<p>I don’t know about the probability of getting a parking permit. The parking lottery system was new this year. They really should bring back the remote lot; getting rid of it was a load of bull. As to having a bike, it makes a lot of sense. Even if you have a car, it’s not as though you’ll be driving it to class. The campus isn’t that big, and the parking south is entirely reserved for faculty, staff, and students who live south. Having a bike is a great way to save time and give yourself a little extra sleep in the morning.</p>
<p>Hey KTG, thanks 4 d previous time. I’d like 2 know, when u’re given Kenyon college employment as part of ur financial aid package, do u have an assured job or u still have to apply 2 get a GOOD placement? Again, are ‘bad’ jobs out there?</p>
<p>^ And along with that question, if you’re not given employment as a part of your financial aid, can you still do a work study? If not, is it pretty easy to get a job around campus?</p>
<p>Cillian22,</p>
<p>Indeed the lottery for freshmen is a new system this year. Being that it is a lottery, I cannot tell you what your chances of getting a spot are. I can however say that maybe the reason that we made it a lottery (aside from the general lack of parking by freshman dorms) is to make you re-think bringing a car. You really don’t need one here. You cannot possibly drive to class, there is a free shuttle to Mt. Vernon, and people really don’t leave very often. If you did need a car for whatever reason, you could borrow a car pretty easily.
Honestly, bring a bike. That is your best option 
KTG</p>
<p>Kingdomchild,</p>
<p>Even if you are giving student employment as part of your financial aid, you are not required to use it. So if you don’t want to work/can’t then you don’t have to. As such, you do not automatically receive a job here. If you are interested, you can go to the career development office and they’ll help place you ([Student</a> Employment - Admissions & Aid - Kenyon College](<a href=“http://www.kenyon.edu/x8780.xml]Student”>http://www.kenyon.edu/x8780.xml)). There are a bunch of jobs so they try to find one that suits your interests. I’m not sure what a “bad” job would be, but I’ve never heard anyone complain about hating a job here. You do have to apply for most jobs, but most are just first come-first served.
If you have specific questions about what exactly is in your aid package, I’d call the office of financial aid to clarify. You can also contact the career development office and talk to someone there.</p>
<p>rajincajunfire</p>
<p>I’m not completely sure how you could add on a work study. I’ve never heard of someone doing that. It is very easy, however, to get a job on campus. There are tons of options ([Student</a> Employment - Career Development Office - Kenyon College](<a href=“http://www.kenyon.edu/x33624.xml]Student”>http://www.kenyon.edu/x33624.xml)). If you are interested, you will very easily find something to do. Be a tour guide!
KTG</p>
<p>Hi, I had a couple of questions about Kenyon, seeing as it’s appearing more and more likely to be my destination.</p>
<p>How are its math and physics programs? I love reading and writing and all that, but I’m also a fan of numbers and the arts related to them. Going to a college where I know I would learn to be equally successful in any major I choose is really important to me.</p>
<p>Also, do you know how “prepared” a Kenyon education makes you for a Master’s or PhD? My other main choice is probably Oberlin (although I’m leaning toward Kenyon because it’s farther away from my home and I liked the tour I got a lot more there). But one undeniable asset Oberlin has is the huge number of post-graduates that go on to earn higher degrees.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Yukiomo,</p>
<p>One of Kenyon’s greatest attributes is the balance of academic strength throughout the departments. I can personally attest that the physics department is awesome. I was not a fan of physics in high school, but I have learned so much and I really feel like I am walking away with a very thorough and practical knowledge of physics.
Besides my personal experience, I have friends who are both math majors and physics majors. One of them was accepted to a bunch of grad programs (I know of at least Northwestern and Dartmouth). I think that the major advantage to the math/physics programs here is that we have such small classes and a very dedicated faculty for both departments. As you know, math/physics is easiest to learn when you have a teacher who engages you and Kenyon professors will perpetually keep you on your toes.
Overall, Kenyon is famous for humanities, but every single program here is held to the same academic standards and honestly (as a science major) I feel more challenged than most of my non-science major friends. I am fully confident about the material that I am learning. When I talk to my high school friends who go to a couple other liberal arts colleges and some Ivies, I always feel like I have really mastered the material while maybe some of them have only memorized and regurgitated.
Now, I do not know anything about Oberlin. To be honest, I had never even heard of it until I came to Kenyon and I played them in the fall of my freshman year.
Kenyon has an exceptional pre-professional and pre-graduate school program. We had 12 Fulbright scholars last year alone and we have had Fulbright scholars every year since 1999. We are one of the top producers of Fulbright scholars in the country (of any college liberal arts or otherwise).
This should give you an indication of not only Kenyon’s academic rigor, but the strength of the academic advising program. Most advisors have about 10 students/class that they are responsible for so they know you very well and they are able to guide you. I like to know that my advisor will know me well and have taught me so that when they write letters of recommendation (study abroad, internships, jobs, grad school) they will represent me as a person.
I don’t know why Oberlin has an “undeniable” statistic of grad school acceptances, but you should be wary of those types of statistics. Look at how many years after graduating those were taken, what majors those stats are for, etc. Kenyon also has an impressive amount of students earn terminal degrees in their respective fields (I think after 2 years, well over 80% of grads are at some type of post-grad program).
Bottom line, Kenyon will prepare you for whatever you want to tackle after Kenyon. Again, I urge you (all of you) to try to make decisions based on the intangible things that are unique to you. I’m sure that both Kenyon and Oberlin will offer great opportunities for their grads so you should just pick a place where you will get support and be happy. They are both excellent choices and I doubt that you will have any regrets.
If you need any more hard facts, I’ll try to track 'em down from my boss for you. I can also give you some real opinions not found online.
Good luck with your decision (have you visited both? It sounds like you are from Ohio?)
KTG</p>
<p>Check out this post from Gundisgood:
"Top Liberal Arts Colleges By Salary Potential</p>
<p>A pretty real difference between the two in the long term financial success. The disparity in ranking between the schools is pretty big, 38 schools between them.</p>
<p>Starting salary: Mid-career salary:
Kenyon: $39,800 $90,300
Oberlin: $42,400 $77,300
"
From: [Top</a> Liberal Arts Colleges By Salary Potential](<a href=“http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-liberal-arts-colleges.asp]Top”>http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-liberal-arts-colleges.asp)</p>
<p>My brother went to Kenyon (and loved it) and got a Fulbright and then applied to public health school for his MPH. He was accepted to Harvard, Columbia, Emory, and Johns Hopkins. He has a lot of friends going to schools that are considered top 5 for the respective fields. If you want a terminal degree after Kenyon, you will get it.</p>
<p>I’ll say the same thing here that I’ve said on other boards. If a school or a tour guide comes up with some “grad school acceptance rate” that they’re telling you is out of this world great, you should laugh. I think Kenyon likes to advertise a med school acceptance rate of like 90% or something, but at least with med schools they’re all tough to get into. There are grad schools that will take just about anyone with a B.A. whose willing to fork over some cash. On the other hand, a school’s ability to get students elite scholarships like Fulbrights and Goldwaters or into highly selective grad schools is a real indication of the quality of the college and its education system. Kenyon’s superb reputation for alumni success in and out of academia is one of the reason it ranks so much higher in the Forbes rankings than in US News and World Report.</p>
<p>[America’s</a> Best Colleges - Forbes.com](<a href=“Forbes List Directory”>Forbes List Directory)</p>