<p>I've been planning to apply ED2 to one of these schools, but have recently been having second thoughts. I want to find the school that would be the best fit for me. I'm looking for a school that is not too preppy and I don't like the traditional frat scene which makes me worry about Kenyon. At the same time I want to avoid the overly pretentious "hipster" scene that Vassar and Macalester have been stereotyped with.</p>
<p>I'm sure that none of these schools truly fit those stereotypes, so I'm hoping to get more insight into what each place is really like. If anyone has experience with these places I'd love to hear which school you'd most recommend. </p>
<p>-I'm planning on studying English and Drama
- I love to read and am very "quirky" but not in a hipster sort of way
- One of the most important things to me is a friendly non-judgemental environment
- I want a real campus feel</p>
<p>If you aren’t sure, don’t ED2. Apply RD, and see where you get in. Then attend accepted student visit days – spend 24 hours on campus, it can be very revealing about what is and isn’t a good fit.</p>
<p>You sound like you want the exact same things my S was looking for. Although he also had Mac and Vassar on his list, once he visited Kenyon that was it, Applied ED and was just accepted. He is also a Drama/English guy. He felt the student body was interesting, friendly, happy,fun, bright and quirky, but not in " I’m such a cool hipster" way…no pretense what so ever. He did an overnight and ended up being included in some great conversations in the dining hall, in which everyone was happy to meet him and include him their activities. He was blown away by that, as he is only a Senior in HS. He also felt the theater dept was everything hi was looking for and more… 25 productions a year… unheard of in a school so small. He is absolutely thrilled to start there in August.</p>
<p>I live not at all far from Kenyon and was surprised to hear they had Greek life at all. I see it is about 25% Greek, so certainly a minority. However, there is so little going on in and around Gambier Ohio and Kenyon so small that they may well dominate social life…though they live in dorm wings rather than at their own houses, so it seems not to be “traditional frat life” in any case.</p>
<p>Vassar is definitely a hipster college, but I agree with another poster that Macalester isn’t really that. I went to college in the same league as Kenyon and traveled there for athletic purposes. Kenyon’s campus is beautiful, and I found the students there to be smart and friendly.</p>
<p>If you’re looking at schools in this same range of elitism and you are interested in English, I suggest you take a look at Emory also.</p>