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Grinnell College 2023-2024 Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Requirements, Deadlines, Application Process

Grinnell, IowaLocation

CollegeSchool type

Estd1846established year

1712enrollment

Private (Not for Profit)

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For Fall 2023 admissions at Grinnell College, the acceptance rate was 23% with 8004 applicants. Therefore, the admission process is very selective with strict eligibility criteria. Candidates are selected based on merit and extracurricular achievements. The retention rate for freshmen is 92%.

Grinnell College offers degrees in 27 major fields with 16 concentrations.

Student population is 1,716 (undergraduates)
54% of the students are female and 17% of undergraduate students are from foreign countries.
The student to faculty ratio is 9: 1 and each class has approximately 20 students.
Grinnell College accepts ACT Composite scores (between 32 to 35) and SAT scores (between 760 - 800 in Maths and 650 - 720 in Evidence-based Reading, and Writings (ERW)). Essay Component (ACT and SAT) is optional.
89% of the total students receive financial aid in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and campus employment.
Grinnell College spends 93% in total grants and scholarships awarded to students, while the remaining 7% constitutes federal, private, and state aids awarded to international students.
Admissions at Grinnell College are offered as Early Decision (I and II) and Regular Decision.

COVID-19 Update: Grinnell College

International Applicants looking to apply for admission for Fall 2023 can submit their final high school transcripts after consultation with the Office of Admission. First-year applicants do not need to present SAT/ACT scores. The college may revise this policy for spring admission. Students can keep track of any changes through the college website.

Highlights

Application Portal	Common Application
Application Fee	Free
Average SAT score	650-720 (SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) 760-800 (SAT Math)
Average ACT score	32-35 (ACT Composite) 32-35 (ACT English) 28-33 (ACT Math)
Intake Seasons	Fall and Spring
Academic Calendar	Semester -based
English Proficiency Tests	TOEFL/IELTS
Financial Aid	Scholarships and Grants, Campus Employment

Grinnell College Admissions Deadlines

The application deadlines for international students are different from domestic applicants. Students are advised to apply early, preferably by mid or late December. The important dates and deadlines are tabulated below.

Application	Deadline	Decision Release	Reapplying Dates
Early Decision I	November 15, 2023	Mid-December	Mid-January
Early Decision II	January 1, 2024	Late-January	Mid-February
Regular Decision	January 15, 2024	Late-March	May 1, 2024

Grinnell College International Student Admissions

International Applicants need to consider the following when applying for admissions at Grinnell College.

The “super score” set by Grinnell College is done by taking the highest subscores earned by the applicant in each official score report sent to the College in the likelihood of creating a higher ACT composite score/combines SAT Evidence-based reading and writing (ERW) and Math score than one appearing on an official score report.

Application Portal: Common Application; Preliminary Application/Questbridge Application

Application Fee: Not charged

Admission Requirements

Teacher Recommendation Forms (Preferred): 2 Teacher evaluations required
Recommendation Form (Preferred): from the Secondary/High School Counselor
Secondary School Report
Original stamped, signed, or sealed official copy of Secondary/High School transcript
Standardized Testing:
Essay Component for both, ACT and SAT is optional.
SAT/ACT official score report directly sent from the College Board (SAT code 6252, ACT code 1318)
SAT/ACT verified test scores appearing on Applicant’s official high school transcript
An email with a verified SAT/ACT score report be sent from High School Counselor
Guidance Counselors/Registrars can send the Applicant’s official test scores and or transcripts by attaching to email: admission@grinnell.edu
Official TOEFL/IELTS score to demonstrate English proficiency. (Mid 50% range of these scores is given below)
Appropriate Financial forms

Note: Preliminary Application is the optional part of the application process, for applying as a First-Year for Fall 2023. The office will keep the Applicant apprised of the timelines, college search process, and scholarships

English Language Proficiency

The scores for English Language Proficiency Tests for admitted International Students for August 2023 is presented in the form of a table.

