Kenyon College

Statistics

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Rankings & Lists

Students Say - Academics
A Kenyon education provides undergraduates with an "opportunity to learn in a creative and caring atmosphere" and encourages students "to think about things in different, innovative, and sometimes daring ways." The college has "an interesting combination of competitive academics and down-to-earth, relaxed students." One of Kenyon's strengths is "interdisciplinary concentration programs, which allow you to create a meaningful synthesis of knowledge across different fields quite effectively." A math major concurs, adding, "Almost every class has challenged me to think about things from a different perspective and has opened my mind to subjects in all aspects of life." Though the workload is "fairly substantial," it's not so "overwhelming so that you can't do anything [aside from] work." Perhaps most importantly, the professors are "intelligent and stimulating, encourage discussion, and constantly [ask] provoking questions." Moreover, they "really go that extra mile" and often "invite [students] over for dinner, bring snacks to class, plan extracurricular departmental events, and are always willing to help with schoolwork." Simply put, "The professors are what make Kenyon so great." And though some undergrads grumble that the administration is "for the most part anti- Greek," most students give them high marks as well. They are "friendly," "visible on campus," and often "seek the opinions of students when making [administrative] decisions."

Students Say - Campus Life
Since hometown Gambier doesn't provide much "besides corn fields," life at Kenyon really does revolve around the campus. Fortunately, there are always a myriad of events of which to take advantage, from "Kenyon Film Society movie screenings" to "various theater productions, a cappella concerts, and speakers." For those interested in the social scene, "The Greek system facilitates most of the parties on campus, but that doesn't mean that Kenyon has a typical frat culture; you don't ever have to worry about 'getting in' to a party." A psych major agrees, adding, "The social environment is inclusive and fun-most parties have different student bands playing a wide variety of music (from electronic music to Motown) and everyone is invited." Of course, should the typical fare start getting old, Kenyon students are more than happy to find creative ways to have fun. As one pleased junior shares, "We've had midnight sledding parties, swims in the river when it's warm, 'Project Runway' design challenges, movie nights, bike rides through farm country to the local farmers', market [and] fort- building parties." When students do feel the urge to get off campus, they often "go to Wal-Mart," "restaurants in [nearby] Mt. Vernon" or head to Columbus (roughly 45 minutes away) for "some shopping and culture."

Students Say - Student Body
On the surface, it appears as though Kenyon students can be divided into two categories: "a North Face, L.L. Bean-wearing, outdoorsy type, or a hipster in skinny jeans, flannel, and boots." "Of course," a classics major assures us, "there are plenty of others who don't fit distinctly into these groups." Indeed, "We have many 'alpha-males' who play rugby by day and are in musicals by night." All of this is indicative of a campus where "everyone finds a comfortable place to fit in." Or, as one English and Spanish double-major bluntly states, "We all get along-we're in the middle of nowhere so we kinda have to." One common trait these "hard-working, intelligent" students do possess is "a love of learning about new things." As a sophomore expounds, "I love classics and Socrates, and I can discuss with my best friend why I think Athens is better than Rome, and she'll argue back." Yes, many undergrads here are self-professed "nerds" and proud of it. As one student sums up, Kenyon manages to attract "all of the quirky, cool smart kids from your high school."

Other Schools To Consider Top Programs