Hey! So I am set to apply ED to Kenyon by November 15th and I thought it’d be a good idea to start a thread for everyone considering applying to Kenyon (whether as ED or RD).
I’ve also visited campus three times now so if anyone has any questions regarding the campus I know a lot of things about it 
So yeah… bring on questions/conversations/tips about anything and everything Kenyon College!
Good luck to you. My S may be applying ED as well, and should be making that decision by the end of this week. His application isn’t quite ready yet, only has the CommApp essay to polish up. I was surprised there wasn’t more to KC’s application, TBH. Several of the other schools he’s applying to have far more writing required.
@ChaosParent23 Yeah I was surprised too! Especially as Kenyon is known as a writer’s school. I’m finishing my application as well. Still working on my common app essay, but I have most of everything else filled out (although, still waiting on my teacher rec and guidance counselor report)
Good luck to him as well!
Kenyon dropped the “Why Kenyon” supplement about 5 or so years ago. When we visited, Admissions said they realized that students could demonstrate fit in other ways than writing an essay. When schools drop a supplement, applications often increase as there are fewer hurdles to apply. I believe those few years after Kenyon dropped the supplement had the lowest acceptance rates. More recently, acceptance rates have risen back up a little, from the low-to-mid 20% range to the low-to-mid 30% range.
@Midwestmomofboys Thanks for the input! I didn’t know that about the acceptance rates. Honestly kind of wish they did have the “Why Kenyon” essay. I’ve visited three times and experienced their campus through classes and such so I think I could have written a good one. A lot of things said from professors and such stuck with me 
Oh well…
@astromae2001 The fact that you have visited – 3 times – and met with people will be taken into account. If Kenyon admissions comes to your high school, go to the event. Interview, if you haven’t already. If there are questions which cannot be answered by a google or kenyon.edu search-- contact your admissions rep. Hang in there, and best wishes!
S19 and I are headed to Kenyon for the overnight program tomorrow. Looking forward to it! Not applying anywhere ED so it will be an RD app. Transcripts, school profile, SAT, and all recs have been sent. We are just waiting on final cross country times to add to the Common App and then it will be sent!
@Midwestmomofboys Thank you! I’m local so I’ve tried visiting as many times as possible. I’m going to try and do an interview in the next week or two! Hoping for the best. I love this college
Did anyone visit this last weekend? We were there. S19 loved it but his host wasn’t the friendliest. He liked everyone else he met. The host and his roommates kept S19 up until 1:30 playing video games and talking about how they were bummed they couldn’t drink that night because of the prospective students. Now, S19 is a little concerned about the drinking. I know there’s drinking on all campuses so it’s not just Kenyon. I have heard that there’s a lot of drinking there though. And, before anyone says that there’s so much to do every weekend, that’s not really what we need to know. I can tell that there’s a LOT to do and that’s wonderful. We would like to know more about how drinking plays a part int he social life though.
Anyone have a sense of what a social life would be like without drinking?
Daughter is a freshman athlete at Kenyon and a non drinker. She has no desire to drink and has not. Says there is plenty of things to do every night of the week. The choice to drink is up to each individual. She has friends and teammates that drink and don’t drink. She has plenty of friends at other schools who say drinking culture is there too. She attends parties more to socialize with the team, but also hangs out with them outside of parties goes to other functions, watching movies, playing games, cooking and talking, going out to dinner or a trip into Columbus. Hope this helps, really likes Kenyon and the classes and professors are very involved and interested. The campus and surrounding area is beautiful and relaxing. And of course the KAC (Kenyon Athletic Center) is amazing!!!
@adeepbreath KAC is crazy amazing! Seems like everyone I talk to about Kenyon has a daughter there having the same awesome experience. I need to find some boy parents. I have a feeling that the drinking may be more of a boy thing. Glad your D is having a great experience!
S19 liked every female student he met this weekend. Just a little concerned about the boys and the drinking.
@homerdog My son was at KC 2 weekends ago as a prospective athlete. While they did not attend a party, he said he discussed the drinking culture on campus w/ his host. The impression he got was, yes you can drink if you want but no one is going to pressure you to do so. My son went to a college nearby a few weeks previously, attended a house party (not frat) and was told “no worries, it’s cool” when he said no thanks to an offered beer. He was told by his KC host that he’d likely experience the same reaction at KC.
