This is the official discussion thread for Grinnell Class of 2028 RD applicants. Ask your questions and connect with fellow applicants.
So what I liked about the Grinnell application was that there weren’t 8 extra essays to write. We haven’t visited the campus but did the online info session, etc. Thoughts from those of you who went to campus in person?
We visited the campus in May. The academic area is small and compact - we visited the Noyes Science Center during finals week and saw students in serious discussions for final exams.
It is hard to get to for those outside a 4-5 hour driving radius.
Unfortunately, S24 felt it was too small and remote for him.
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Thank you. That’s one of the things I’ve wondered about for my student.
Visited a few years ago my child picked another remote LAC for ED and was accepted. She is now a junior in college.
Thoughts: remote but friendly small town walkable from campus, an easy drive from Des Moines and airport. Students so friendly and as I was waiting for my daughter (she has a student lunch visit) 2 professors came up to my lunch table and asked if they could join.
My daughter loved the class she attended (english) with the professor and students actively engaged - she loved that everyone she met seemed to love learning and were comfortable in their own skin. Students talked about all the fun that happens on campus from parties, to movie nights and game nights. Sounded like a social scene that had something for everyone.
Cons in her opinion: Campus was very open and has a bit of a prairie feel. Even though we were there on a school day - campus (outdoors) was quiet.
It stayed on her RD list in her top 3, but RD apps were never submitted. (Carleton, Grinnell and Vassar in that order for RD preference)
She loved LACs that had a more tighter campus - the way she described it, as liking campus that felt more like a “hug” with more trees and paths vs wide open. We are not from the midwest and this was our first visit - as we toured other campuses we realized she liked more trees - cozy campuses.
Amazing school
and we would have been happy if she ended up there - but equally happy with her 1st choice too 
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When did you apply?
We did Grinnell College Preliminary Application during November, and applied for RD by Nov end.
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Thank you! Very helpful.
If my child applies, they’ll do it RD. There’s a lot to like about the academics.
We visited Grinnell in the summer of 2019 with our older daughter (who’s now a senior at another Midwestern LAC); I also drove there a few months ago to see a friend who teaches there. The campus is not breathtakingly beautiful but very pleasant. A cute town with a few nice restaurants and cafes. We really liked the school, it was one of our daughter’s top choices (she applied RD to all of her schools). Their new humanities building blew us away (as a humanities professor, I really appreciated that they chose to spend their money on it, among other things). Grinnell has a huge endowment, and it was clear from our visit how much of it is used to support students and their various initiatives. Overall, a great impression. A few small factors tipped the scale in favor of her current college (which has been wonderful), but I’m sure she would have been very happy at Grinnell as well.
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I will also add that a good friend’s child graduated from Grinnell a few years ago and went straight into a PHD program - highly qualified, strong reputation from Grinnell with these programs. He interviewed (or however the process worked) at programs including Stanford, Harvard and several other top Phd programs and was accepted in his area of study. Our friends were beyond impressed with the quality of teaching and community at Grinnell. Their child went from a quiet more studious high schooler to a very engaged member of the Grinnell community.
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Hi all, does anyone know when we can expect RD decisions? Based on last year it might be the 8th, but maybe it’s a little too early… Thoughts/anyone heard anything? Thanks!
Haven’t heard anything, but I think yours is a decent guess… I sort of wonder if Grinnell releases about a week earlier than a lot of the other selective liberal arts colleges to try to get accepted students started down the path of becoming attached. Last year my daughter had a week post Grinnell acceptance during which she was starting to get more excited about Grinnell and getting used to the possibility of seeing herself there. We scheduled a trip to attend the Grinnell admitted student events (though ultimately cancelled it a few weeks later). This was all before she heard from a lot of other schools on her list and given their location, maybe that’s part of their strategy? Hopefully people will hear soon. Good luck! It seems like a special place.
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I haven’t heard anthing but saw that historically they release around 2nd Friday in March. Fingers crossed it is this Friday. My daughter is very interested in Grinnell - but getting out there to visit will be a schlep as it is not near anywhere else she applied. I’d love to be able to plan for the trip on the sooner side. Good luck, everyone!
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anyone whose Withdraw form disappeared?
What time do they usually come out? And are we expecting today?
Last year it was between 4:00 and 4:30 Eastern time.
I feel like it might be next Friday. Seems really early but I may very well be wrong…
could you confirm the withdraw form in the portal? apparently some people have it missing
Sounds like it could be today if last year it was 3/10. 3/8 in a leap year is just one day earlier.
Some colleges announce ahead of time what day it will be, but it seems like last year Grinnell didn’t do that?