Grinnell College

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Students Say - Academics
Offering "a great mix of serious academics and a fun community," Grinnell College "is a crazy, unique, busy, caffeinated cornfield of geniuses" whose "hard work, critical thinking, and social consciousness" define the Grinnell experience. The school "is challenging academically," so "you have to work very hard, and it's not always easy. It can be stressful at times, but the pressure all comes from yourself. It's not a competitive atmosphere. And the academics here are extremely effective." An open curriculum ("no requirements other than the freshman tutorial") and a self-governance policy mean that "students feel at home here because we are independent," operating "without stringent rules about how to live our lives and what choices to make." A low teacher-student ratio allows for close relationships, meaning students aren't entirely without guidance. "I have never heard of an inaccessible professor," one student reports. "They are very willing to help and genuinely care about us and our performance in class. In addition, I have never heard of a class with more than 30 people in it: They just don't exist." That commitment to having small classes "ensures group discussion and personal attention: There are no straight lecture classes." Thanks to a "huge endowment," students have tremendous latitude in plotting their studies. One undergrad observes, "Money never really seems to be an issue here. If you can dream it, Grinnell can pay for it." The school is "full of resources! Students needing to do research in museums, archives, and libraries for thesis-level research projects can easily get funding from the college. Also, the arts and science facilities are top-of-the-line."

Students Say - Campus Life
The academic rigors at Grinnell are substantial. You "won't have to worry about surviving the Midwest winter" here, because "being buried in books and papers and paper revisions and articles and essays and book reviews and to-do lists keeps you surprisingly warm." The environment can be stressful, and many are inclined toward traditional collegiate stress-relieving activities. "That being said, there is no pressure to try things if one is not interested," and there are in fact "many substance-free students, some of whom choose to live in sub-free housing." "The administration, as part of self governance, does not police drinking/drugs," but it does encourage students to act responsibly. "Student security is present at school-sponsored parties." Students agree that "extracurricular activities are highly popular," running the gamut from "artists the college brings in" to "lectures, movies, concerts, even therapy dogs during mid-semester exams" to "just hanging out with some cards or 'How I Met Your Mother' DVDs." Hometown Grinnell is "isolated," but not without its charms. One student explains, "I love the town of Grinnell and think Midwest-nice is a great asset, but that's my personal taste. I like recognizing the lady who walks her dog by our house every day and the kid who bags our groceries. And I love going to the farmer's market and things like the 4-H tractor show that took place this summer."

Students Say - Student Body
Grinnell undergrads describe themselves and their classmates as "students interested in social justice and having a good time." They tend to be "highly intelligent, motivated, and inquisitive" students who constantly challenge one another "to examine topics from different perspectives. This constant thinking outside of the box is a primary aspect of a true liberal arts education." Grinnellians "are frequently left-leaning, but there's not a typical Grinnell student. All the students are different, so there are few issues with fitting in." Intellect and intensity are the most frequent common denominators; as one student explains, "I've heard that every single student is a nerd about something. Perhaps that is what unites us-our passion, whether that be for a sport, academic subject, Joss Whedon, foam-sword fighting, or politics. We all respect that we have different interests but bond because we are interested rather than apathetic, therefore interesting and unique."

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