Founded in 1846, Grinnell College. is a Private college. Located in Iowa, which is a city setting in Iowa, the campus itself is Town. The campus is home to 1,699 full time undergraduate students, and 0 full time graduate students.
The Grinnell College Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 9:1. There are 200 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Grinnell College include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
20%
Application Deadline
15-Nov
Application Fee
0
SAT Range
1320-1530
ACT Range
30-33
Admissions at are considered Most Selective, with ,36% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 6 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
99% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 88% were in the top quarter, and 62% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Grinnell College.
1%
“We”re apathetic”
1%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
40%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
9%
“Sometimes, but not often”
30%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
61%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
1%
“I only go out in groups”
13%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
15%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
81%
“We bought the gear”
4%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
6%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
52%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
42%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
1%
“Available in class”
36%
“They keep regular office hours”
62%
“They”re always available”
99%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
1%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
0%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
6%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
66%
“We only party on weekends”
28%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
1%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
39%
“There might be people who do”
51%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
9%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
1%
“We”re apathetic”
1%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
40%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
9%
“Sometimes, but not often”
30%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
61%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
1%
“I only go out in groups”
13%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
15%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
81%
“We bought the gear”
4%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
6%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
52%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
42%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
1%
“Available in class”
36%
“They keep regular office hours”
62%
“They”re always available”
99%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
1%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
0%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
51 Students rated on-campus housing 4.3 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
32 Students rated off-campus housing 3.9 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
52 Students rated campus food 3.6 stars. 25 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
54 Students rated campus facilities 4.7 stars. 76 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
54 Students rated class size 4.7 stars. 74 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
53 Students rated school activities 4.6 stars. 68 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
53 Students rated local services 3.8 stars. 23 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
54 Students rated academics 4.7 stars. 72 % gave the school a 5.0.
Grinnell College REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Grinnell College?
13 Students rated Grinnell College
Regann - 12/28/2023
Kind of a banger to be honest. It is a big adjustment, there really is not much beyond the campus, but there are shuttles from time to time to the city. Everyone is quite nice, substantial party scene while still heavy on academics. The work load in some courses are not for the faint of heart.
anna - 08/25/2021
I was only on campus for my first two years because of covid and study abroad, but here’s my take: Grinnell is an awesome place for finding ways to grow your resume and get a great job after you graduate! However, most of the classes in my major were too niche to be of any practical use. Even intro classes across departments were like this, they never covered the basics. I don’t think I learned very much because of it, and it often made it hard to give a shit. Also, cancel culture is very, very, very real here: I’ve seen good, progressive people get shunned just for asking the wrong question in a sociology class. Word gets around fast, and campus is too small to ever escape that kind of reputation. It’s not a place to form your own opinion, that’s for sure. The social life is also rough as hell: there’s few campus traditions to bind people, cliques form early, and everyone is too busy doing homework to hang out, even on weekends. I wish I had transferred.
Santiago - 10/20/2020
Grinnell College is a top-notch school. The classes are challenging and small, and the professors are passionate and approachable. The students are diverse, both ethnically and socioeconomically, and down to earth. I was also very impressed with the beauty of the campus and the state-of-the-art sports facilities on campus. I hope to get accepted, so I can attend. Go, Pioneers!
Jennifer - 05/02/2020
The most amazing community I have been a part of both academically and socially. Professors always push students yet are extremely supportive. Everyone around campus is always friendly and there is an accepting group for all!
Lindsay - 04/26/2019
Highly motivated and engaged students passionate about social justice will thrive at Grinnell College. The excellent professors and small class sizes provide an engaging and intellectually stimulating environment. Grinnellians are passionate about learning and often continue conversations outside of the classroom. Outside of the classroom, the college town nature of Grinnell, IA creates a thriving campus culture and a strong sense of community. Grinnellians will find that they can pursue any number of interests on campus, and are supported by the college to pursue their interests off-campus as well, even actively supporting students in reaching their personal and professional goals. As a strong, liberal arts college, Grinnellians are prepared to be successful in any field worldwide.
