<p>My son is very interested in LACs and would like to play Division III in his sport, soccer. One concern about some rural-based colleges is the emphasis on drinking/frat life. He has no interest in either of these. Would he feel left out at Kenyon if he does not participate in these activities? Are there other alternatives, particularly giventhe small size of Gambier?</p>
<p>All colleges have an emphasis on drinking, no matter what anyone tells you, that is the truth. That said, one can not drink at Kenyon and still have a great time. However, my experience with the soccer team is that some of them join a frat, and most of them do drink. I did know one member of the team who went to medical school, and never drank a drop, and I don't think his teammates gave him too a hard time. Your son will need to be comfortable with those around him drinking, but that shouldn't be hard to manage. If your son is good at making friends, and has a strong will, he will have a great 4 years at Kenyon or any other college.</p>
<p>--and if he does not have that strong of a will, or he is not that adept at making friends, does this mean he'll have a rotten 4 yrs at kenyon?</p>
<p>what if a student is more introverted , more intellectual? will there be problem when the keg is rolled out,or the beer pong is set up?</p>
<p>My D also does not like the drinking scene... it's definitely a dilemma!</p>
<p>joecollegedad...MolBioAce06 is right when they say that drinking is a part of college life. But there are plenty of schools, like Kenyon, where an "introverted and intellectual" student can find his own group and do things they consider fun. Drinking doesn't technically have to be a part of each invidivual student's college experience, as long as they feel okay about some of the students around them drinking. I hardly drank at all while I was at Kenyon, but some of my friends did, and I was okay with that. </p>
<p>And just so you are aware, plenty of "introverted and intellectual" students end up drinking in college. Many parents would be surprised to find out that drinking isn't solely taken up by the "frat boys" and "jocks" on college campuses.</p>
<p>Our D does not drink and has had 2 wonderful years at Kenyon. There is so much opportunity to be active at Kenyon without drinking. The numerous interest groups, live band performances, plays, the BFEC, just hanging out in friends' rooms, apartments or theme houses, and let's not forget the KAC! </p>
<p>One of the most special things about Kenyon is the layout of the campus with center of the village intersecting Middle Path. The way students interact with eachother on a daily basis fosters a great sense of belonging, whether one chooses to drink or not.</p>
<p>PS. There are always people studying in the Library, Science Quad, and Gund even on weekends.</p>
<p>I guess I'm jumping on the pile here....O well.</p>
<p>You can drink or not drink; that's a students choice. Most do, some don't.
The average student probably has a few drinks once or twice per week. I think it's also important to note that frats aren't that exclusive or powerful at Kenyon. They're around if you're looking for a party, not all that noticeable if you don't.</p>