<p>Hi everyone - my son is considering the above 4 schools. He loves history and all 4 have excellent departments. The questions he/we have are cultural fit. He's an all-around kid and enjoys a range of interests and activities. He's heard Kenyon is hipster; Colgate is awash in drunken students and Richmond is elitist. He hasn't heard much negative about Gettysburg. Family member thinks Kenyon is the most well regarded but son also wants to go to a school with lots of school spirit and engaged in intramurals, etc. He hasn't visited Kenyon or Colgate. Any advice or experience that can help us decide? </p>
<p>Those are four wildly different schools. If he hasn’t already, your son should stay overnight at each of them. Basing his decision on stereotypes isn’t helpful.</p>
<p>I can only speak to Colgate and Gettysburg… but both have a very high level of school spirit. Both are rather isolated, Colgate even more then Gettysburg. Gettysburg has a social scene dominated by Greek life. Colgate has a much harsher winter. Both have small class sizes and offer great facilities considering the sizes of the colleges. Colgate has perhaps a slightly higher profile but both schools do well sending graduates into graduate schools. Best of luck to you and your son! </p>
<p>Kenyon is also high in school spirit and somewhat remote. Beautiful campus on a hill in the middle of corn country.</p>
<p>DD1 attends Richmond and loves it. DD2 will be joining her there in the fall. DD1 has developed great relationships with her professors, has made many wonderful friends, and is thriving there. Sports seem to be well supported and there is a beautiful stadium. She has had fun participating in club sports on campus. She is planning a semester abroad next spring (very well run program at Richmond). She has also been able to do research with a professor starting freshman year and had a paid research internship last summer and will do one again this summer.</p>
<p>We all really love the location of the campus, in a very safe suburban location near shops and restaurants. When we visit, we always stop in to spend some time in Carytown, a great revitalized “mainstreet” area with great shops and restaurants. Downtown Richmond is easily accessible for visiting, community service opportunities, etc.</p>
<p>High on our list also is the Amtrak stop 10 minutes from campus and that has been really wonderful. It has been easy to get her home, even for weekend visits(we live about 4 hours north, not too far from a train station). </p>
<p>DD1 was also accepted to Gettysburg, and the very rural location would have made visits much more difficult. We have a good family friend who recently graduated from Kenyon. He loved the school and did very well. Got a great internship and had a job lined up before he even graduated. I do know that traveling to Kenyon was not easy, his parents generally drove, but could not get out there very often.</p>