Possible transfer to Grinnell

Otterma
Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:06:24 +0000

You might want to call Grinnell and ask about specific transfer orientation programs that address your concerns.

My main worries are that the social scene is cliquish and hard to penetrate for an outsider (e.g. someone who didn’t start as a freshman). Is that something I should be worried about, or will it be relatively easy to find a group of friends by joining clubs/activities and just meeting people in the dorms?

I think it’s a reasonable concern but Grinnell is a very friendly community. The fact that you’re willing to look to clubs and activities means that you recognize that you have to put yourself out there in a way that maybe first year students wouldn’t.

Clubs and activities have constant turnover with people graduating, studying abroad, or just trying new things…so there will always be a big group of fresh faces in these places. Also, new study groups form every semester in individual classes.

is Grinnell pretty integrated with regards to students of color & international students? It seems like there is a high percentage of international students, but I’m curious if they form friendships readily with the domestic student body.

When I’ve visited my son at Grinnell and met his friends, they were as diverse as his friends at home (in the very diverse San Francisco Bay area). He’s mentioned friends from overseas too.