<p>Hi I'm really interested in Kenyon, but if I ever had an interview and they asked, "Why Kenyon?" I'm not exactly sure what I would say... I live in Texas and haven't read anything spectacularly distinct about it... They have some really cool programs that I like, but I'm not sure I'd have a super impressive answer to "Why Kenyon?"... After all, I haven't visited yet, so I wouldn't be able to say much about community or atmosphere at Kenyon or how I knew it was "the right fit" bc that wouldn't be exactly truthful. Help, please? As a Kenyon student, what do you find special? What made you apply and enroll? How is Kenyon awesome?</p>
<p>Try reading in the Kenyon forum. The ‘really cool programs’ are certainly the sort of thing you would talk about.
<a href=“Kenyon College - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/kenyon-college/</a></p>
<p>the readers are wanting you to demonstrate your interest in Kenyon. One way to do that is to show them that you’ve tried to learn as much as you can about the school and its location, history, majors, etc. You don’t need to tell them what you don’t know (fit, architecture, vibe, etc.), but show them what you do know. A lot of this information is online. Lucky you.</p>
<p><a href=“Kenyon College Acceptance Rate | CollegeData”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=810</a> indicates that “level of applicant’s interest” is “very important”.</p>
<p>You are correct that small liberal arts colleges can be indistinguishable, especially if you haven’t visited. I think some of the Kenyon’s points of differentiation would be its friendly and unpretentious midwestern culture, its non-aggressive middle-road politics, its focus on the arts and humanities, its reputation for academic excellence and commitment to all the liberal arts.</p>
<p>Kenyon was one of my son’s top choices, though he didn’t end up there. What he liked – information gained mostly from guidebooks and on line comments – were the nurturing community, the intellectual rigor, the strength of its visual arts, art history and English departments, the good humor and energy of the students. My son, who likes being surrounded by Nature with a capital N, was charmed by the insular environment when he visited, but others might find it too isolated.</p>
<p>Your interviewers will want to how you feel about small LACs in general and those in rural environments specifically. How you feel you’d fit in culturally and academically.</p>
<p>Yeah, think of what is available for non class time and what you might be doing and participating in. Also, for every college, read about what the graduation requirements are so you can have an idea of what classes you will need to be taking. </p>
<p>My daughter and I visited Kenyon. It was a top choice for her due to its outstanding creative writing program. John Greene is a graduate. It is basically surrounded by corn fields. Very pretty campus, friendly students and smaller size student body. My daughter ended up choosing Oberlin instead because it fit her more liberal perspectives better.</p>
<p>One trick is to beat the interviewer to the punch. (this is not easy to do). Ask the interviewer first about Kenyon. Why did s/he attend; what did they like about the college; ask about the cool programs - did they participate or know of anyone who participated. See if you can visualize yourself in such a place, with these students, making friends.</p>
<p>There was a book written about 20 years ago “Alma Mater” by a professor who attended Kenyon as an undergrad and then came back to teach. I have no idea how much it reflects the atmosphere on campus today, but it can’t hurt to read the book. And you can be sure that any interviewer would have heard about it, so bonus points for having read it.</p>
<p>Kenyon’s three main strengths include its writing program, its intellectually curious (open minded) and intelligent students, and its lovely relaxing campus. You could attend for any one, or all three, of these; plus a few more perhaps.</p>
<p>Contrary to what some have said, Kenyon is not surrounded by corn fields. It is set on a hill, ideally situated for a rural liberal arts college where students can have minimal distractions from the outside world. You cannot see corn fields from campus. You almost feel like you are in the woods at a nearly perfect summer camp.</p>
<p>In order to fully answer that interview question, a visit to campus would be wise. The real reason they ask the question is they want to know what your goals are and why Kenyon can help you achieve them. The point is not to “impress” the interviewer but to explain yourself. They do not want students who have no idea where they are going.</p>
<p>By the way, Kenyon is not a college for people who are seriously interested in spectator sports. You can definitely participate in intramural sports, if you like playing. Intercollegiate football games, for example, are free admission with no tickets required. Sometimes Kenyon has a good football team, and sometimes it does not.</p>
<p>[P.S. my dad went to Kenyon and I have visited numerous times]</p>
<p>My D and I visited Kenyon and Denison on the same day last August. Denison is definitely set on a hill. I recall the landscape at Kenyon as being fairly flat. Is my recollection a bit fuzzy?</p>
<p>^ It’s a little of both. Denison is definitely on a hill above the town of Granville. To get to Kenyon you have to drive through miles of corn fields but the college itself is set on a hill in the middle of trees. </p>
<p>Ah… I must be remembering the miles and miles of corn fields we drove through. Another turnoff for my daughter was the size of the student body. She liked small schools but Kenyon was too small for her.</p>
<p>Same here, Gamergal…I remember the cornfields on the drive over. But I thought the actual campus was beautiful. For some reason, my D did not feel the same way. She like Denison a lot, though.</p>
<p>Denison is on a very steep hill. If you trip and fall you could wind up at the bottom. Actually, it is not so much a hill as a ridge. Kenyon’s hill is gentler, but obvious, except when you approach from the east (Amish Country).</p>
<p>Yes, depending on where you drive from, you can definitely drive past corn fields. Generally those are to the east and south. No corn fields between Mt. Vernon and Kenyon, for example. Rural Ohio is largely corn fields.</p>
<p>By the way, Denison is Kenyon’s only real football rivalry. Denison usually wins; probably because Woody Hayes’ spirit must be hanging around. He was an alum, and also coached there.</p>
<p>Denison is rather preppy; Kenyon is not really. Also Granville is a real town while Gambier is a seamless part of Kenyon.</p>
<p>Denison is also the only competition Kenyon has for swimming. Go big red! 
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<p>Thanks for all the replies, guys! Helps a lot! </p>
<p>I was actually shocked how much my S fell for Kenyon. It was not where I expected him to be at all. He had an outstanding interview and spent the day and night at K… and in the most magical, bucolic, gorgeous town of Gambier. My S is a theater and english kid… so he will be " doubly unemployable" as Josh Radner- Kenyon College '96 says in his movie Liberal Arts…LOL!!! I think the HUGE attraction for my S, and probably the reason he choose K, was the students. He had visited many small LAC’s and he was getting a little annoyed with the " I am so ALL THAT vibe:, that when he visited Kenyon he said it was so refreshing to be around some of the most amazing, creative, smart, funny, welcoming, people he had ever been around, yet everyone was so unassuming. Kind of like someone who doesn’t have to say how cool they are, they just are.</p>
<p>Since we’re talking about Kenyon :)–D is conservative politically and socially. How will she fit in at Kenyon? Any thoughts? thanks!</p>
<p>@isaelijohjac</p>
<p>Kenyon definitely leans left, but not radically so. Plus, students and staff tend to be tolerant (not just talk about being tolerant). If your D does not mind being around so many libs, then she will be fine. As 5boys above said “the most amazing, creative, smart, funny, welcoming, people he had ever been around, yet everyone was so unassuming. Kind of like someone who doesn’t have to say how cool they are, they just are.” All true. Kenyon students also tend to come from wealthy families, but most of those who bring cars have older Camrys and Accords. Not many Mercedes or Volvos.</p>
<p>You should visit. Kenyon really is unique.</p>