<p>I know these schools are pretty much total opposites. However, I've been trying to decide if I should apply ED to kenyon or not.. I believe that I would have a good shot at Kenyon if I apply early. But I don't hear back from UIUC until February. What are your opinions on these schools? Which offers more opportunities? Would you recommend applying ED to a school? In general how are UIUC and Kenyon with financial aid? </p>
<p>Nobody should apply ED to any school unless they are sure that it is far and away their favorite, and that they can afford it.</p>
<p>Kenyon claims to meet 100% of financial need, and offers some merit scholarships. I suggest that you run their Net Price Calculator to see if you can afford it.</p>
<p>Personally, I love Kenyon. I did not attend there, but my father did and I visit at least once per year because it is less than an hour from where I live. </p>
<p>Kenyon almost always shows up in any top ten lists of most beautiful campuses in the country. This is mostly because it has a certain natural beauty. It also feels like you are in rural England (or at least New England) rather than Ohio. The adjoining village of Gambier is actually just an extension of campus.</p>
<p>The students at Kenyon are smart, but rarely try to prove it. They tend to be unpretentious and friendly.</p>
<p>There is information in the Common Data Set on financial aid awards. That might give you some indication of the aid provided by each school. UIUC in-state tuition is relatively high, and I have heard from a lot of people (in state families) that their aid packages are not very high. As a result, many private schools give enough aid to make the costs comparable. Run the NPC for each. </p>
<p>I can’t speak for merit aid but UIUC was very generous with financial aid, entire tuition paid for met entire amount for financial need other than the parent contribution part which I luckily saved.</p>
<p>Kenyon’s need-based aid is pretty good, but according to its USNWR entry and Common Data Set information, it does not claim to meet 100% of determined financial need. It claimed to meet, on average, about 95% of determined need for freshmen entering in 2014-15. Whether Kenyon’s net price is lower, or UIUC’s net price is lower, depends on your family income and whether you are an Illinois resident. Run the online net price calculators to generate estimates for both schools.</p>
<p>Which offers more opportunities? That depends on your major and what you’re looking for. UIUC offers programs in engineering and a few other fields that Kenyon does not. UIUC’s computer science department is highly regarded. A school like Kenyon on the other hand offers much smaller average class sizes and more consistent focus on undergraduates. Its English department is very respected; it offers a remarkable number of courses for such a small school.</p>