• $21 million in student aid
• Need-blind admission policy
• Chosen as "Best All-Around" by Kaplan/Newsweek in "The Class of 2004 12 Hottest Schools"

It is a place that embraces people from all backgrounds. Every first-year class is at least as diverse as the one before it, but they all share the Grinnellian passion for learning, belief in collaboration, and a desire to contribute to the social good. The students who most excel at Grinnell are those who are sincerely committed to the idea of a demanding liberal arts education, who want to put as much into that education as they aspire to get out of it. In addition to an excellent academic record, the admission office policy favors applicants who have a record of participation in extracurricular activities, including leadership roles and honors or awards earned.

Grinnell seeks exceptional students to become a part of the school. And it has the resources to make that happen. Students are selected for admission without regard to their ability to pay (an unusual policy called need-blind). The school meets 100 percent of institutionally determined need for U.S. students in aid packages that include scholarships, grants, campus employment, and loans, understanding that each family pays as they are able. Merit scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Last year, Grinnell awarded $21 million in grant scholarship assistance alone, an amount that far exceeds comparably sized liberal arts colleges. No limits.