<p>I need some input regarding the pros/cons of each these schools in comparison to each other. I have my own ideas, but would like to hear from other people. Have read the brochures and websites. Visit to both this coming weekend. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for responding to this. Please indicate how/where you formed your opinions, etc. For example, it would be good for me to know that you attended Kenyon, but have heard about Oberlin from friends, rumor, etc.</p>
<p>Kenyon is well known for its writing curriculum. I believe they are also strong in their sciences. Oberlin is somewhat strong across the board. I have a person working for me who graduated from Kenyon and my sister in law graduated from Oberlin. My Kenyon grad is a very strong analytical thinker.</p>
<p>I'm a Kenyon student, but I have friends who go to Oberlin and I compete against their teams in sports. The biggest difference is probably the campus feel. Oberlin is pretty well integrated into a mid size town whereas Kenyon really is the town. I don't know how to explain the difference, but if you visit both colleges you'll get the idea. </p>
<p>I guess when people think Oberlin they think of crazy liberal hippies who are smoking something. It's not as though Kenyon is in any way shape or form conservative, but for example when Obama won the election at Kenyon people just went crazy with their car horns and such, at Oberlin roughly 20 gay couples decided to have an Orgy in the middle of the town square to celebrate (no BS). So, in many ways Oberlin is more hands on liberal. </p>
<p>Kenyon is best known for its English majors. </p>
<p>Oberlin has a much larger endowment.</p>
<p>Oberlin is slightly more selective based on average SAT.</p>
<p>Oberlin students will tell you that Kenyon students as pretentious rich ducks who aren't as smart. There's probably some truth to this.</p>
<p>Dsc, I just visited both this past weekend, and it only made the prospect of choosing between the two more difficult (who knows, we'll see if I even get into either one). I think you'll see that they're VERY different--I think I liked both equally for different reasons.</p>
<p>I'm a Kenyon student. I'm biased, I know it, but this is a fact:
OBERLIN IS WEIRD.</p>
<p>I've been there a number of times for sports and stuff, they're weird just for the sake of being weird, they'd probably even tell you that themselves. Visiting is good advice, you can tell just by being there.</p>
<p>In response to Foolsgold’s characterization of election night at Oberlin, I suggest you search youtube (“Oberlin election night”) and click on a few of the videos. My daughter said it was a blast. They had an impromptu dixieland band leading a procession to Tappan Square, where it seemed the entire campus gathered to celebrate. They even had fireworks. She said it was an experience she will remember for the rest of her life.</p>
<p>Foolsgold’s and flippinout’s characterizations of Oberlin students are just ridiculous. Gay orgies? “Weird just for the sake of being weird”? Where do you people get this stuff?</p>
<p>For a more accurate picture of what Oberlin students are like, see [Oberlin</a> Blogs](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/) .</p>
<p>My D picked Oberlin. Bigger school, higher ranked -although the difference is not great, three or four dining halls, dining and residential co-op system alternative, much bigger library/volumes, world class music conservatory, awesome little town that is part of the college not the other way around, one of the few LACs that allows fresman to have cars on campus. As a parent from out of state, Oberlin just flat out rocks.</p>
<p>I give Kenyon props over Oberlin for one thing: E.L. Doctorow </p>
<p>Bottom line: Both are outstanding colleges.</p>
<p>Where do we get what stuff? I like Oberlin. The town is nice and the set up is certainly different from Kenyon. I never applied or thought about going, but in retrospect, it would have been an interesting choice to have to choose between Kenyon and Oberlin. Yes Oberlin students are “weird.” Though, I understand that’s not the most helpful categorization, especially considering Kenyon students are probably one of the few groups in the country who give Oberlin students a run for their money in that department. Anyway, what I posted previously is factual. Oberlin students are about as far left in the social and political spectrum as one can go, but for some people being in an atmosphere that stresses complete acceptance without regard for social norms can be a good thing. I’m sure election night was fun at the vast majority of college campuses in the country, assuming one wasn’t dismayed by Obama’s victory (I wasn’t). Anyway, yes bottom line is both are great schools. I will stick with what I said earlier. The differences are as follow:</p>
<p>Oberlin students are more liberal than Kenyon students (meaning they’re communists not socialists)</p>
<p>Kenyon has better known English and theater departments. Oberlin has better music and art departments. In terms of the sciences, they’re about equal.</p>
<p>Kenyon has a much better athletic center.</p>
<p>There is a substantial difference in the way the college and town fit together. Oberlin is the center of Oberlin, Kenyon encompasses Gambier. Gambier is smaller.</p>
<p>Oberlin has a larger endowment, which might mean they are more affected by the financial collapse as they likely depend more upon it for their operating budget. </p>
<p>Plainsman brings up an interesting addition I hadn’t considered. Kenyon has only 1 college dining hall, you can get food at other places, but as of this fall, there’s only 1 real dining hall. This makes Peirce the center of student life.
[Campus</a> Tour - Kenyon College](<a href=“http://www1.kenyon.edu/tour/peirce.phtml]Campus”>http://www1.kenyon.edu/tour/peirce.phtml)</p>
<p>^
Don’t be put off by the single dining hall at Kenyon. Swarthmore also has only one. But I like the fact that an LAC has multiple traditional dining halls PLUS the co-op dining system. That’s awesome.</p>
<p>But there were no gay orgies in the square on Election Night. I know a kid who goes there now and she said no such thing happened. Gay couples embracing out of sheer joy over Obama’s victory does not make an orgy.</p>
<p>No it doesn’t. That’s not what happened, but it really isn’t that big a deal.</p>
<p>I was on Tappan Square in Oberlin on Election Night and it was the best experience of my life and I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else</p>
<p>oh my god, lgellar. hi, and how is your summer?? this is nora, btw. i completely agree with what you said about Oberlin on Election night. the only place i can imagine having as incredible a night at is D.C. and for the record, it was not 20 gay couples having sex. the entire campus spontaneously converged on the bandstand in Tappan, and kids brought their instruments and everyone danced and climbed up into the rafters and yes, some people got naked, and there were fireworks and i can’t imagine anything better and more exhilarating.<br>
you can find “normal” people at oberlin. and you can also find kids who are weird just to be weird. it’s big enough that you can hang out with whoever you want to. and i can’t think of any other school where a bunch of kids could get together on november fourth and play such quality improv while people thronged around them.</p>