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Summary
Grinnell College is a private institution that was founded in 1846. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,693, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 120 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Grinnell College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 22. Its tuition and fees are $41,004 (2012-13).
Grinnell College is located in the small town of Grinnell, Iowa, halfway between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Despite its somewhat remote location, this "Little School on the Prairie" has a lot to offer. From the G-Tones a cappella group for music lovers to the environmental group Free the Plant for tree huggers, Grinnell’s 100-plus student organizations appeal to a variety of interests. Grinnell’s busy social scene makes up for its lack of Greek life with an array of cultural activities and concerts occurring weekly on campus, from big-name acts to small student groups. A well-known, annual event is the Titular Head Film Festival, which showcases student films. The Grinnell Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference. In fact, the Pioneers played some of the first intercollegiate football and baseball games west of the Mississippi. All students are required to live on campus in residence halls located on South, North, or East campuses.
The school is known for its strong social activism, ranking top among schools of its size in sending volunteers to the Peace Corps. Grinnell’s social consciousness stems back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, when several Grinnell graduates became influential New Deal administrators. Between 55 and 60 percent of students participate in study abroad programs during their time at Grinnell. Notable alumni include jazz musician and composer Herbie Hancock and Intel co-founder Robert Noyce, nicknamed "Mayor of Silicon Valley."
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When Grinnell College framed its charter in the Iowa Territory of the United States in 1846, it set forth a mission to educate its students "for the different professions and for the honorable discharge of the duties of life." The College pursues that mission by educating young men and women in the liberal arts through free inquiry and the open exchange of ideas. As a teaching and learning community, the College holds that knowledge is a good to be pursued both for its own sake and for the intellectual, moral, and physical well-being of individuals and of society at large. The College exists to provide a lively academic community of students and teachers of high scholarly qualifications from diverse social and cultural circumstances. The College aims to graduate women and men who can think clearly, who can speak and write persuasively and even eloquently, who can evaluate critically both their own and others' ideas, who can acquire new knowledge, and who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1846 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | rural |
| 2011 Endowment | $1,500,220,000 |
Applying
When applying to Grinnell College, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at Grinnell College is $30. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 50.9 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 50.9% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Grinnell College is 9:1, and the school has 62.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Grinnell College include: Social Sciences, General; Foreign Languages and Literatures, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; History, General; and Physical Sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 93.8 percent.
Student Life
Grinnell College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,693, with a gender distribution of 46.0 percent male students and 54.0 percent female students. At this school, 88.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 12.0 percent of students live off campus. Grinnell College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Grinnell College.
| Total enrollment | 1,693 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Grinnell College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, health service, and health insurance. Grinnell College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Grinnell College.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Grinnell College, 70.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $32,282.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $41,004 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $9,614 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
