Chances for Kenyon ED2?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • New England, US Citizen
  • Virtual public high school
  • White (arab) + female + LGBT
  • First generation

Intended Major: English

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.97ish? My school doesn’t calculate it; I have one A-.
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.31.
  • Class Rank: Not used at my school
  • ACT/SAT Scores: Test-optional, probably. I have a 750RW but my math score is, um. Bad. I acknowledge this is my fault for not studying, lol.

Coursework
4 AP classes (out of 14 offered by school, though we’re unofficially not allowed to take them until junior year); 8 honors classes; currently taking sociology at a state university, and hopefully taking another DE social science class next semester. 4 years of French; currently in Calc.

Awards
Essay contest, and, like, honor roll.

Extracurriculars
President of a club, co-president of a club, editor at two international literary magazines, did a research mentorship program in Classics, Kenyon Young Writers Online, journalism workshop, I post creative writing online (with ~1300ish likes), various clubs (newspaper & student council).

Essays/LORs/Other
I’ve been struggling with my essays but that’s more of an ‘ideas’ problem. I’m not really sure how to rate those. My LORs are from my lang and gov teachers; they both like (?) me, so.

Cost Constraints / Budget
As far as I know I’d get enough aid from Kenyon, however I’ll look more into this with my parents.

Schools
Well, Kenyon ED2, probably. This whole process has been really overwhelming so my planning is kind of screwed. If not Kenyon, I’d consider ED2 at like, Bryn Mawr. So I guess, generally, I’m looking for feedback on my chances at LACs like that? I made a similar post looking for colleges so I’m not sure if this technically counts as double-posting. Thank you in advance!

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None of us work in the admissions office, so CC’ers are just speculating on the “Chance me” threads. I will say that my test-optional D was accepted RD to Kenyon with merit aid. I think factors that helped were an excellent Common App essay and the virtual interview with a student she clicked with. I don’t think Kenyon has a supplemental essay so make sure the Common App one is great. Having an adult help with the essay process can help, whether it’s a teacher, paid professional or someone else. Obviously it needs to be your work but I think talking to someone helps. The interview is optional, but I would recommend it. Good luck!

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I think your chances are very good, especially with an ED2 commitment.

My daughter was admitted to Kenyon with merit (15k) in RD. Similar GPA, good amount of ECs, somewhat similar to yours but more theater and music and county government service, along with newspaper and magazine internship and club stuff.

Have you visited Kenyon? It’s one of those schools that really does necessitate a trip before you make a commitment. It’s gorgeous, but quite isolated. You also need to see if you vibe with the community. I think it attracts people with similar interests to yours, but it’s really something you need to see for yourself.

I think all small LACs are this way. Small schools leave fewer opportunities to find your people so you want to have a decent understanding of the potential before you commit. For example, my daughter was also accepted to Macalester with merit. We visited both Mac and Kenyon in the same trip, and it was very clear to her that Mac was not for her but Kenyon was much more her vibe. (She ended up at UCLA but Kenyon was her LAC choice if she had decided she wanted that kind of experience)

Anyway, I do think you have a good shot of being admitted. They will read your essay and place a lot of emphasis on it. Kenyon was the only school whose admissions rep referenced details from her essay in the letter of acceptance, which my daughter loved.

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I think two things:

  1. Yes get with your parents and discuss finances. And most importantly run the net price calculator to ensure it’s affordable. Merit aid is never assured and anecdotally it’s likely less ED because if you are contracted for the school, why give you money ? Or as much ?? So make sure the NPC shows you can afford it with no merit.

  2. If you’re wavering amongst schools, ED isn’t for you. More than half of Kenyon kids got in RD so while ED helps, it’s not a must.

If your engilsh SAT is that good can you take it one more time. Study study study math. Ask when is the last test you can take. But you’d need to get to the upper 600s…is that possible ? Just under half submitted but it helps if you have it.

Good luck.

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I agree with @Wjs1107 (except my daughter liked both Macalester and Kenyon; she found almost each Midwestern LAC we visited to be a great fit for her and she got into all of them with merit, so the final decision was difficult). She also received comments on her essay and writing skills more generally in the Kenyon acceptance letter, so this seems to be an important component indeed. She did end up choosing Kenyon and loves it there (she’s a junior now). She’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. Good luck!

