’ve never regretted that decision. However, Grinnell is not for everyone. Students here are given a lot of responsibility, and if a prospective student cannot handle responsibility, well, they shouldn’t apply. That also applies to students who are poor at handling stress, because you will get stressed out at some point if you come to Grinnell. So, if you’re a smart person who wants to meet some other fun kids, and you’re not concerned about a good bit of work, then please apply because we’d love for you to come!

Grinnell is the perfect fit for...

Grinnell is the perfect fit for me. My experience here has been made better by my peers and professors, both of whom invest heavily in what they do. I wouldn’t wish to be anywhere else. Here, I’m academically challenged in a non-competitive atmosphere. That’s hard to come by in today’s academia.

Policies are extremely lax in an...

Policies are extremely lax in an official sense, with a strong emphasis on having students govern themselves. SAs monitor for habitual drug or alcohol (problem) users, and those people get sent to rehabilitation. If you want to walk around and have a few beers or smoke a joint, absolutely no one will bother you. Police presence on campus is very rare.

I love Grinnell—again, it’s...

I love Grinnell—again, it’s self-selected. If you want a big party school where it is possible to coast into a 3.0, Grinnell is not the school for you. If, however, you want a tiny liberal arts college with tons of smart, friendly, albeit nerdy students, you will love Grinnell. Students here are among the smartest, most accepting people I have ever met.

Although the look is changing and...

Although the look is changing and becoming more traditionally beautiful, you're more likely to find Grinnell students attractive if you like alternative types. The vibe is rather anti-materialistic, so if you're obsessed with appearances you probably won't like it here.

There aren’t a lot of options in...

There aren’t a lot of options in the course catalog, which is one disadvantage of having a small school. Luckily, though, the few classes that are available have excellent professors who know what they’re talking about, and they are more than happy to devote individual attention after class. It’s also usually a good idea to stay away from temporary profs. Fortunately, they are few and far between.