<p>As suggested by other threads, kenyon certainly is keeping some good company in terms of overlaps. The kenyon vs colby overlap is one our S is struggling with, and we have heard about a number of others coming down to the same choice. Any thoughts in general?</p>
<p>Our S is quite bright but not a poet type or ultra-intellectual at least at this juncture. He is a fairly mainstream kid, athlete, but not a prep school kid. He is on the quiet side (definitely not a Northeastern elite jerk) and has some hidden nerdiness to him (more in the science/math direction). He probably feels more comfortable in terms of "fit" with colby (greater number of kids like him), but we think kenyon might provide a better stretch/challenge in the long run. My impression actually is that colby is trying to become a little like kenyon and kenyon is trying to move a little bit towards colby, and maybe both are hoping to become wesleyan.</p>
<p>At any rate, does anyone have any impressions about whether kenyon might be too quirky for a fairly mainstream kid? For the few that transfer, is "fit" the reason, or is it more the isolation or other reasons? Have you heard about any kids not finding that they fit in, or do almost all find a niche?</p>
<p>BTW, we live in the Northeast, and S also was accepted at Trinity, Conn College, and Union, among others.</p>
<p>As a mom who went to Kenyon, with a daughter who is currently at Colby, I can tell you that your son’s in a happy place! Either school is terrific, with intelligent, engaged kids and a great faculty. Kenyon leans a little further into the artsy, with the emphasis on writing and a great theater program, and Colby maybe a little more into the mainstream, with strong Environmental Science and Government programs, but neither one is going to be especially quirky (and neither one is anywhere near as quirky as Wesleyan!). Both are ridiculously gorgeous and in isolated locations. I’d say he should decide if he wants to stay in the Northeast and proximity to the coast/Boston/NY and family, or if he’d like to try the cornfields of central Ohio! Check out the courses offered and see who has more of what he wants. But Middle Path or Mayflower Hill–they’re both spectacular choices! Congratulations!</p>
<p>have you visited Kenyon? The main difference I see is… How country and rural Kenyon is… I understand Colby is pretty rural also. Visited both with son a year ago. We also are NE and Kenyon is truly a hike. There is no easy way to get their, at all. son was a recruited athlete and once he went out for a visit during the season, he decided that the school was very isolated, the kids basically hung out in small groups and moved from dorm room to dorm room. Also, the trip was a series of connections and the return trip included a delay. I think that made him realize that the commute wouldnt allow for any small long weekend trips if he wanted. Colby definately had a more homogenous group of kids, Kenyon is definately more literary… most things center around writing activiities. I wondered if that would work against my son since he is more verbal that written, and writing was not at all his strong suit. Also, to be considered is options after graduation, at least on the East Coast, I think Colby, being a NEsCac school is more widely known. However, in literary circles, Kenyon is the choice hands down. PM me for more thoughts and if you have any specific thoughts to share let me know.</p>
<p>cadence and jerseygirl… you both hit some key points.</p>
<p>Yes, my son visited kenyon and thought it was most beautiful campus of all he’s seen. (I actually think union has a very underrated and underappreciated campus, but of course most of the campuses are gorgeous). He felt a lot of kids were different than him. My spouse and I liked that about kenyon and took that as a plus. Our sense is that the adjustment at kenyon (vs colby) might be a few weeks longer but worth it in the long run. One parent during his visit commented that “this is a humanities school.” I personally think the poet thing is overhyped and that kenyon is pushing the sciences. I also, perhaps wrongly, trust the admissions folks at both of these schools. I think they think he is a fit at both. The distance is a biggie, and an initial hurdle, but again my sense is that he would get over that quickly. We’re also concerned about the New England elite prep school quotient at colby. I know kenyon has its share especially from the mid-atlantic, but kenyon did not seem as homogeneous, although there is not a great deal of color at either. I guess my question about kenyon was… are there any kids who actually find themselves unhappy there because of the “fit” issue? Are there kids who find it “too weird”?</p>
<p>Not sure if this is correct or not, but also my sense that colby has greater reputation regionally and especially in New England while kenyon probably has the edge nationally. They seem to be very much on the same plane, and I have referred to kenyon as “colby of the midwest.”</p>
<p>I get the sense that you are not comfortable with a school in the northeast and see it as elitist and snobby. How does your child feel? As someone born and raised in the northeast I’m a little uncomfortable with your judgment and generalization but when it comes down to it I guess the student has to go where they feel the most comfortable.</p>
<p>Tintern, I can see that you’re from the MD (just outside of DC area) and that you or your kid applied or was thinking about both of these schools (among many other outstanding schools). I’ve lived further “Northeast” than you for more almost 20 years. Yes, I think there is a difference between Northeast, especially New England, and the Midwest. Although we clearly are not anti-New England as 8 out of his 12 schools applied to are in NE. And I also think there’s something to be be said for a kid who has grown up in one of those environments to try the other.</p>
<p>That said, my kid had a fantastic list of schools and was accepted to all but one of them. The fact that it came down to Colby as one of the final suggests that our kid and us thought extremely highly of Colby. I think it is superb and would have been happy for my kid to go there. When you get down to the last 2-3 choices you are making or trying to make very fine distinctions. There are pluses and minuses on both sides and you just hope your kid makes the decision that is best for him. We won’t ever know that in reality because most kids end up very happy wherever they go.</p>
<p>Actually I grew up in New England, went to a LAC in Massachusetts, and my family still lives there. I actually don’t think New England is any snobbier than where I live now. I actually think that where I live now is snobbier. Or it’s snobbier about different things.</p>
<p>I do very much agree that a change in environment can be very healthy though. Best to your child in making his decision.</p>
<p>I looked at both Kenyon and Colby, and I’m from Maine.</p>
<p>Colby is more rural than Kenyon from a proximity to the world perspective. Kenyon is more rural from a surroundings perspective. Does that make any sense at all? Kenyon is surrounded by farms. By comparison, there are hardly any farms in Maine. However, Colby is 3+ hours from Boston and Kenyon is within an hour of Columbus. Kenyon has a nicer campus, warmer weather, and a stronger English program, but Maine is generally a nicer place to live, and I would imagine its easier to get a job as a Colby graduate. Both are great choices. If one offered more FA, I would go there.</p>
<p>I agree with everything you said except about a Colby degree being better in the job market. I think it depends on which job market. In Boston, Colby probably has the advantage. In Chicago and other large midwestern cities, a Kenyon degree might be better. Nationally, the schools are about the same. I guess it depends on where you want to live or think you want to live? Not everyone wants to spend their life in the northeast. I’m a northeast native, went to undergrad in NYC and grad school in the midwest. Each region has its own special brand of provincialism and homogeneity, in spots. To me it’s a coin flip, so picking the one with the best FA is as good a method of chosing between these two as any other. :)</p>