Please remember to leave a few minutes at the end of your interview for a student to ask their questions about Kenyon. Below we have prepared a list of some questions which you might encounter plus their responses. If you don’t know the answer to a question or feel uncomfortable answering it, please direct the student to the Kenyon Admissions Office. If you are unsure of an answer, it’s better to direct the question to admissions than provide inaccurate information.
There are over 150 student groups and organizations on campus. On any given night there are cultural events, outside speakers, theatrical productions, athletic events, band or a cappella performances, and film screenings. The majority of events that happen on campus are student driven, and there is a vibrant social scene on campus. If students want to go off campus, there is a free shuttle bus that takes students into Mount Vernon (about a 10 minute drive, but it is also accessible by bike) where they can go out to eat, go shopping or see a movie. We also have a rental car available on campus for students, and there is the GoBus, which goes to Columbus from Gambier. At the beginning and end of each academic term, there is a shuttle bus which takes students to/from the Columbus airport.
No, there is no core curriculum at Kenyon. Instead, students complete diversification requirements. All students must take one unit of study in each of the four academic divisions: humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and fin arts. One unit is equal to two courses (.5 credits each), and within the one unit students must take the same type of course. Two art history courses or two music courses would fulfill the fine arts requirement, but one art history and one music course would not meet the requirement since the courses are in different departments.
Many students will ask this without giving you an indication of how they feel about fraternities and sororities, so you might ask whether they are interested in joining a Greek association, then adjust the "tone" of your answer to their interest. Approximately 30 percent of the campus is actively involved in Greek life. The fraternities live in half of their traditional divisions in dorms on the south end of campus, and sororities also live in division housing on the south end. Many parties are open, and Greek life does not dictate social life on campus.
In addition to wanting the numbers, this question really implies, "is a Kenyon education worth the money?" For 2019-2020, budgeted costs which include tuition, room, board, fees, travel and personal expenses are approximately $71,150. Is Kenyon worth this kind of money? YES! A liberal arts education at a private college with the quality of life we provide is an important foundation for an intelligent student. Please be ready to answer this question, using personal examples from your experiences as to why you think a Kenyon education is "worth it."
As a Division III school, Kenyon does not provide athletic scholarships. In addition to need-based aid, we also offer merit-based academic scholarships to qualified students. Students will automatically be considered for full-tuition (merit) scholarships. Qualified students will be considered for the Distinguished Academic Scholarship, National Merit Scholarship, Honor/Science or Trustee Opportunity (underrepresented students, including first generation college students) Scholarships. With the exception of the Art, Music and Writing Scholarships, there is no special application for the merit-based scholarships, nor any set requirements, but they are very competitive. For those interested in our talent scholarship in art, music or writing, students must submit their completed application, an online scholarship application form and portfolio.
Kenyon meets full need-based financial aid for qualified students. All interested students should pick up forms from their high school guidance office or through links on the Kenyon webpage. We require two forms: the free federal form (FAFSA) and the CSS profile form. The profile form has a fee and asks questions about home equity. We recommend that these forms be filed at the same time a student submits their application. Our packages include Kenyon grant money, loans, and a work-study job. If families have specific questions, they should contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@kenyon.edu.
Kenyon offers two Early Decision plans: a student may apply by November 15 with decisions being mailed from our office mid-December, or a student may apply by January 15 with decisions being mailed in early February. Early Decision is a wonderful option if a specific college is a student's first choice. However, our Early Decision is binding — a student signs a form saying that they will attend Kenyon if accepted — so a student should make sure Kenyon is really their first choice.
This question really addresses a number of issues about diversity. In terms of geographic, political, academic and extracurricular diversity, we think Kenyon is very diverse. Many different types of students come to Kenyon, and they all seem to adapt well to the community. In terms of racial diversity, 19 percent of students identify as domestic students of color, and 14 percent of students are international students. We have a number of programs for multicultural students to visit Kenyon and find out about our community. If you or others have further questions, please call our office.
Most people are tempted to answer "English" right away. However, the issue of whether a department is "strong" or "weak" is a subjective one. You can answer this question by telling the students which departments have the most majors (economics, English, international studies, political science, psychology and biology), but emphasize that this does not make the small departments less valuable. You should talk about departments which have grown considerably in recent years, especially new majors in environmental studies.
Applications to Kenyon are reviewed holistically. We consider all aspects of a student’s application — transcript, recommendation letters, essay, test scores, etc. — when evaluating.