Tell me about Kenyon College

[Anonymous]

DC wants to visit. Do not know much about it, though alums seem like nice people.

[Anonymous]

I visited it when I was applying to college, and I found it somewhat oppressive. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and the extreme rural-ness of it just got to me--literally in the middle of cornfields and I had this feeling of dread of being stuck out there for all of college. It didn't seem like there was much to do besides drink and participate in campus culture and it felt very preppy. I was interested in small liberal arts schools, and I had just visited Oberlin, which was much more my style--the campus just felt more vibrant. Oberlin was also in the middle of cornfields, however it was a 30-45 minute bus ride into Cleveland and the town just felt a little more alive. I think Kenyon is an hour + away from Columbus, which isn't really much of a city anyway. I ended up going to Reed, and part of the appeal to me (along with the social/academic vibe) was the fact that I could get the small liberal arts school experience while being in a real city.

That said, it is a lovely campus and the academics seemed quite strong. For a student who likes the small college experience in a rural area, I think it would be a great choice.

[Anonymous]

Everyone I've known who went there absolutely loved it, but they did joke about Gambier's isolation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I've known who went there absolutely loved it, but they did joke about Gambier's isolation.

Kenyon works hard to keep its rural setting in Amish country. The college directly or though land trusts has purchased or protected a lot of agricultural land around Gambier. The campus must be one of the most beautiful in the country.

[Anonymous]

Pretty campus, rather isolated. I ended up not applying to it mostly based on the location.

[Anonymous]

I am originally from Ohio. Kenyon is a great school but no way dd I want to go there as a student and I still wouldn't go there. It's in the middle of nowhere and has a very insular school life because it's in the middle if nowhere. There are fraternities but no sororities, which causes a very imbalanced social structure. Oberlin is similar but much more crunchy granola.

For background I am from rural Ohio and know first hand what it's like to live in the middle if nowhere. If that is something your child would enjoy then check it out.

[Anonymous]

Oberlin has double the enrollment and no fraternities or sororities.

[Anonymous]

A lot depends on your student's interests. If he or she wants to have a writing career, for example, it is a phenomenal college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot depends on your student's interests. If he or she wants to have a writing career, for example, it is a phenomenal college.

+1

[Anonymous]

What is your ds interested in? Kenyon provides a great classic liberal arts education -- he will probably need to go to grad school to specialize. Just another consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oberlin has double the enrollment and no fraternities or sororities.

Oberlin is way too PC for me. Kenyon seems liberal but not oppressively doctrinaire.

[Anonymous]

17:36 Have you visited both?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your ds interested in? Kenyon provides a great classic liberal arts education -- he will probably need to go to grad school to specialize. Just another consideration.

Pretty much true of any SLAC. However, you don't necessarily have to go to grad school to find a great job after college.

[Anonymous]

I went to Kenyon. When researching schools the description of the campus 'amidst the cornfields' was a huge turnoff, but somehow we visited it anyway. Loved it.

The professors really load on the reading and papers. All the tests are bluebook. The only problem, for me, with the rural setting, is that the school was the only viable employer and they limited my hours. In a more town or urban setting, I would have controlled my schedule and worked more hours. Otoh, this made it a more intense intellectual experience -if your child wants that. It can be that some undergrads choose less challenging loads and party more, but I hung out with the more intellectually motivated. It's a small school so they are always actively promoting your involvement. If you want to run something, study something, do something or make something, there is no line.

I would describe the culture as gentry liberal. A sibling of mine went to Oberlin and it was far more into various elaborations of PC than Kenyon.

While it had frats I would never equate it with a truly Greek school. The frats are in campus housing, not separate houses. There was only one sorority and in my time it was regarded as an eccentric choice.

[Anonymous]

Also consider Denison, which is closer to Columbus, and is part of an actual small town with restaurants etc. Denison is a great school and offers generous FA.