Hello CC Community!
After a very strenuous college search, I was sure that Tulane University was my top choice, but after sadly being waitlisted. I began to look at other colleges paticularly LAC’s with a strong writing program. Nevertheless, I discovered Kenyon and decided to apply. I figured I wouldn’t get in because my stats weren’t necessarily as strong as the other applicants.However, after talking with a Dean who told me that my essay just felt like Kenyon. I was very happy to see their value of individuality. After receiving the KEEP Scholarship and generous financial aid, my education there would be almost free. Howver, I’ve never thought of going to college in a rural setting and cities are my lifeblood. However, going somewhere else means almost assuredly paying more money. As a black student, I’m also concerned with going somewhere with low diversity. However, the money is making it a very tempting offer. I haven’t visited Kenyon also so maybe that would help. Does anyone have any experience with Kenyon, know the caliber or the university or the student life? If someone could offer suggestions that would be great, if you have anything negative to say please keep it to yourselves.
Kenyon is a superior choice for a college education in all respects:
- Kenyon is a traditional LAC; the faculty is there to teach the undergraduates.
- It is very difficult to top Kenyon for writing.
- The campus is spectacularly beautiful.
- Yes, it is in the middle of rolling farmland. A lot of the great LACs have remote locations; Williams, Carleton, and Grinnell come to mind. Don’t get distracted by that.
- It seemed to me that Admissions at Kenyon tries to pick the very smart, low-key, type-B kids. Show-offs don’t fit in at Kenyon.
- They also spent some time thinking through residential life, including nice dorms.
So, Dude, take the money.
Kenyon is excellent; this is a great opportunity.
Yes, diversity will be lower than Tulane, and it is in a rural area. Visit Kenyon and see how the campus feels. Talk to students and professors. Eat in the dining hall. I predict that you will like it.
FREE. Kenyon College for free ?
While I may not be a fan of a small rural LAC, Kenyon for free is God’s way of saying I love you.
Ask if the scholarships cover any study abroad options ?
Interesting that you were waitlisted at Tulane, but full ride to Kenyon College.
Check out if your scholarship covers a semester or a year at another university or college.
Rural is barely adequate to describe Kenyon’s location. Gambier is hardly a town at all. Columbus is an hour away by car; don’t plan on getting there more than a couple times a semester after allowing for your school responsibilities.
There’s no substitute for a visit to see if you’re comfortable with the milieu. In Kenyon’s case, it’s upper-middle to upper-class WASP. Pleasantly liberal, I’d be shocked if you’d encounter any overt discrimination there, but whether you will feel at home I cannot say.
I visited with my son, and it was way too intellectual/artsy/isolated/small for his tastes, but I liked it a lot, and felt that one would get a truly outstanding education there.
It is rural, but lovely. Wooded, rolling hills. (Not in the middle of cornfields like some rural colleges).
Students often think they will spend a lot of time off their campuses, but most don’t. Also, if you get itchy, you can study abroad or someplace like D.C. for junior year.
I’d take it. I’m assuming you are an ED admit and don’t have time to visit. Plus, if you are ED, the only reason you’d be able to turn it down is finances. So you really have to accept. But it will be good – you’ll see.
OP: Your concern about going to a college with a low diversity just assures that you will experience substantial growth during your first year. Also, you can use the internet to make friends in Columbus–which includes Ohio State–and may get invited to attend BSA meetings there, and, in turn, may invite friends to visit you at Kenyon.
Probably won’t be easy, but that’s why they call them growing pains.
This is an outstanding opportunity. Kenyon is very strong in the humanities and well respected academically overall. It’s a stereotypical LAC:
- Small classes all four years
- More intellectual (less pre-professional) than most -- if not all -- universities.
- 100%, or nearly so, focused on undergraduates
- Plenty of face time is available with the profs
The downside is (relative to universities) the lack of majors and courses, but if you are interested in a humanities major like English, that shouldn’t be an issue.
And as most LACs, including Kenyon, are rural or in small towns, they are not for those who must be in an urban setting. There are exceptions like U of Richmond and Reed, but most LACs are not in cities.
I think if you can handle the location/environment, Kenyon could be a great fit for you. At no or little cost to you, this is a gift. Check it out.
I did EA at Kenyon and ED at Tulane @intparent
We saw quite a few confederate flags flying as we drove through those beautiful rolling hills. I’m sure the campus is a bit of a bubble but something to be aware of.
http://www.kenyon.edu/visit-kenyon/getting-to-campus/gobus-information/
It’s pretty easy to visit Columbus from Kenyon. Ohio campuses are much more socially interconnected today since students do stay in touch with each other more easily and visit each other’s campuses frequently.
I’ve been to Kenyon a couple of times while my kids were playing in athletic tournaments. The summers in central Ohio are absolutely beautiful. Green grass, rolling hills and corn fields everywhere. The campus is indeed very beautiful. As others have mentioned, Columbus is about 75 mins away. The closest town is Mt Vernon which is about 10 mins away, and they have a few fast food restaurants and a Walmart and theatre. Not much else. I remember seeing a lot of Old Order Amish people around. In the summertime, they will drive their horse and buggies up the main drag in Kenyon to sell quilts.
While you are in college, you will have plenty to do. Being able to travel on the weekends to the big city is still possible, but my guess is that most students stay on campus during the weekends and bask in the glory of being in such a beautiful area.
Sure its not New Orleans, but your college years will be so transformative, it won’t really matter where you are. I agree with the others above, doesn’t get much better than a full ride to a great LAC like Kenyon.
Was just reading the comment about Moody’s downgrade of Kenyon. See here
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21186926/#Comment_21186926
It looks like Kenyon is carrying a lot of debt relative to its peers. To get around this, small schools like Kenyon don’t have a lot of financial aid to give out. To overcome this, they will generally discount tuition for wealthy kids.
So the homogeneity issue at Kenyon is likely to get worse over the near term. They will likely accept more full-pay (wealthy) kids to offset the lower financial aid budget. But this means that Kenyon really must want you. To offer a full tuition scholarship to someone like you is a fantastic deal.
I don’t think Kenyon has EA. Just looking at the website. I see ED I, ED II, and RD.
@intparent: OP mixed up his references to EA & ED. Tulane only offers EA, I believe, and Kenyon just offers ED.
Well, one could assume that is what happened. Unless the poster is just making stuff up.
If the OP got into Kenyon ED and got a great FA package, then they are obligated to attend. It doesn’t much matter what they are worried about now.
Agree that OP has a binding ED obligation.
Doesn’t seem like this would be made-up.
Honestly,
I’m not obligated to do anything with my life. I’ve talked to the admissions people and they’ve been perfectly accommodating. I don’t need you to tell me whether it’s binding or not. I just would like opinions on Kenyon and the questions I posed. I will probably be going there so you don’t have to worry @intparent
If you signed an ED contract, you are indeed obligated. The thing is that if you really had an EA (which doesn’t exist) or RD admission, you could go visit. Kenyon usually provides a voucher to cover travel expenses for students from far away to come visit if you are an RD applicant.
So if it isn’t ED – go visit yourself and see what you think. Kenyon will probably cover that cost. If it is ED, then there is no “probably” about it. You made a commitment when you applied (and so did your parents and your GC).
I happen to love Kenyon. I think you are lucky to have this offer whether it is ED or not, and you should take the plunge and go if this is really what you have in hand.
Kenyon isn’t the place for you. Your response in #17 demonstrates why.