I’m a student fortunate to have been admitted to both Carleton and Grinnell for the class of 2029. I’m really excited but also feeling torn and would love to hear from parents who have navigated similar decisions.
I toured Carleton and loved the student culture and campus (the arb was a great touch!). I haven’t visited Grinnell yet but plan to soon. One major factor is that Grinnell has offered significantly better financial aid—about 2/3 the cost of Carleton. While I’ve long dreamed of attending Carleton, I’ve already connected with some admitted students at Grinnell, and the financial difference is hard to ignore.
I plan to study mathematics but also want to explore other disciplines. I’m also considering graduate school, so I’m curious about any differences between the schools in terms of academic preparation and grad school placement, especially for math or related fields.
For those who have been through this decision process before, how did you or your student weigh finances vs. fit? Would it be worth appealing Carleton’s financial aid offer?
I can only speak to my daughter’s experience when she visited both campuses a few years ago. She was admitted to her ED school and withdrew her applications to these 2 schools. Cost was not a factor in her decision nor was travel from our home state.
Carleton: Loved everything about it and the campus vibe was what she had always envisioned for a college campus. She is not a STEM kid and did feel that the liberal arts experience she craved was a bit less at Carleton. She wanted to love Carleton and did - but also agreed that it may not be the best fit for her academic interests. She has several friends and other students from our area that are quite happy there - all are majoring in science related fields.
Grinnell: The campus is very “prairie” like - wide open and a bit stark, so a very different feel vs Carleton’s woodsy campus. She was less of a fan of the overall campus look - might have been her least favorite campus based on looks Actually, Wesleyan was her least favorite for campus design.
With that said, all interactions with professors and students at Grinnell were amazing and even more customized to her interests. Carleton was just a general visit with all other visiting students, so no special attention. She arrived and left her visit day at Grinnell feeling the same way - from the start to the finish of her day she felt very valued and seen by the school.
I also received a lot of attention from the admission team including lunch with a professor while my daughter dined with students. We have a good friend that attended Grinnell and he ended up going to Harvard post Grinnell for his doctorate (maybe in stats or some math area) I believe Grinnell prides itself on the # of students moving on to earn advanced degrees.
Congrats on 2 amazing choices - both schools are super special, imo It is great that you can visit Grinnell and I think you will find that of value. Nothing wrong with asking Carleton for more money - but since these are two related schools, I am sure they are well aware that Grinnell is more generous.
Consider the availability of a geosciences department at Carleton. As perhaps the broadest science discipline, choosing electives from this department may represent a great opportunity for exploration.
Both fantastic options, congratulations! Visit Grinnell for sure, it’s a different vibe. One thing you might not be considering is transportation once you’re enrolled. Look at your closest airport and see how long it would take to get to both schools. Grinnell isn’t near a major airport, so that may add another leg to your trip. Not a huge deal, but once you’re flying back and forth regularly (especially during peak times like Thanksgiving) it may be a factor to consider. When we sent our son to his admitted student day (on his own) his flight home was delayed and he ended up stuck in Chicago overnight. Not being over 21, he couldn’t rent a car or get a hotel, so multiple leg trips are trickier than direct flights. Definitely a live and learn situation, and we’re considering distance from airport as a factor in our younger kid’s college search.
I really appreciate the insights so far—thank you! It sounds like visiting is a good idea, and that I shouldn’t underestimate financial aid. I’ll look up the geoscience department too! I definitely don’t want to rush such a big decision, so if anyone has more thoughts on what I should consider, I’d love to hear them!
Both my kids visited Grinnell and loved it – one kid was deeply intellectual and artistic and the other a recruited athlete who wanted to continue with his music. Both found the community inclusive and warm and the classes and professors amazing. They both loved the lack of distribution requirements, the gorgeous campus facilities, and the town. While neither of them chose Grinnell – one decided they really wanted a large university and the other found a better fit with another athletic program – we all have a soft spot for Grinnell.
Both Carleton and Grinnell have great academics and smart students. Carleton is a trimester system while Grinnell is a semester system. Congrats on two fabulous options!
