It’s that time of year. The Kenyon Admissions Twitter account is full of smiling students with their Thumbs Up letters. In the spirit of admission, we asked community members to share the story of when they found out they were admitted. Their stories are funny and heartwarming.
Read the Original PostI got off the wait list about two weeks before my high school graduation. The guy who called me said the admissions committee had looked over my application again and told me that, upon further inspection, they were so intrigued by the fact I handled Pembroke Welsh Corgis that they were going to accept me after all. I mean, I was hoping it would be my AP classes or something, but getting into a college because I trained herds of dwarf-dogs makes for an all right story.
–Lauren Bittrich ’16
I got my acceptance letter from Kenyon in the evening in late April. I was in my high school spring musical, and had just gotten out of a seven-hour rehearsal. I was really tired and all I wanted out of life was for my parents to come and pick me up. I left the auditorium with a couple of my friends and saw my parents parked in the lower school lot. My mom was standing in the sun roof waving a big envelope back and forth and that’s when I saw it: a big purple Thumbs Up. I ran over to the car, grabbed my letter, and immediately called my friends who went to Kenyon to let them know that I was on my way.
–Luke Kresslein ’15
I was in chemistry class working on a lab when the assistant principal came to tell my teacher that the school police officer (who is about 6’4 240 pounds) needed me in his office immediately. So naturally, I was pretty confused. As I get to the office, I see the officer–who I am relatively good friends with–and he looks very upset. He begins to ask me why he has been hearing rumors of me knocking over trash cans and recycling bins in the hall, slamming lockers, and littering pretty much everywhere. I was really shocked and confused because I hadn’t done any of these things. When I told him that he replied, “I found this envelope with your name on it on the floor in the hallway.” He then showed me an envelope with a big purple Thumbs Up from Kenyon College. My mom immediately jumps out from behind the door and surprises me. I am beyond relieved by this point. I seriously thought I was in trouble! The best part is that a week prior, I had a dream where this particular officer handed me a rejection letter from Kenyon.
–Daniel Cebul ’17
I will always remember when I got accepted because I got my letter on my 18th birthday – March 22, 2013. My best friend drove me home so we could go to Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor that afternoon. My mom was waiting excitedly for us to arrive after calculus class with the Thumbs Up envelope. It was the best day of my life.
–Jenna Wendler ’17
I remember that the day I got my acceptance letter was the day I got off for Winter Break (I did early decision). My mom and I stopped by our mailbox as we got to our neighborhood and there in the box was the huge envelope with its large purple thumbs-up on it. I’m sure all the houses around us could hear my mom and I screaming. When we got home, my mom whipped out the presents she had been saving for the occasion. I was knighted with Aragorn’s crown on my head and a purple cape on my shoulders, and from that day on I was a Lady of Kenyon.
-Andrea Odegaard ’14
Congratulations on getting admitted, Class of 2018! We can’t wait to have you on the Hill, so that you can share your acceptance stories with us.