Thomas - 12/29/2018
Grinnell College is a small liberal arts college where students can go to truly be themselves. They are accepting of all races, genders, sexualities, religion, etc. There is a strong focus on academics but there are many students who are also athletes. The college actually listens to the students wants and responds to them, mostly benefitting the students. The facilities are extremely nice in both the academic buildings and the athletic buildings. Overall, the college seems to actually care about its students which is nice to see.
Sophie - 05/14/2018
I loved it! I visited Grinnell College about a month ago, but I still remember almost everything about it. The thing that stood out the most was how at home I felt - how nice all the people were. It was unlike any other college visit I had experienced. Besides that, from what I got from the various students there, the administration is very receptive and supportive of their students.
Daria - 05/11/2018
"Where's that?"
"You got into Cornell?!"
Those were the two most common responses I heard when I mentioned Grinnell to others. But my visit to campus showed me that the lack of name recognition for this tiny school in Iowa is entirely undeserved. From its small class sizes and faculty dedicated to students, to its friendly Midwest vibe and bustling campus life, the school offers all that a big-name liberal arts college on the East Coast would. The only possible drawback is its location - an hour from Des Moines. But if you're willing to experience a more rural form of life, rest assured that the college provides more than enough on-campus events to satisfy even those that moved there from Chicago or NYC.
James - 03/16/2018
Grinnell is an extremely unique college full of wondrous opportunities for success. Challenging academics mixed with social justice culture on campus provides stimulating discussion between students, faculty, and even townspeople. This discussion allows ideas to be challenged, cultivated, and finessed, ultimately providing students with a way to critically think about their ideas and how they see the world. Furthermore, the facilities that Grinnell offers are top-notch. Grinnell is focused on student success during and after their time enrolled as a student. The Career, Life, & Services office provides interview help, resume help, and an outlet for students to engage with Alumni about life post-graduation. This is an extremely useful service for students entering the professional world post-graduation. Finally, Grinnell as an institution is committed to social justice. How they achieve this, however, is by involving students in the process. Students are allowed to get involved with college affairs and speak their mind, so that the institution is as accepting and open as the students make it. This framework for inclusion just proves how Grinnell really cares for its students. Overall, Grinnell is an amazing institution, and it was completely the correct choice of college for me.
Kaitlyn - 02/27/2018
I'm incredibly excited to attend this school next fall! I've done several overnight visits and Grinnell is perfect. The environment is very collaborative and chill, and I've never felt safer on a college campus. Grinnell students practice self-governance, which means they're responsible for their actions, and can trust each other.
Langston - 01/05/2018
I think Grinnell is a good school overall. It is isolated, so you have to focus on academics and peers. The community is small, which has pros and cons. Sometimes the sense is that the campus is for close'minded liberals who in the LGBTQ community. Good, but a lot of white privilege everyone. Being black on campus is rough at times.
Derek - 10/09/2017
Centered in corn fields,
teachers passionate and wise
grow students skyward.
Working together,
cultivating intellect,
fostering friendships.
Bringing together
study, play, life services
grows rounded students.
One community
harvesting Grinnellans
passionate and wise.
Victoria - 05/30/2017
Grinnell College is full of engaging and intelligent students, who all believe very passionately in social justice, activism, and engaging creatively and critically with the world around them. The faculty are incredibly supportive and knowledgeable, supporting their students in all that they do. However, the location of the town and the academic rigor create a bubble around the college that means the college takes up the entirety of a student's life.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Grinnell College is 20%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
Describe the students at your school.
They're caring, engaging, liberal, incredibly socially-active and enthusiastic about learning.
Grinnell is rigorous. Yes, I did the whole "International Baccalaureate/Honors" thing in high school, and it might have prepared me a little--but high school is still no comparison to this college. The good news is the professors are very interesting and approachable, and if you need help it is VERY available: all professors have long office hours outside of class, and the college pays for mentors and tutors in every subject. Sometimes, you will need that support.
Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
Sort of. The vast majority of Grinnellians are liberal, even militantly so, and extremely intolerant of anyone who may share a different worldview of their own.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
I've learned how to better deal with others, but most importantly I've developed my critical thinking ability to the point where I firmly believe I can tackle any mental obstacle.
I absolutely love this place. Classes are small and often discussion-based, so you get to develop pretty close relationships with professors. This can be annoying when you're tempted to skip your morning class, but you know the professor will email you to ask where you were...but it's also very helpful when you're trying to find a prof to do summer research with, or write a recommendation letter, or just ask about some difficult concepts outside of class.
Some pros: small classes, friendly, intelligent classmates and professors, interesting and rigorous academics, huge endowment (you can get funding for everything from clubs and events to stipends on unpaid internships, and the financial aid and scholarships are FANTASTIC).
Some cons: small student body (you will know nearly everyone in your year by the time you're a senior), small town (there's movies, bowling, some restaurants--and that's just about it. I'm from Phoenix and I like Grinnell's town just fine, but some people from big cities get bored.)
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
Grinnell is a bubble of rabid liberalism way the hell in the middle of nowhere. The average Grinnellian has some form of mental illness, usually depresssion, though the Grinnell atmosphere usually leads to some form of more serious mental disturbances, mainly insomnia and crippling anxiety. The mental health services are sparse, and mainly concerned with preventing suicides, though they fail at even that task.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Grinnell College is a school that truly cares about the student: this is especially shown from the core concept of academic freedom, in which the only required class is a writing tutorial for the first semester. The academics at Grinnell are simply phenomenal. Further, the social life at Grinnell is better than expected. Myself included, most think that there is nothing to do in the small town of Grinnell. However, this is not true. The campus brings bands, comedians, art shows, movies, and much more to the campus, giving its students the same opportunities others at larger schools would have.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
I wish I had known more about the weather at Grinnell. Coming from a warm climate, it was really hard to adjust to the bitter cold and wind that is characteristic of Grinnell in the winter months. I also wish I had understood how living in such a small town would impact the social atmosphere at the college.
What kind of person should not attend this school?
UT Arlington has an ethnic diverisity in its population. People with ethnocentric feelings will not be very comfortable because we have almost every varierty of ethnicity here on campus. Besides, people who are not open to new ideas and and challanges should not attend this college because it woud be hard for them to adjust in here as long as they will stick to their own thoughts and are not ready to adapt and change, for the better ofcourse.
Someone who wants a lot of academic wiggle-room, someone who's concerned with the general state of things, someone who wants to be challenged, someone who is hopefully dedicated to social justice, someone who is looking for something different
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
How alive the campus is and how much freedom the administration allows us to govern our own social and academic lives. Even though we're in the middle of nowhere the school more than makes up for it by frequently providing free entertainment on the weekends.
In the academic world it is very well known for producing good graduate school students; in the student world it is known for its laid-back approach to student life and its liberal attitude.
Best thing about my school is the diversity of students on campus and the level of expertise of the professors. Students from all over the world and from different cultures come to share their experience with other students. The sharing of backgrounds makes everyone more understanding and knowledgable about differences between people in the world. Also the professors work in the field and are experts in their field of knowledge. They are also always there to help you directly with homework, projects, or off campus studying
Mattie Clay Brown '08 describes her science experience at Grinnell College, which provided a strong foundation for her educational philosophy as a member of Teach For America in Leland, MS.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
Few individuals are the only frustrating part of the school. I've come accross a guy who makes verbal attacks against the freshmen class on a networking site, and a person or people who sent out hate mail to the gay community on campus. I don't let that reflect badly on the college, however, because every campus has its share of that. Plus, the supportive community of the College counters that.
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
Quirky, liberal, individualistic, partiers, into social justice and academics. All of these stereotypes are true to some extent, although being stereotypes they obviously don't apply to everyone here.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
92% of students attending Grinnell College receive some sort of financial aid.
19% were awarded federal grants.42%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
