Grinnell - what is it really like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Tell me you couldn't hack grad school without telling me you couldn't hack grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Tell me you couldn't hack grad school without telling me you couldn't hack grad school.

Normally, I don't respond to childish, speculative, and inaccurate posts, but in this case I will.

I should have been more clear in my earlier post. Attending a rural, isolated LAC delays entry into the real world & job market; I was not referring to grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Tell me you couldn't hack grad school without telling me you couldn't hack grad school.

Normally, I don't respond to childish, speculative, and inaccurate posts, but in this case I will.

I should have been more clear in my earlier post. Attending a rural, isolated LAC delays entry into the real world & job market; I was not referring to grad school.

How does it delay entry into the job market? These kids look like they did okay.

https://www.grinnell.edu/after-grinnell/graduate-outcomes

Are the outcomes for CS majors at UVA vastly different than this?
https://www.grinnell.edu/after-grinnell/graduate-outcomes/computer-science

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grinnell ended up being my Arlington kid's second choice in 2020. A few things that were very attractive: (1) they seem to have a very pro-active career center, which reaches out to students and (tries to) make(s) sure that they are doing what's necessary for summer and post-grad employment. My kid would have benefited from that kind of system; (2) they have a ton of money, and offer significant merit aid (I think my kid was offered $28K per year). This is very, very rare at top notch institutions like Grinnell; (3) the campus is very nice, and has a very human scale.

The biggest downside, of course, is that its not easy to get there. As someone mentioned above, its about a 5 hour drive to Chicago, and 4 hour drive from Minneapolis, and while Des Moines is (relatively) close (maybe an hour or so by car), flying to Des Moines from the DMV isn't easy or convenient.

A great option, in my opinion, for the right student, but a bad one for someone who wants much (anything?) in the way of off-campus activities and/or entertainment.

Can someone name some schools with similar traits but closer and where someone with a not-so-stellar academics can get in?

College of Wooster
Gustavaus Adolphus College
Kalamazoo College
Knox College
Lawrence University

I don’t think these are really Grinnell’s peers. Grinnell’s peers at schools like Middlebury.

This wasn't a listing of Grinnell's peers. It was a listing of schools with, as a pp asked, "similar traits but closer and where someone with a not-so-stellar academics can get in?" (I kind of ignored the request for closer to DC and focused on the other two categories.)

Sorry; I misunderstood that list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Tell me you couldn't hack grad school without telling me you couldn't hack grad school.

Normally, I don't respond to childish, speculative, and inaccurate posts, but in this case I will.

I should have been more clear in my earlier post. Attending a rural, isolated LAC delays entry into the real world & job market; I was not referring to grad school.

How does it delay entry into the job market? These kids look like they did okay.

https://www.grinnell.edu/after-grinnell/graduate-outcomes

Are the outcomes for CS majors at UVA vastly different than this?
https://www.grinnell.edu/after-grinnell/graduate-outcomes/computer-science

Thank you for your response to my post.

Your response shares valuable employment information that should be read & considered by parents and students. Of particular interest is the ability to see outcomes by specific majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Different environments do affect one's undergraduate experience even though studying the same major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

+1 Also, personally during grad school I wasn’t living in a dorm or on a meal plan like an 18 y/o college student. I was fighting with my insurance billing, managing my own money—you know, everything a normal adult does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Different environments do affect one's undergraduate experience even though studying the same major.

Continuing: The undergraduate college experience will be quite different for a student studying a humanities major at the University of Virginia versus a student studying the same major at Grinnell College.

A large or mid-sized university will offer a greater variety of courses in one's major as well as expose the student to a wider variety of students and professors.

Different does not necessarily equate to superior or inferior as much depends upon the individual student's preferences and comfort level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

Grinnell has fantastic career placement--most students do not immediately go on to PhD programs, though many eventually do (not surprising given the intellectual caliber/interests of its students). Do you have contemporary experience with LACs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Different environments do affect one's undergraduate experience even though studying the same major.