Test	Score
TOEFL - Mid-50% range	104-111
SAT I (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW)) - Mid-50% range	650-720
SAT I (Math) - Mid-50% range	760-800
ACT - Mid-50% range	32-35
IELTS (preferred)	6.5

How to fund your education at Grinnell

International students can apply for financial aid to meet the expenses of studying in the U.S. The following table mentions the deadlines to apply for financial aids.

Application	Deadline
Early Decision I	November 15, 2023
Early Decision II	January 1, 2024
Regular Decision	January 15, 2024

Also, applicants have to consider the following guidelines:

Need-Based Aid: Applicants need to indicate if they do not need financial assistance.
The applicant needs to upload a completed Certification of Finances form to the application portal along with an attachment of the Bank Statement, showing funds covering the cost of attendance for first-year, in case the concerned bank official does not sign the Certificate of Finance.
Financial Aid for International Students will not be considered after admittance.
Applicants seeking financial aid must complete the process, accurately and thoroughly by completing the CCS Profile(fee waivers not provided by Grinnell)
If the applicant is unable to complete the CCS profile, the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) must be filled and uploaded to the Grinnell Application Portal (created upon submission of the Common Application).
Email the Office of Financial Aid for assistance or call them at 641-269-3250

Visa Process

International students require an F-1 visa for studying in the US. The application fee for an F-1 visa is USD 160.

Application Requirements:

DS-160 Form (Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application)
Valid passport: for travel to the US with a validity date at least six months beyond the intended period of stay in the country
Photograph: (2x2 inches/51x51 mm), taken within the last six months
Visa issuance reciprocity fee (subject to the applicant’s nationality)
Approved I-20 form from applicant’s U.S. school/program
An interview appointment letter confirming your appointment booking.
Supporting documents for the information provided to the consular officer.

For further information regarding information, applicants can refer to the US Visa application website.

Admitted International Students

Grinnell College encourages International Students to get in touch with the Office of International Student Affairs which is a part of the International Student Organization (ISO) to facilitate a quality educational experience. Admitted students will be notified via email about receiving financial aid/notification of eligibility for scholarships.

Grinnell College Undergraduate Admission

Admission is selective into Grinnell College, and it is recommended to applying candidates to ensure that their program for secondary school is equivalent to:

English: 4 Years
Mathematics (at least through pre-calculus): 4 Years
Social Studies: 3 Years
Lab Science: 3 Years
Foreign Language: 3 Years

Grinnell College selects an applicant after considering secondary school grades, test scores, and recommendations, extracurricular activities, and leadership skills.

Admission Requirements

Common Application - Username and further instructions will be delivered to the applicant upon the College receiving the application.
SAT/ACT scores
The preferred SAT score is in the range of 650-720 in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 760-800 in SAT Math
The preferred ACT score is in the range of 32 - 35 in ACT composite
Teacher Evaluations
High School transcripts
Interview (not mandatory)

FAQs

Ques. Are A-level exams required, despite having taken O-levels?

Ans. Yes. For admission at Grinnell College, A-levels are required. Candidates who are A-level are to produce Advanced Subsidiary or equivalent results, and A-level predictions which are indicated in the Secondary School Report/Letter of Recommendation by the Headmaster or Counselor. This is applicable to all international students with similar education paths. Example: India (ISSCE followed by the ISSE or ICSE followed by the ISC).

Ques. Is it compulsory to submit all application documents at the same time?

Ans. No. Documents can be submitted as and when available. However, each of the documents must contain the applicant’s full name and DoB for assigning them correctly to their application file.

Ques. When is the notification of admission or financial aid is given and how?

Ans. The decision made on Applicant’s admission and financial aid is showcased on their Grinnell Application Portal aka the applicant status page. Regular Decision Applicants get notified no later than April 1 and admitted students will receive their letters for admission and or financial aid (if applied) via FedEx. As for the waitlist and students denied admission, they will get their decision letters via application portal only, and not get letters via postal mail.