<p>I am a Jewish Northeasterner who wants to study Creative Writing and political science. I enjoy a good hippie/hipster/alternative culture at any school, but was turned off by the extreme level of inwardness I found with the students at Wesleyan. I would like to go to college where students are genuinely engaged with their studies and will take stimulating/intellectual discussions outside of the classrooms. I appreciate all kinds of diversity and even though I lean left politically, I am somewhat frustrated with an intense level of political correctness to the point where it becomes discriminatory. In regards to substances, I'm okay with drugs and alcohol around me but not to where I'm forced to do it by my peers. </p>
<p>I am a first year student at Kenyon and from what it sounds like you want, Kenyon would be a very good fit for you. Many of the things you say you want are what Kenyon has to offer in terms of its environment. You say you lean to the left, which is how many at Kenyon tend to view the political system yet there are areas of right leaning individuals as well. I wouldn’t say the college is as politically liberal as say Oberlin but as most other colleges, Kenyon tends to lean that way. With regards to substances there is never a time where your friends would ever make you have to partake in them, but because we are in the middle of Ohio with Columbus being about an hour away many people stay on campus for most of the weekend. Because of this, the fraternities do control much of the social scene on campus, but the school and social board bring in guest speakers for almost every weekend and Mount Vernon is only 5 minutes away with restaurants, bowling and a little shopping. Through this, many people choose to go to parties on the weekends where there is alcohol provided, but you would never be forced to partake in an thing you don’t want to. Overall, if you are academically ready for the challenge of Kenyon, and the environment you described is what you are looking for, then Kenyon would be a great fit for you. Obviously visiting campus would help you get a better grasp on the Kenyon College life so I do highly recommend at least visiting to see how you feel about it.</p>
<p>Hope I helped if you need any other questions answered feel free to ask.</p>
<p>My son was more impressed by the student engagement at Kenyon than at any other college we have visited so far. So that part of it might be a good fit for you.</p>
<p>But Kenyon might be more rural/bucolic than an urban hipster might enjoy.</p>
<p>Student engagement is huge at Kenyon as our Professors are so great, we often find ourselves continuing academic discussions outside of the classroom. One of my seminar’s is so interesting that even though it is 3 hours long and on a Wednesday night (party night), we often stay behind for 30-40 mins to hang out with our Professor and finish off our class discussion.</p>
<p>I would guess that about a third of students at Kenyon are hipsters from the Northeast who either are on wish they were Jewish. It sounds like you would fit right in. As for political discourse, there is an assumption that if you’re at Kenyon, you’re a liberal. It probably holds 80% of the time.</p>
<p>Also consider Oberlin. My daughter liked Kenyon when she visited but fell in love with Oberlin and has been extremely happy with courses (she wants to major in Creative Writing) and friends.</p>