@homerdog @ChaosParent23 I did an overnight on the September 23rd/24th visit event. I had a similar experience. My host was definitely a partier. She was nice of course and helped with all my questions but talked a ton about drinking. Heard too much about a party that apparently happened the night before where they got drunk lol. Also heard a crap ton about all their latest hook-ups (that’s another thing, apparently there’s a casual hook up culture). Being a student who does not party or drink this does concern me. However, being completely honest I was thrown into a host/surroundings of an entirely different social cliche- (I’m more of a “nerd” while my host and her friends were sporty and popular. It is what it is lol.) I got to meet with a lot of students pursuing the major I plan on doing, and I felt completely in place. They reminded me of myself, and I loved it. Kenyon is still my #1, I just know now who NOT to hang around with if I get accepted here haha
Also, just an FYI for all you guys. I found a movie called “Liberal Arts” and it was filmed at Kenyon and there were some famous Kenyon alums ( I think) that played in it. Check it out, I found it interesting to see how the campus has changed even just in a few years (it was made in 2012). Wiggins is completely different!
Also, even though I am not a student (yet…) at Kenyon, I can attest to the fact that there are things to do in the area. Mt.Vernon, even though a smaller town, has a ton of stores and good restaurants (try Hunan Garden if you visit!) to check out. Knox County (where Kenyon and Mt.Vernon is) and Morrow County (a little to the west) are definitely in the middle of nowhere. You will see lots of cornfields and speaking from experience will probably get stuck behind a lot of tractors fairly often haha. Also a lot of country hillbillies (just being 100% honest.) live around here BUT that being said, there are some cool things to check out and as you get closer to Columbus there’s a lot more things to do.
If you are traveling to see Kenyon and are staying in the Mt. Vernon area, check out Ariel-Foundation Park. It’s the coolest park I’ve been to. Definitely see this as a great study spot too!
Just thought I’d add that in for those of you not from the central Ohio area.
@astromae2001 I thought Mount Vernon was super cute too. But I heard there’s no Uber at Kenyon and I don’t know how kids get there if they don’t have a car. I wonder if they run a shuttle or kids can call a regular cab?
@homerdog, There is a shuttle bus that runs to Mt Vernon from Gambier, several times a day (Not sure about Sundays) picks up at the bookstore. When we were visiting our daughter there a few weeks ago, saw several kids boarding and returning thru out the day. Also my daughter has several freshman friends that have cars. She has already had 2 trips to Columbus for some bigger time shopping at the large mall on the west side of the city and to catch a greyhound this past weekend. Could always ride your bike on the bike trail that goes to Mt. Vernon, about a 6 mile ride. Lots of options. She does not feel isolated and she hails from Chicagoland.
@homerdog Mt. Vernon is a good looking city in some areas. There are some crappy parts, for sure. In my experience some of the people are shady. Just stay in the shopping areas and downtown. A general consensus at least in my town is that there is definitely a drug problem in mt. vernon. Not trying to scare anyone off I just wanted to point that out. Honestly just don’t venture into some of the shifty looking areas and anyone would be okay. Probably not much worse than other college cities. There’s also worse cities around central Ohio (ex. Marion). As well, the side of Mt. Vernon that leads to Gambier seems like the more affluent portion.
Seconding @adeepbreath I saw the shuttle bus while I was there. I was also told by a student that there is a parking pass you can get if you bring your own car. You do have to pay for it (not sure how much). That’s probably the option I will go for since I am local, but many students assured me and other prospective students that having a car is absolutely not necessary.
$200/year was what I found on KC’s website for a parking pass. My son asked about that as well b/c he definitely wants to bring his car. FY parking isn’t great, but at least they have that option. For shopping, Sunbury has what looks like a decent outlet mall that’s 45 minutes away. Easton Mall is only another 15 min down the hywy and it has pretty much anything anyone could ever need. MV of course has Wally World. But also a Kroger and a CVS. There’s also Panera, BW3, Tim Horton’s, Wendy’s, and Chipotle. Husband tried a sushi/hibachi place near Walmart that he said was shockingly good for middle of nowhere Ohio.
@ChaosParent23 Sunbury’s mall is good. Another close one (that would be closer than Easton’s) is the Polaris mall. Actually, Polaris, in general, is a giant area of stores and activities. Ikea, multiple movie theatres, fancier restaurants, etc. Definitely an area to go with friends.
@homerdog we were at family weekend at Kenyon this weekend, and I thought about you… In one if the sessions a father who’s son is a junior was explaining that sitting in on a class was what sold him on the school. He said he had done an overnight and had an awful time, and was talking about the unreliable nature of overnights when trying to get a sense of the social scene. His son is a science major and loves the school. He has been offered many research opportunities because of the one on one relationships/connections he has made with professors and said he is so glad he took his overnight visit with a grain of salt. I asked my daughter more about her overnight and she said she actually enjoyed her Denison one more but is so happy she made the decision to go to Kenyon and that the overnight really didn’t paint an accurate picture of the team dynamic, social scene etc. I know you have more specific concerns because of the team, but just thought I’d throw that perspective out there!