Continuing: The undergraduate college experience will be quite different for a student studying a humanities major at the University of Virginia versus a student studying the same major at Grinnell College.

A large or mid-sized university will offer a greater variety of courses in one's major as well as expose the student to a wider variety of students and professors.

Different does not necessarily equate to superior or inferior as much depends upon the individual student's preferences and comfort level.

Yeah but that’s a Big U vs LAC debate, which was not the question.

I don’t know anything about the Grinnell experience, but their grads are known to be especially good writers. We have several in upper management (nyc tech firm). But yeah, think all have post-grad degrees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Different environments do affect one's undergraduate experience even though studying the same major.

Continuing: The undergraduate college experience will be quite different for a student studying a humanities major at the University of Virginia versus a student studying the same major at Grinnell College.

A large or mid-sized university will offer a greater variety of courses in one's major as well as expose the student to a wider variety of students and professors.

Different does not necessarily equate to superior or inferior as much depends upon the individual student's preferences and comfort level.

You’re drawing too much of a distinction between a SLAC college experience and a larger school. All colleges are bubbles. SLAC grads are no less well prepared for the real world than Ohio State grads. SLAC students may enter grad school more frequently because they are more scholarly, they come from more affluent backgrounds esp vs public, and they are not normally pursuing business degrees or other directly pre-professional degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very town and gown
Bikes everywhere
Ditchweed
Everyone goes off to grad school so it feels a bit high-schoolish, albeit an alternative high school

I have no connection to Grinnell whatsoever, but that's a weird take. You're suggesting that students who are going on to grad school from college are less mature? Because they know what they want to study and are ready to make a commitment to that?

Not pp but it means they’re delaying entry into the real world & job market.

Meh -- grad school is the real world -- there are deadlines and professors/bosses and coworkers/peers and unless you're in a very long-term PhD program, you're starting to look for a job almost from the get-go. I say this as someone who worked for two years between college and law school. When I went back to school, I found my daily routine to be much the same as it was when I worked. The major difference (besides not having a regular paycheck) was that I worked every weekend in law school, but had a longer winter break.

I meant that attending an LAC in a rural, isolated location is a way to delay entry into the real world & job market as it is a continuation of high school that almost necessitates that one attend grad school.

I get the idea that a SLAC can have a more “prep school” feel than a large university but fundamentally the college education one might receive at a SLAC is no different from what one might receive at a mid-sized or larger university. You could argue that some majors (like business or comp sci) prepare one for immediate entry into the workforce than others (like comparative literature). But that has nothing to do with small vs large school. You can go to UVA and major in the humanities like thousands of kids do and it’s the same deal.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Different environments do affect one's undergraduate experience even though studying the same major.

Continuing: The undergraduate college experience will be quite different for a student studying a humanities major at the University of Virginia versus a student studying the same major at Grinnell College.

A large or mid-sized university will offer a greater variety of courses in one's major as well as expose the student to a wider variety of students and professors.

Different does not necessarily equate to superior or inferior as much depends upon the individual student's preferences and comfort level.

You’re drawing too much of a distinction between a SLAC college experience and a larger school. All colleges are bubbles. SLAC grads are no less well prepared for the real world than Ohio State grads. SLAC students may enter grad school more frequently because they are more scholarly, they come from more affluent backgrounds esp vs public, and they are not normally pursuing business degrees or other directly pre-professional degrees.

^^ To add to this, your comments have a really stupid vibe. You’re basically saying SLACs are like some kind of post high school extension whereas large schools offer some kind of adult educational experience. And this is why SLAC grads may end up at law school, med school, business school, PhD programs more frequently. You are twisting the fact that SLAC grads pursue advanced degrees into some kind of indictment of SLACs. It’s ridiculous. SLAC grads are smart and often come from wealthy backgrounds aka they can afford grad school. This is why they go.