Carleton vs. Amherst vs. Kenyon

College Search & Selection
, ,
81

To add to this idea, I would say that Carleton is probably most aligned with that sentiment, but there will certainly be partying at all three schools. Perhaps Kenyon a bit more than the others.

1 Like
82

You can also use the search tool to search this site for posts that mention Kenyon, Amherst or Carleton in the title. Those won’t compare the three head-to-head, but can give you more impressions of each school.

83

Those are great! Thanks!

84

Sent you a PM - you may or may not find helpful :slight_smile:

1 Like
85

Original poster here. What do you mean by resources?

86

Not with ED apps due in two weeks! We are in California :slight_smile:

87

Resources is an umbrella term to cover all the things that benefit a student: tutoring centers, career centers, grants for internships, libraries, student activity centers, you name it. Essentially, things that cost money.

4 Likes
88

I think only Amherst is due Nov 1, the other two are Nov 15. BUT most importantly, the coaches’ offers aren’t likely open for two more weeks. How long has each given your S to decide?

1 Like
89

Yes, true on the deadlines. Mix of deadlines from the coaches but he should decide asap :slight_smile:

1 Like
90

I agree with @Lindagaf, if he didn’t feel like he got the vibe at Amherst, maybe it wasn’t clicking for him? My daughter visited Carleton and Amherst, and liked (and applied) to both. She felt a definite vibe from Amherst after a morning class and the lunch at the dining hall.

This is not at all what your son wants to hear, but as my children were stressing out, I emphasized to them over and over that the entire college admissions industrial complex is oriented towards pumping the myth that there is “one perfect match” out there, and you must find your dream school, apply, and hope they give you a rose, and any other school would be a step down.

For 17 year olds, it can feel quite dire and high stakes. But I firmly believe that any of our children could thrive and be happy at any number of schools. There’s not just one perfect match. So when your son has three excellent choices, don’t over-think it. Choose the cherry pie. Or pumpkin pie. Or apple pie. They’re all great. Reasonable people might choose any of the 3.

12 Likes
91

Just wanted to respond quickly to those who have suggested that Kenyon is an “academic outlier” in this list. I strongly disagree. I have a senior at Kenyon who went there from a very strong, selective-admission high school for academically gifted students (a small school that has produced a few Nobel prize winners), and she finds Kenyon very rigorous. One of her friends (a pre-med, by the way) was accepted by Carleton but chose Kenyon because of merit (my daughter didn’t apply to Carleton because we needed merit but got into Grinnell, a peer school, with a significant merit award). Both my daughter and another friend were offered spots in the very competitive campus honors program at our respectable top 40 state flagship. This is just a small sample of Kenyon students that I know. Even if you look at the basic ACT range, the three schools are very similar (Kenyon at 31-34 vs Carleton and Amherst at 32-35; I know these are skewed because of the test-optional situation but are at least somewhat indicative). And yes, while Kenyon has more of a humanities and arts reputation, it’s solid in sciences as well. We’re visiting the campus now for the family weekend and attended a poster session for Kenyon summer scholars (students who received summer funding to collaborate with their professors on their projects), and there were LOTS of science projects represented.

In other words, as many have indicated, your son will not be academically disadvantaged at any of these schools, so you should look at other factors important to him and your family. I hope this helps.

9 Likes
92

I don’t think that was the intent. I think Kenyon is different from the other two. It is not particularly well known for STEM. That doesn’t mean its an academic slacker. The other two seem more in line with OPs interests.

4 Likes
93

This goes in the same category as - I’ll throw it out there - and please spare the - these aren’t the same, Kenyon is much higher rated. You have name your flagship - my kid went to Alabama vs. Michigan.

Obviously one is much much much higher rated but truth is, they both have many many many strong students, many which could get into both - i.e. most/all at Michigan would get into Bama but not all at Bama would get into Michigan even though they have tons of great students who could get into Michigan.

It’s not to diminish Kenyon and my kids both chose safeties over much higher rated schools so you are right, some might choose Kenyon and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But Kenyon is not - selectivity wise, reputationally speaking - at the level of one of the others. It doesn’t mean the education may not be as good, the outcome may not be as good or better, and that the student might not have a better experience - because they absolutely might.

I also agree that there is typically not just one school where a student can excel and too many think there is. All schools provide great opportunity if you are willing to take advantage - and yes, all schools have bad profs or bad class times or bad food or a bad dorm or a bad roommate or whatever - that nothing is perfect.