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No crystal balls but I would think you would have a very good shot at Kenyon - ED2. My son was ED1 last year and is now a Freshman. His GPA was lower than yours (although he showed big improvement in high school). Really solid cumulative ACT (with the Math being the lowest part). He had a really good essay, interesting Extra Curriculars and good recommendations. Although he did not apply, they even gave him some merit as part of ED1. He really loves Kenyon. It was such a “right fit” school for him. Good luck.

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Did you apply somewhere ED1 and not get accepted?

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Yeah, definitely, about chance mes just being speculating – but I can’t help wanting input, lol – thank you for the info! And I definitely can tell the essay will be really important, which is why I’m stressing so much but hopefully it’ll be fine! And I’m interviewing at Kenyon soon so hopefully that goes well. :slight_smile:

@Wjs1107 Thank you for that info! And congrats to your daughter. (: Regarding visiting, I haven’t been able to and I’m not sure I’ll have the opportunity between now and applying, which is kind of a bummer. But I’ll def be researching the location more, at least. Out of curiosity, what about Macalester did your daughter think was offputting compared to Kenyon? I’m probably applying to Mac for RD, but like other schools haven’t had the opportunity to visit in-person.

@tsbna44 Finances are definitely a priority, I’ve done the net price calculator at every school I’m applying to and as far as I know they’ll be affordable but I’ll definitely double check once I do the CSS. As for ED – I definitely get that, but I’ve been having a really hectic app cycle so I feel as if ED would raise my chance of actually getting into a LAC, but I get that this is irrational, and I’ll have to think about it more. Also unfortunately as far as I know there are no SAT tests I can take before application deadlines, and regardless it wouldn’t be feasible for me to dedicate time to the SAT right now when my applications are unfinished on top of school work – definitely acknowledge this is my fault for procrastinating though.

Thank you! I would ask questions about the interview experience but it’s probably too late because of how soon my interview is lol, but, what has been her experience with the area around Kenyon? How does the school’s size impact her experience?

Thank you and congrats to your son! (:

Nope, I only applied to safeties EA because Life Stuff and also unfortunately procrastinating /:

Thank you everyone for the replies!

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Personally, I would never allow my child to ED somewhere that hadn’t been visited beforehand. I would strongly urge you not to commit somewhere, especially a small liberal arts college, without experiencing it firsthand. There are many wonderful things about small colleges, but one factor is that they are a small and that there is a smaller pool in which to “find your people.” You want to be pretty confident that that the school is the right fit, and that’s not something you can really tell through internet research.

At the end of your older thread you wrote:

Are these still your favorites? There are 10 schools here and none of them are a safety (i.e. you’re extremely likely to be accepted, they’re affordable, and you’d be happy to attend). What are your safeties that you applied to? Would you be happy to attend them if they’re your only choice(s)?

If you like Carleton, then think about St. Olaf which is less than two miles away (which really has some rave reviews from people on CC who have visited). If you like Macalester, then think about Hamline which is also less than two miles away and has a very popular creative writing program, or about women’s college St. Catherine’s (Kate’s) about a mile down the road. And do not let all the Saints in the names fool you…I’m pretty sure that all of these campuses score well on the Campus Pride Index or are otherwise well-regarded by members of the LGBTQ community. @fiftyfifty1 can hopefully correct me if I’m wrong.

If Wellesley was your dream school, have you thought about Simmons, another women’s college in the Boston area? If you like Oberlin, then what about College of Wooster nearby or not as close, but perhaps an even more similar feel, Earlham? Beloit and Lawrence are two other schools that tend to be very generous with aid and seem as though they might be possibilities for you.

If you apply RD to schools that have higher acceptance rates, I’m confident you’ll have some acceptances in hand come the spring. Make sure your family runs the NPC at each school, however, to make sure it will be affordable for you.

Also, since procrastination seems to be an issue for you, I’d recommend that you apply to a likelier school, and then a less likely, then a likely, then a less likely, and so on, that way making sure that that some of your likely applications get completed.

