Resources For Students & Parents Grinnell College Admissions SAT Scores, Acceptance Rate, Financial Aid & More Share Flipboard Email Print Grinnell College. Barry Solow / Flickr For Students & Parents College Admissions College Profiles College Admissions Process College Rankings Choosing a College Application Tips Essay Samples & Tips College Testing Testing Graphs Financial Aid Extracurricular Activities Advanced Placement Homework Help Private Schools Test Prep College Life Graduate School Business School Law School Distance Learning View More by Allen Grove Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. Updated September 30, 2017 Grinnell College Admissions Overview: Grinnell College has highly selective admissions, and in 2016 the prestigious liberal arts college had an acceptance rate of just 20 percent. Students will need high grades and standardized test scores in order to be considered for admission. To apply, interested students should submit an application (through the Common Application), high school transcripts, an essay, and SAT or ACT scores. A personal interview is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. Be sure to check the Grinnell admissions website for current requirements and deadlines. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In with this free tool from Cappex Admissions Data (2016): Grinnell College Acceptance Rate: 20 percentGrinnell GPA and Test Score GraphTest Scores -- 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 640 / 750SAT Math: 680 / 780What these SAT numbers meanSAT score comparison for Iowa collegesTop college SAT score comparisonACT Composite: 30 / 33ACT English: 30 / 35ACT Math: 28 / 33What these ACT numbers meanACT score comparison for Iowa collegesTop college ACT score comparison Grinnell College Description: Don’t be fooled by Grinnell’s rural location in Iowa. The school has a talented and diverse faculty and student body, and a rich history of social progressiveness. With an endowment over $1.5 billion and an 9:1 student / faculty ratio, Grinnell holds its own against the most elite schools in the Northeast, and it often ranks among the top liberal arts colleges. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, Grinnell was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Students can choose from 27 majors, and the college relies on individualized planning and advising instead of core requirements. In athletics, the Grinnell Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference. Popular sports include football, soccer, basketball, and cross country. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 1,699Gender Breakdown: 45 percent male / 55 percent female98% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $48,758Books: $900Room and Board: $11,980Other Expenses: $2,200Total Cost: $63,838 Grinnell Financial Aid (2015 - 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 92 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 91 percentLoans: 52 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $31,088Loans: $4,594 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors: Biology, Economics, English, History, Math, Political Science, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free "My Careers and Majors Quiz" at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 94 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 81 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 86 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Men's Sports: Football, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Basketball, Track and Field, Baseball, Cross Country, Golf, SoccerWomen's Sports: Golf, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Softball, Track and Field, Swimming and Diving, Cross Country Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics Grinnell and the Common Application Grinnell College uses the Common Application. These articles can help guide you: Common Application essay tips and samplesShort answer tips and samplesSupplemental essay tips and samples Admissions Information for Other Top Liberal Arts Colleges: Amherst | Bowdoin | Carleton | Claremont McKenna | Davidson | Grinnell | Haverford | Middlebury | Pomona | Reed | Swarthmore | Vassar | Washington and Lee | Wellesley | Wesleyan | Williams Continue Reading