We were up against the same choice and ultimately chose Bates. We felt it was a better fit. My son is athletic and outdoorsy loves hiking, camping etc. We way prefer Maine over Ohio.
We were also super impressed by the president of Bates and all the ways she is pushing the school forward.
Bates campus is a bit compact while Kenyons is more expansive. After spending a weekend at Kenyon my son felt more comfortable with his decision to choose Bates. They are both excellent schools so you can’t go wrong really.
I love the college confidential community, because everyone is thoughtful and helpful.
I still haven’t chosen, but I’m coming closer to a decision. I really appreciate the comments. Thanks so much, everyone!
If you read the forum about colleges people visited and crossed off, someone said that when they visited Kenyon, they half expected a cow to wander across the campus! Others didn’t disagree.
OP has applied ED to Kenyon. I wish him all the best. Kenyon is a wonderful school.