Oberlin v. Kenyon

Colleges and Universities A-Z Oberlin College
1

<p>I'm stealing Donnie_Darko's idea...anyone else in this same predicament? I am completely on the fence. I'm thinking...</p>

<p>Oberlin:
+ more prestigious
+larger student body
+larger town
+Other cool things like ExCos</p>

<ul>
<li>Not a huge dating scene for us straight girls (or so I've heard)</li>
<li>I've heard that Oberlin can be "cliquey" and I hate cliquey-ness</li>
<li>This is a major one: I don't know if I'm the "right" type of person for Oberlin</li>
</ul>

<p>Kenyon:
+ Kenyon Review
+ Prettier campus
+ Known for having a really nice student body
+ Practically whole school is focused on English major/Lit.</p>

<ul>
<li>Less prestigious</li>
<li>1600 students (that is like my high school's size!)</li>
<li>No town to speak of</li>
</ul>

<p>Please help!</p>

2

<p>I don't know where you got the sense that Oberlin is clique-y. Personally, I think Oberlin's students are amazingly friendly and open.</p>

<p>And in my opinion, the Kenyon Review is not a reason to attend Kenyon. It used to be a good magazine, but that was 20 years ago--most people who are knowledgeable about the literary scene don't have a very high opinion of it these days. Creative writing is much stronger at Oberlin than at Kenyon.</p>

<p>Obviously, I'd opt for Oberlin, because I think it's a much better school. But you need to figure out which is a better fit for you. Have you visited?</p>

3

<p>Dear AEO2010;</p>

<p>My straight daughter visited Oberlin & Kenyon last year with her dad. She took one look at Kenyon, thought it looked too cookie-cutter, too much like her prep school and didn't look back. Oberlin has an art museum, a REAL art museum (sorry, Bates). My daughter was also intrigued by the creative writing program and by the winter term. Most of all, she is not looking to be coddled. She is looking for an edgier college experience with non-clique-y people. She is really looking forward to being challenged by Oberlin - whether she is ready for it or not! Best of luck to you.</p>

4

<p>I got the cliquey impression from things that I've read that say that the Conservatory and the College stick to their own kind and a girl that I know who goes there used a lot of labels like "the hipsters do this" and "the jocks do that," when I talked to her about Oberlin.
Perhaps I got a bad impression. The people that I've met at Oberlin have all been incredibly kind and welcoming; I might be overanalyzing. I guess I haven't learned anything from being the last person to order at the resturant because I can't decide what I want on the menu!
I have one more question...What are the job opportunities/internships like for a person coming from Oberlin? Does Oberlin do a good job helping it's graduates find jobs?</p>

<p>Thank you both for your replies, it is so nice to get an outside, objective look at my situation.</p>

5

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<p>There's an enormous "Oberlin network" in the magazine and publishing industries. I don't know about other fields, but I suspect it's the same in a lot of the creative professions.</p>