<p>Better figure on an hour to Columbus.</p>
<p>I also had to make the Kenyon/Carleton decision, and I chose Carleton (I'm a HS senior who will be attending next year). However, I made this decision primarily due to the fact that I'm from south Minneapolis and I liked the idea of being only 40 min away from home. I loved Kenyon. I think it is a little preppier, and I would agree that Northfield is a better location than Gambier/Mt. Vernon, but I thought that Kenyon's campus was flat out gorgeous (gym included), and they have one of if not the top english department in the country. I don't think eating disorders are a serious problem at Kenyon, at least not any more serious than at most colleges, and a couple dancers that may or may not have had EDs constitute anecdotal evidence at best. I think they are both just fabulous schools. I know graduates from both places, and they are all overwhelmingly positive about their alma maters. When it comes to these schools you have made the right decision no matter which way you go, whichever one feels right is the place to be.</p>
<p>"The campus had some nice buildings but the campus is stretched out in a line - long walks to anywhere. One restaurant and a bar does not constitute a town - Gambier was tiny. Hummus and pizza gets old pretty fast." </p>
<p>Ok... CosmoGirl Magazine just named Kenyon the pretties campus in the United States. Also, everything at Kenyon is within a 10-minute walk. The campus is laid out on an axial plan, representing its historical development from the early 19th century when the school also included an Episcopal Seminary. Also, there are two delis/coffehouses (Middle Ground, Gambier Deli), one grocery (Village Market), and three restaurants (The Village Inn, which opens tomorrow!, The Kenyon Inn, and The Gambier Grille).</p>
<p>"I can imagine going stir-crazy there in the winter. No shops, nothing that you can reach without a car." </p>
<p>Mount Vernon is only 5 minutes away from Kenyon. It has many stores. A shuttle runs between Kenyon and Mount Vernon every half hour, Wednesday-Sunday. Also, about 1/3 of students have cars, so that's not really an issue.</p>
<p>"Practically every woman we passed on campus was smoking a cigarette and wearing very preppy clothes, including skirts and heels."</p>
<p>I don't know anyone that wears heels, besides to formal parties. There are few smokers at Kenyon. </p>
<p>"The biggest building on campus was the very hulking and ugly gym which was very much out of scale with any of the other college buildings."</p>
<p>The Kenyon Athletic Center (KAC) is AMAZING/BEAUTIFUL!!!! "ugly gym"? are you crazy?! </p>
<p>We watched an aerobics class where two of the women were clearly anorexic, not skinny, but skeletons. </p>
<p>So you saw two really skinny girls so you're not applying to Kenyon College? too bad for you!</p>
<p>The class in poli sci my daughter attended was terrific but could not overcome the detriments in location. </p>
<p>The isolated location of Kenyon is what makes it so special for all of us. There's some kind of charm that lingers over the Hill. If you didn't like it here, don't apply, but most people who visit Kenyon list its "location" as a good thing, not a "detriment".</p>