<p>Curmudgeon, I don’t think anybody who frequents this forum would ever call you naive. And you know what you saw and felt. I guess I’m just surprised that a college with such a large greek participation wouldn’t feel greek dominated (per some other recent threads about greek life in general, and how much of a percentage is necessary to affect campus life). I’ll mention this to S, maybe he’ll take another look. Thanks for the report.</p>
<p>firefly scout, D says you are right about rush and adds that at Rhodes if you are in a sorority you have to room with someone NOT in your sorority. Think the admin has an agenda? LOL. (Sorry about the flub. Can I get a mulligan? Things do tend to run together.)But that is a clear statement by Rhodes to the Greek system, we thought. </p>
<p>I’m sure that the campus parties center around the Greeks but what kind of Greeks? We specifically discussed at Centre and Rhodes the stories of girls at UT Austin not getting the right bid and withdrawing from school, or $5k wardrobes for sorority rush parties. Both laughed at the thought of any of their students engaging in either. The adcom at Centre had all the frat/ sorority stats on the tip of his tongue so I know the issue comes up often. The students we talked to said the parties except formals were open the whole college.By edict or tradition,I don’t know.</p>
<p>As to “Dead Fred”, I happen to love little bizarre traditions and carrying the photo of a dead alum (who happened to be Supreme Court justice Fred Vinson) to every game is one of my favorites. Rhodes has the seal “thing” about stepping on seals. I think they are all great if somewhat goofy.</p>
<p>I heard D check off schools for her mom today and among D3 schools she hit Williams, Middlebury, and Bowdoin in the “my real parents would send me here category”, and Centre and Rhodes in the next tier. Huh. Better get the truck washed and the oil changed.</p>
<p>OK…I need to rush to Grinnell’s defense for a moment - all things suggest that the administration is encouraging different points of view. As an example, today I got the new quarterly Grinnell magazine (which is one of the more attractive college magazines I’ve seen BTW - and award-winning). This issue’s feature story - “After the Voting in Iraq: What Now?” It features interviews with Grinnell faculty and alumni including a Republican congressman, a student who just returned from an Army Nat’l Guard tour of duty in Iraq, 2 faculty (one a former Navy officer), a retired State Dept/former ambassador, and a former Republican congressman. Ya gotta admit this is not exactly a bunch of pinko commies.
Anyway - to echo Robrym’s sentiment, Grinnell is not for everyone, but it is a terrific little school. My younger son, who has been to visit overnight, is not the least bit interested - and, I have to agree, it’s probably not right for him.</p>
<p>topcat, I 've already announced that for ME Grinnell would be top of the pack (schools we have visited together). I hope my comments aren’t misconstrued by anyone as any sort of attack on Grinnell. It’s just a question of D’s “fit” and to her- comfort outweighs excitement. I may wish it was the other way around but …love the child you got,right?</p>
<p>What turned your S off so much about Grinnell?</p>
<p>
Slight hijack: I heard similar at several campuses and always wondered… do non-Greeks actually attend/feel comfortable? Anyone know?</p>
<p>curmudge- If D hasn’t already ruled them out, check Bates and maybe Colby while at Bowdoin. And, if you want a cc mini-party (to be rated later by digmedia), PM me - 45 minutes from Bowdoin.</p>
<p>c-mudge:</p>
<p>didya ever ask c-mom if she wanted to give c-D back to her “real” parents?? :)</p>
<p>c’mudge,</p>
<p>Also remember, re Grinnell, that lots will change in the next year. </p>
<p>My D has absolutely surged forward in every way during the past year. The small number of schools that appealed to her in her jr. year comfort zone widened a great deal by the time the applications were due in. She started focused on Los Angeles. She wound up applying all over the country. Don’t be surprised if there is a reassassment of challenging environments and a greater zeal to take them on. </p>
<p>My best advice is encourage her to keep an open mind to a place like Grinnell. Mostly because it is a great place for the merit aid you are hoping for. When it comes time to decide on the “list,” toss Grinnell (and any other such good aid, ballpark schools) back in the hopper with this question: would you rather attend “Safety” or Grinnell? It’s how I got my D to broaden her list to midwest, to include Smith, etc… She realized she’d much rather be there than Safety U, so why not apply there too?</p>
<p>Of course, if you find ten great merit aid schools all preferable to Grinnell, then its a moot point.</p>
<p>Thanks C’mudge, we’ll put Centre in the folder for the son, every other year or so someone from their school goes there, so it is well thought of here.</p>
<p>DD’s school is something of a feeder school for Rhodes. It is a wonderful place, big on community service, but intellectual,too. Great pre-med place with a program for students to do research, etc at St. Jude’s.
We asked a lot of questions about the Greek scene, because it is roughly 50-50 across the board. Parties are held off campus. The parties are run by 3rd party companies like Aramark, everyone is wristbanded, and adults, not frat members are responsible for enforcing liquor laws. Kids are transported to and from the parties in buses (yeah, you heard that right) and party locations are secret (how secret, who knows?), but a bouncer monitors the door, and no one can enter from off the street, ie a car, you have to get off the bus to be allowed in. Make of that what you will.</p>
<p>Daughter withdrew her Rhodes app after being accepted ED, but there was a mix-up on their end and they awarded her a scholarship (she was nominated for the big scholarship, but didn’t make the finals). It was very generous, and perfectly tailored to our situation, in order to make it an attractive offer (it made her feel great to know they wanted her that much, I felt queasy knowing how much money she was giving up!)</p>
<p>cangel, sometimes you just don’t want to get certain info, no matter how flattering it is!</p>
<p>Don’t I know it!</p>
<p>By the way, Dave Wottle?sp is director of admissions at Rhodes. That was a blast from the past, hearing him speak, DD just looked at us blankly when we tried to explain who he is.</p>
<p>curmudge - just a general defense - you seem to “get” Grinnell alright. I just worry sometimes that Grinnell - and lots of other schools - get painted with a one-color brush, when most are much richer than their popular characterizations. </p>
<p>My younger son is more of a “mainstream” h.s. kid - bright, fun-loving, interested in business, not terribly intellectual, not a risk taker, wants to stay closer to home. So far, among small LACs, he likes Denison and Kenyon. Among big universities, just Michigan, which is in-state for us. He surprised me by having any interest in LACs because he’s also said that Grinnell is too small. It’s early…</p>
<p>cangel, I had to verify that Dave Wottle was the Dave Wottle myself. The admissions ladies knew where I was going and headed me off before I got there. “is he-” Yes, he is. I busted out laughin out loud as my remembrances flooded back of Wottle in his goofy ball cap dead last at the gun lap, dead last with 200 yards to go. God, he’s waited too late this time for sure!!! And then like some sort of steam engine he’d just start chugging past building tempo with every competitor he passed until he ultimately crossed the finish line in first. Those races remain some of my fondest sports memories. He was too cool for words. Glad you remember him ,too.</p>
<p>Since S may apply next year to Grinnell and Rhodes, I am finding this thread extremely interesting. Thanks goes to Cur and to everyone else for your informative comments!</p>
<p>Yeah, we went to an open house on a Sat last fall and he spoke. Before he came in, I told my husband who the speaker would be, and he said NO WAY, but sure enough, a little older, a little heavier and no ball cap, but definitely Dave Wottle.</p>