So go with the gut, and don’t look back.

94

I agree, Kenyon is BEST known for English and some other humanities and social sciences, but is also still very good for natural sciences. Consistent with what we discussed above, if a STEM kid thought they would be happiest and most personally successful at Kenyon, I would completely support them going to Kenyon. Because that is going to be far more important than generic institutional rankings.

So I would not agree with the proposition that any of these colleges should be eliminated from consideration based on generic considerations. Wherever the OP feels most excited to attend, that would be a good choice for that reason.

5 Likes
95

I think it is worth emphasizing that selectivity is a funny thing. A lot of people throw applications at famous colleges in popular locations, and then those colleges reject a lot of those people. But ultimately, what matters is who you attend college with, not who you don’t attend college with.

Kenyon for a variety of reasons gets less frivolous applications. The people who apply to Kenyon are far more likely to know exactly why Kenyon would make sense for them. That doesn’t mean Kenyon is always their top choice, but usually they are a very intentional inclusion on their application list.

But I don’t think that should be held against Kenyon. Of course if it is not right for you, don’t apply. But if it would be great for you, don’t let the fact it doesn’t get a flood of frivolous applications deter you. Because that isn’t really relevant.

4 Likes
96

It’s always dangerous to generalize, but I would say Carleton and Kenyon have a more “Midwestern nice” student body. Maybe a little less cosmopolitan but also a little less of the “Northeastern edge” that you might find at Amherst. Of course all 3 attract kids from all over the country, but that characterization might color the dominant culture.

If your kid didn’t feel it at Amherst, maybe that’s not the vibe he prefers. It doesn’t mean he couldn’t find his people and thrive there, but maybe it’s not calling as loudly.

4 Likes
97

I’m going to guess that a Kenyon student entering with a score of 33 on the ACT (its median for those submitting) or 34 (its 75th percentile) represents a level of academic preparedness of at least that of a 25th percentile scorer (32) at Amherst or Carleton. Although I skewed this example (somewhat) to illustrate a point, I believe it shows the extent of the selectivity overlap across these schools.

2 Likes
98

I agree. It’s what my kids did - find what’s right for you. You have to be there four years, day after day. I sometimes get giddy at the big name but doesn’t mean it’s right.

Honestly I had never heard of Kenyon until basketball coach Shaka Smart came onto the basketball coaching scene.

Turns out the LACs out out some big time coaches. The football coach at Wake Forest went to Williams.

Back to fit - I just got back from dinner with my son and two of his co workers. One of his co workers went to IU over Purdue. She said at Purdue everyone is miserable ( I know from being on here it’s not true but that was her impression coming from an indy suburb) and she didn’t want that for four years.

So if one school does stand out. Or if one stands out for the wrong reasons, of course that should factor in.

Also Kenyon has merit - can they forecast if your student would get any ? That may impact the decision too.

Good luck to OP.

99

So interesting - per Common Data Set

Amherst is 90% top 10 and 96% top 25% of the class with 61% submitting an ACT at a 32/35 split. We’ll assume that the SAT is similar and I’d imagine perhaps some of the lower scores come from the low SES students although that’s a guess. Amherst has a lot more applicants than Carleton and only admits 7%. It’s slightly smaller than Carleton.

Carleton admitted nearly 17%, also with a 32/35 and 64% submitting. 75% are in the top 10% of the class with 94% in the top 25%.

Kenyon admits double Carleton percentage wise - and nearly 5 times at the rate of Amherst with 55% submitting a test and a 31/34 range. 63% are in the top 10% and 86% in the top 25%.

So I don’t believe my assessment is wrong - and I’m saying overall. Someone put up a stat before that Carleton is the winner in the sciences. I think this on on reportable data so it’s objective based -so on that level I’d say:

Amherst
Carleton
gap - because there is one
Kenyon

I do think other things matter as people said and there were great things people brought up:

  1. Fit/vibe - how do you feel, how are the dorms / food?

  2. Athletic traveling

  3. Coach / Teammate feel

  4. Finances - would Kenyon be the clear winner here?

Anyway, all good stuff and as long as OP’s kid has a wonderful experience at wherever they choose, what else matters?

2 Likes
100

One additional thing to consider might be grading practices, if med school is is a possibility. Carleton used to be known for a lack of grade inflation, which sometimes made applying to med school difficult; not sure if things have changed.