Carleton has a significantly broader course catalog in mathematics - e.g. advanced linear algebra, combinatorics, number theory, optimization, partial differential equations, chaotic dynamics, geometries, differential geometry, Galois theory, topology, complex analysis, and analytic number theory
I do not know much about either of these schools, but my son is graduating from a different small college as a math major this May, so I know of some things you may want to consider as you make your decision
Compare which math courses are offered at each school and how often each course is offered especially higher level electives - how many math majors graduate each year will also affect number of courses offered
Are there math research opportunities available at each
Are there available graduate courses at either college or do either have an agreement with a nearby universities to allow you to take graduate courses if desired
How extensive are the GenEd requirements at each and would either limit adding an additional major or minor
Something to keep in mind as a math major at either school is that if you are planning on going on to graduate school for math you should take the GRE Math Subject test early in your undergraduate career since it is mostly based on Calculus and not the advanced courses, but the test is very difficult so you should do lots of problem sets to study. The subject test is only given twice a year in a short period from end of April into May and then again in September & October. A bunch of the top grad schools still require the score while others are test optional but a good score will always help.
As demonstrated above, Grinnell seems to be placing students in Math PhD programs at an equivalent rate to Carleton. But Carleton’s Math program appears to be somewhat bigger with more options for advanced study.
Whether that means Carleton is worth the extra cost is a very personal decision. I would just emphasize I really don’t think choosing Grinnell would actually limit your future relative to choosing Carleton. It is more about what will happen in those four years and how you value that in comparison to the cost difference.
So I don’t know if your scholarship is need or merit based at Grinnell, but the fist question that’s ALWAYS most important - is what can your family afford?
Can it even afford Carleton - without making a huge dent in their lifestyle or retirement?
If the answer is no, you shouldn’t go.
btw - that same question should be asked of Grinnell.
Assuming both are affordable, then the question is - what do they want to afford?
I don’t know the #s financially you have - but if Grinnell is $30K and Carleton is $45K, ask your parents - will you even let me go to Carleton or does that $60K matter to you? It can, for example, pay for grad school - let’s say you don’t go the PhD route - because statistically you’re not going to (meaning it’s easy to say at 17 but life changes). And neither school is going to inhibit you, if you do, in fact, stay on that path.
If money is no issue at either, then it’s the schools themselves - and yes, one is easier to get to. One has another college in town. One is on the quarter system.
It’s great when kids have a first love they find - mine did. But we still toured so so so many more - because you never know - and if you end up at the one you thought you loved from the beginning, then great - you’ve validated it.
But I’d start with finances above anything else because that might make the decision for you. So talk to your family.
How advanced are you in math? (What math will you complete by high school graduation?)
A more advanced math student is more likely to find the difference in upper level math offerings to be significant in terms of not wanting to run out of math courses.
Thank you all once again for your thoughtful input! I really appreciate the insights, and I know that after visiting both campuses and discussing financial aid with my family, I’ll need to make a personal decision based on overall fit. As much as I’d love a clear-cut answer, I know the internet can’t make my final decision for me—but I’m very grateful for all the perspectives shared here, as they’ve helped me think through important factors.
One thing I’m still considering is how Grinnell’s smaller math program compares to Carleton’s in terms of preparation for graduate school. I understand that most students don’t go on to PhD programs, but—respectfully—I’d still like to keep that option open. Would the smaller size of Grinnell’s department put me at any disadvantage compared to Carleton, or do factors like faculty support and research opportunities make up for that? My biggest concern is making sure I’m choosing a school that aligns well with my academic goals.
For context, I’m currently in IB Math AA HL, which my teacher says is roughly equivalent to Calc I–II. He’s also offered to fill in any gaps if I decide to go straight into whatever comes next.
Thank you for asking! That’s definitely something I should have mentioned. I’m finishing IB Math AA HL this year, which my teacher says is roughly equivalent to a two-year Calc I/II sequence, and I’ve kept up pretty well. He’s told us that if we plan to “skip” Calc II in college, there are a few smaller topics he’ll cover with us in an extra unit after exams.
I genuinely enjoy the calculus homework—it’s challenging in a way that never really feels like work.
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the IB program, but I hope this extra info is helpful to anyone who may be willing to provide further insights!
FYI: Grinnell is a 45 minute drive from the Des Moines airport (DSM). There aren’t tons of direct flights except to major hubs but it’s an easy to navigate and growing airport.
I couldn’t tell if you mentioned this in your posts or not, but Grinnell is having an admitted students day on April 13th. That would be a great time to visit, meet professors, connect with other potential students, and so on. Similarly, Carleton is having events on April 11th and 18th, though I know you’ve already been to visit, and might not have time/budget for visiting Carleton again.