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I definitely get that. I wish I had visited because I realize that there isn’t really an alternative to evaluating fit for a school like Kenyon remotely; the only school I’ve been able to visit was Wellesley and I had worried that Wellesley wasn’t really feasible acceptance-wise even with an ED2 boost so that’s why I zeroed in on Kenyon, I guess (not to say that Kenyon is some random second choice or something, I really love it and would be over the moon to go there, but I realize committing isn’t a great idea without having visited). With school size, it’s hard for me to judge it since I’ve done school from home for so long so I’ve been operating under a kind of cluelessness regarding how big schools are, but that’s neither here nor there. I appreciate your input a lot.

Yes, I still like all those schools, and will probably RD to them – I’ve been accepted to University of Arizona and Bridgewater State with merit aid, so those on top of my flagship and another state university I’m applying RD to would be my likelies, and I’d be happy to go to any of these options.

I definitely am applying to St. Olaf, but I haven’t heard of Hamline or St. Catherine’s so thank you for those recs, and for the information about the campus pride index for them. And I have Beloit on my list; I’m not sure about Simmons wrt affordability but I will look into that.

And I agree w your rec about applying to schools in that general order. Thanks! And sorry for my slightly naive ED thoughts, lol

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And this is the issue. You got into U of A with merit, Brudgewater State. You think you’ll like St Olaf. So ED should be out.

You can’t compare campuses, offers etc if you get in ED.

The ONLY place you should consider ED is Wellesley because you’ve been but you have to ensure you can afford and you have to decide - do I love it so much ?? If yes, Then you can ED. .

You take a HUGE risk jumping in with someone you’ve yet to meet - ie Kenyon.

With a 16% acceptance rate last year and ED bump, while Wellesley may be unlikely due to lack of rigor (you have rigor but not top rigor), it’s not impossible.

At least there you know what you are getting which will be very very different than what you get at Kenyon. But if you’re very confused - don’t ED. Most don’t. It’s not a requirement even though colleges want you to feel that way. You’ve got a great record. Already got into fine schools ( u of a honors is awesome) and you’re going to get in more based on your list.

Good luck.

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Agree with the others. Don’t ED. It takes all your options off the table. Trying to game the process by going all in on one place you feel might accept you and you think you might like is not the way to do ED. And those ED acceptance rates are not all that, after you factor in for committed athletes and legacies. It’s very likely you will get into Kenyon in RD. Then you can visit all of your top options and make a rational decision.

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For my D22, her Mac visit paired her up with students she didn’t have much in common with and who didn’t make much effort to connect with her. She spent a very uncomfortable lunch with two Mac students who wouldn’t stop debating which class of theirs was harder—linguistics or computer science. Meanwhile, my daughter was an English major and the other admitted students she was with were not interested in linguistics or CS either. The food was terrible (like truly bad, even the pasta) and the vibe in the dining hall just wasn’t for her. She also didn’t care much for the surrounding area and it was too far from downtown Minneapolis to make it feel like an urban experience. Take all this as her perspective. There are many happy students at Mac. But it was not meant to be for my D.

At Kenyon, my D hit it off with her tour guides, she loved the possibility of working on the Kenyon Review, many of the kids in the dining hall seemed like kids she could see herself hanging out with. The rural town was charming and beautiful and the whole thing seemed like a package she could see herself enjoying.

This is just her experience, but these are very specific places that need to be seen and felt to understand and evaluate. They are so different.

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I doubt she remembers her interview well–it was back in 2019 and one of many. Besides, she had an interview with an alum in our town (not one on campus with an admissions officer, as most of her other LAC interviews were–because we visited Kenyon on its Junior Day and they weren’t offering interviews to juniors at that point yet). As for your other questions, she is engaged in many campus activities and has a great friend group, so she’s always busy (with schoolwork, too, of course). So, it doesn’t bother her that it’s small and isolated. And she loves the beautiful campus and area.

Good luck with the process!

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Not to overcomplicate things but seeing discussion of Kenyon and Macalester, have you considered Oberlin? My oldest (part of LGBT community) is very happy there. Also considered Kenyon and Macalester as well as some LACs on the East Coast. Got into most but in the end decided on Oberlin based on fit. Best of luck to you.

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