<p>Grinnell also has a very clearly defined sense of mission and I see this played out in the way it applies its resources. It is truly amazing and inspiring, at least in my opinion. The school puts its money where its mouth is literally and figuratively. I also doubt there is another school in the country where the administration is as open and inclusive in its strategic planning and decision-making as is Grinnell. This is not to say that the students and administration don’t have their disagreements; they do – and Grinnellians love to speak out!, but students are brought on every planning committee up to the Trustee level. The self-governance system is a unique one and contributes to the sense of community among the students, for it says that they are accountable to and responsible for each other. </p>
<p>This is getting off-topic… but it occurs to me that these are attributes of Grinnell that are distinctive. Not sure if they matter to OP or not, though!</p>