Grinnell College
Reviews

I'm Satisfied

Unnatural beauty is not valued on campus, which is not to say that good looks aren't. Especially for a school as intelligent as Grinnell, the people are extraordinarily good looking. There is plenty of eye candy.

Wonderful and Delicious

The Dhall has a great selection of food. There is a gluten-free station, vegetarian station, sub station, stir-fry, pasta bar, pizza station, grill, and home-cooked meal station. There is food that meets all dietary restrictions. The bakery is fabulous and the desserts are to die for! There is also the Grill which has lots of food, especially good for late night snacks and quick bites to eat, as well as meals that you can take and then eat later if you are in a rush.

Awesome!!

Grinnell operates under self-governance, which basically means that you take care of your own life without the school's interference. The police officers are some of the nicest, friendliest people I know. If you are drunk out of your mind, they'll make sure you get home safe instead of getting you fined/arrested. The campus is very easygoing so there is plenty of drinking and drug use, but students rarely get in trouble for it.

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.

Need Is Met, Mostly.

Grinnell is more generous than many other schools when calculating need, but as with most college financial aid programs, it often isn't really enough. Grinnell does have a $2,000 suggested loan cap and there are plenty of work-study jobs on campus. Merit scholarships generally increase the same percentage of tuition annually as well.

Dorms a-Ok

The dorms at Grinnell College range from mediocre to pretty good. There are stereotypes associated with different parts of the campus; for instance, South: druggies, North: athletes, and East: nerds. I think they hold true for the most parts. However, the RA's are very accommodating and as you climb up in class, you tend to get better rooms.

(Almost) Always Helpful

One of the best things about Grinnell College is that almost everybody is available to help you wirh various questions regarding academics, workload or stress. If someone cannot help you they are almost always able to direct you to someone who can.

Off-Campus

I lived in a house on high st my junior year. It is fun to have your own house and the rent is fairly cheap. Just don't sign a lease before you get approved for off-campus housing. Also it sucks paying bills and cleaning your whole house!

NONE!

The social scene is great because there is no Greek Life.

Athletics Facilities

Newly built, sufficient capacity, olympic-size swimming pool, and free for all students.

Great Education

You just can't beat the education. You may have to put up with the weird fashions, the bizarre personalities, and the extreme self-righteous attitudes, but it really is a great school--you will learn a lot about yourself, the world, etc.

Hipster Haven

The greatest conundrum of Grinnell is how much effort students put into being unattractive. Hipsterdom is, unfortunately, pervasive. The students try so hard to be "alternative" and artsy, but they end up just smelling funny and looking disheveled. On top of that, so many of the students are so insanely idealistic and sensitive to any hint of un-political-correctness that its difficult to enjoy their company.

Grinnellians

Grinnell has a pretty small student body. Some view in a negative light, but I think it's one of the best parts of the school. It allows you to intimately get to know about 1,500 of the most interesting, intelligent, and semi-insane people you will ever meet in your life.

Independent Research Projects

In the summer between my junior and senior years at Grinnell, I developed and carried out an independent research project with the help of one of my professors. It was a great opportunity to get to know a professor well, and really experience what research is like. Additionally, because I completed my MAP (Mentored Advanced Project) over the summer, Grinnell provided me with a stipend that covered my living expenses, because I was too busy to have a job.

Great for Small School

The new gym and swimming facility are state-of-the-art. The library has many nooks and crannies that are great for when you need to get away for that long paper. The campus is built for students who need space while also for students who work best with a little bustle around them.

None

There are no franternities or sororities here, which is one of the reasons why I choose the school.

Most of these comments are based...

Most of these comments are based on the year of the quoted individual, and I think that's important to keep in mind. A lot of times, big groups of friends will try to live near each other, which can influence the character of the dorm that year. East Campus is great, contrary to what some may say. It is not sterile at all. In fact, more parties were held on my floor my freshman year than on any other floor on campus, and there was quite a bit of socializing and partying throughout my East Campus dorm. Norris is great for its rooms and proximity to the gym, Harris, and parking, though it is far from the academic buildings and has small hallways. It does have a huge lounge and a computer lab so there's plenty to make up for that. Plus, it's air-conditioned, and you can control your heat in the winter. Generally, jocks live on North Campus or the more northern East Campus dorms, and hippies usually live on South Campus. Other than those two groups, there is usually a huge amount of mixing, and everyone else lives all over campus.

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.

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 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.’

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.

Iowa weather is crazy! You will...

Iowa weather is crazy! You will need shorts and T-shirts for the beginning of the year and sweaters and jackets for the winter. Sometimes you’ll need T-shirts for the winter and sweaters for the summer, however. I’m losing my mind!

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.

Campus security is very lenient...

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

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.