I'm an anti-Trump Dem. And I think Oberlin is a woke, virtue-signaling progressive commune. Read about the bakery incident - they will deny it but when I read about it I was just nodding my head because that is exactly what Oberlin is.

Though it isn't 100% that way - there is a decent number of more normal kids who end up there for whatever reason.

Denison is great. Kenyon is also a nice school.

Kenyon is the best one though Denison is making a run with its larger endowment. But Kenyon has raised a lot of money in recent years and is upgrading dorms. DS is there and thriving. Isolation is overstated. The community and culture is very strong. Student body draws heavily from both coasts.

OP here, thanks for the feedback. We will add Denison to the list too. Do you find it easier to fly to/from CLE or CMH for visits or to drive the whole way?

My kid’s friend at Wooster is having a hard time with it being so isolated. Socially it’s tough if you don’t have a core group of good friends because there’s nowhere else to go if you need to get off campus and be around people who aren’t your classmates. At least that’s what we are hearing. It also has Greek life which seems kind of crazy for such a small school. All the more socially divisive.

Everyone says Wooster is intellectual, but I have 2 friends with kids there and I don’t think that is actually the case. It’s not a big party school, and a larger percent of the student body than I would have expected goes home on weekends, but that doesn’t make it intellectual.

Kenyon seems to get stronger students, at least from our school. Oberlin is, uh, "quirkier." Not sure I've ever heard of Wooster.

My unhooked kid (4.0, 1500 SAT, full pay) was offered $33k merit from Oberlin. She turned it down because she wanted something different, but just offering this a data point on the merit question.

Oberlin is great and don’t overlook what Cleveland has to offer- definitely give Cleveland a chance. Pro sports, West Side Market, CLeveland orchestra, great ethnic food, museums, etc.

Oberlin is the best one!

Oberlin is cute but Cleveland sux.

We visited Wooster for my 2024 DS and both loved it. Small, but super friendly and very intellectual.

Kenyon is very remote, in the middle of a cornfield. Oberlin is a cute little town and despite being in OH seemed like a very diverse student body, plus access to Cleveland is nice. Didn’t visit Wooster but have friends with kids there that really like it.

Our college counselor put it on our list and I was surprised. Why?

Dennison is the new king of Ohio SLAC's.

DS is interested in Oberlin, Wooster, and Kenyon. We’re visiting this summer, but hoping to get info on recent experiences with merit aid and impressions of students and diversity on each campus. He’s interested in environmental sciences and maybe an art history minor.