In the end, SAT averages, rankings, all of that stuff doesn’t matter, what does matter is if someone feels like they’ll thrive on a campus. If the OP wants small classes, the liberal arts environment, and professors who are “teaching focused” then they should go to Kenyon. OP mentioned they’re from a big city, so they should make sure they know what Gambier is like. I know others have mentioned that the city is easy to get to and there is a shuttle, but it’s no urban campus and it’s not even Ann Arbor. Personally, I’m biased towards bigger schools because it’s more reflective of the “real world” but then again I’m a public school kid so I might just be jaded.
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After reviewing OP’s prior posts on CC, it is appears that Kenyon College is the only LAC to which OP applied.
McGill, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, & Oregon are all much larger than the small enrollment of less than 1,700 students at rural Kenyon College.
OP: Why did you apply to Kenyon College ?
P.S. OP, if you are intrigued by the idea of attending a small LAC, then consider attending Kenyon College for your freshman year & deciding whether or not you want to return. Transferring is an option after one’s freshman year.
Although I am not a fan of small, rural LACS, I do acknowledge that one’s first year is a much smoother experience at an LAC than at the typical large, national university. Easier at an LAC to get to know a small campus & easier to handle administration matters, for example.(Many national universities offer honors colleges in an attempt to give university students an LAC like experience for the first year.)
In this thread, not enough credit has been given to the collective intellectual & creative energy at Michigan & McGill which is far superior to that of most colleges & universities in North America.
Also, there’s some pretty big-time sports type schools on that list. And the OP doesn’t care about sports.
Thats not very nice. Too bad.
I lean (not strongly) against tests and rarely debate the subject, but if you want to know whether there is a difference between the top 5% and top 1-2%…
I’d recommend Michigan. Ann Arbor has grown into more than a college town. It’s a nice little city at this point. U Mich will get you respect and contacts anywhere you wind up, in any field you go into. And whatever you decide to major in, U Mich is likely to have a strong department for it.
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Hi - I actually applied to ~14 schools that ranged in size and location including Tulane, Tufts, Emory, Case Western, and Northeastern which are all medium-sized private schools. I was admitted to all of them except Emory (waitlist) and Tufts but decided they weren’t the right fit. Northeastern has been my fourth choice but I nixed it due to its price and environment.
I initially applied to Kenyon because a friend recommended it and I wanted to have a smaller school as an option. As the months have passed since I applied I’ve realized that it might be nice to have a small, more personalized environment… I have always thought of myself as a city kid but I’m now realizing the benefits a smaller school could have.
General note: I’m honestly leaning towards McGill right now but I am going to visit the other two schools and see.
Also – I really really appreciate the input everyone has given me. Each school seems to have its pros and cons and I know none of them are bad options. What people have been saying and what I agree with is that I need to find the right fit for me so hopefully, by visiting and watching videos I will be able to do that.
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@plw217 Would love to hear your thoughts after you visit, as well as why you are currently leaning towards McGill. Kenyon and McGill are also two of the schools my son has been accepted to (among others).
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I think you have it right.
Some people here have trouble being objective. They love what they chose for their student or the type of school they prefer - liberal arts college, for example.
And if you change your mind, no issue either. Three winners.
Good luck!
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OP: Did you receive a merit scholarship award to Kenyon College ?
I ask because if Kenyon College is a low cost option & you are curious about an LAC experience, then considering your first year as a test run could make financial sense.
Also, McGill University classes can be as large as 1,000 students according to the Fiske Guide To Colleges 2020 edition:
“Some introductory courses enroll up to 1,000 students [at McGill University].”
(Of course, I realize the ambiguity of the above statement as those students could be divided up into multiple sections.)
P.S. FWIW My preference would be Michigan as I and all of my family have attended private prep schools prior to attending college so the LAC experience was no longer appealing to any of us. But, we are not you. If you have not experienced a small, intimate school environment, then an LAC can be very interesting–especially during one’s first year. After the first year at a small, rural LAC, one can feel smothered and experience a bit of claustrophobia somewhat akin to living in a small, rural town versus a city.
Small LACs can be a great experience for athletes who play/participate in more than one sport at the collegiate level. Lots of travel to other schools & lots of time commitments.
Hi,
I grew in NYC so it’s a little hard for me to imagine not living in a city for the next four years. I have also spoken to two McGill professors (econ and history) who were both extremely knowledgeable and personable and seemed like they created a good environment for their students. I also love the international experience: being able to meet students from across the globe and make those connections. I also visited Montreal a few years ago and loved the city. Additionally, everyone I have spoken to about McGill has loved their experience there.
My hesitations lie in the lack of guidance, huge classes, and risk of getting “lost” in the student body. Also not being able to work in the city of Montreal (due to not speaking French) is something I have to consider. (Although I would be able to work on campus.)
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I received $15,000 a year from Kenyon (merit) which makes the school around $15,000 more per year than McGill. (Michigan is the most $22,000 more than McGill.)
Also yes one of my concerns about McGill is definitely the large class sizes but I think that’s mostly in the first year and as soon as you get into your major that number decreases a lot. I also have heard the professors like speaking to their students and I’m the kind of person who’s not scared to go to office hours and have conversations.
I go to a large public school now but my elementary school (not really sure if that counts) was extremely small. My goal is not to plan to transfer before I even arrive at the school so if I end up choosing Kenyon I would like to stay for the 4 years. Hopefully being in Gambier for a few days will help me feel that out.
Agree that one should not “plan to transfer after one year”; I just noted it as a viable option if the COA for Kenyon College was reasonable.
Are you a resident of Michigan ? If so, wouldn’t the COA be the lowest among your 3 final options ?
Is cost a significant factor in your decision ?
What is the COA for each school (Michigan, Kenyon College, & McGill) ?
I received close to know money from Michigan so it goes McGill, Kenyon, Michigan from least to most expensive. The money isn’t a huge factor in my decision though.
OP, you sound like a very thoughtful and articulate person who will do well no matter which school you end up choosing. Visiting (and talking to current students!) is a great idea. Best of luck in your search.
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Thanks so much for the thoughtful reply!
I have spent a lot of time on McGill’s website, and at least their website seems extremely well-organized and informative. If you have already taken the initiative to reach out to McGill professors, I am certain that you will be able to manage the lack of guidance. From what I have heard, there is plenty of guidance – but they won’t reach out to the student. Instead, the student has to take the initiative.
I think you will do well wherever you choose! I’d love to hear more as you learn more.
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It would depend on the major. The popular ones will still have many big classes but more niche ones obviously wouldn’t.
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OP is OOS for UMich, which is most expensive.
Right you are!
Lots of polite snappiness going on here, especially between Michigan and McGill.
Michigan spends like $1.5 billion annually (ish?), second only to I think Johns Hopkins, in research. The University of Wisconsin is third.
As such a big spender, Michigan has a huge global reputation. They’re always top-25 in global rankings like ARWU and Times. So by global rep, Michigan > McGill.
Kenyon isn’t in that discussion because they don’t spend much money on research. Michigan and McGill have their differences here, but they are the apple to Kenyon’s orange.
I do think that generally it comes down to priorities:
Academic: Greater curricular options vs. smaller classes
Setting: Rural vs. suburban vs. urban
Culture: Rah rah vs. impersonal vs. small and closely knit.
A good point was raised here by Linda I believe: US colleges tend to be more than just impersonal classrooms – they provide career services/networking, academic services, and other amenities that schools in most of the rest of the world don’t. We in the US pay a lot, and you know the old axiom: you get what you paid for.
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I was talking about the cities/towns they are in – cost of living. I apologize if my sentiments weren’t clear.