IS THE LOCATION REALLY THAT BAD

123wombat
Mon, 30 Mar 2015 13:16:03 +0000

SDonCC is right about one-time visitors – there are so many factors that can unfairly influence one’s impression of a college (weather, mood, etc.). I’d have to agree that I was unfair about Grinnell in terms of Kenyon. Kenyon does not even have a distinct town, and is very isolated from city life (there really isn’t much to do in Mt. Vernon, is there?). I think the most redeeming aspect of the school is its bucolic campus.

A number of high school friends attend Grinnell, and they feel that the town and college exist in separate worlds. I’ve heard that over the last number of years, the college has been trying to encourage students to contribute to commerce, but that the effort hasn’t been extremely successful. Grinnell is really the hub, and that may work for you!

Who here is going to college to shop? Does the desire to window shop once or twice a semester make me an air-head? I was simply pointing out that it isn’t a town with independent boutiques or eccentric shops (unique bookstores, vegan bakeries, tea shops, etc.), but instead a town that provides necessities with no fuss. You’d have to pay me to step foot into a shopping center or mall, but I do enjoy the occasional window shopping. Some people like being able to get away from campus for a time, and towns can serve as a distraction and temporary stress reliever. I don’t think that Grinnell is big enough or varied enough to serve this purpose.

All in all, it’s a fantastic school that offers top-notch academics. The town of Grinnell is rural and caters to the community rather than the college. And you may like such an environment.