Founded in 1824, Kenyon College. is a Private college. Located in Ohio, which is a city setting in Ohio, the campus itself is Town. The campus is home to 1,708 full time undergraduate students, and 0 full time graduate students.
The Kenyon College Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 9:1. There are 199 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Kenyon College include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
26%
Application Deadline
15-Nov
Application Fee
0
SAT Range
1230-1440
ACT Range
29-33
Admissions at are considered More Selective, with ,22% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
98% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 86% were in the top quarter, and 52% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Kenyon College.
6%
“We”re apathetic”
23%
“We know about current events and vote”
59%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
11%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
4%
“Sometimes, but not often”
45%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
47%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
13%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
16%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
81%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
10%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
27%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
4%
“Available in class”
30%
“They keep regular office hours”
65%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
48%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
45%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
4%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
0%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
63%
“We only party on weekends”
37%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
4%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
39%
“There might be people who do”
52%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
5%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
6%
“We”re apathetic”
23%
“We know about current events and vote”
59%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
11%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
4%
“Sometimes, but not often”
45%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
47%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
13%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
16%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
81%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
10%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
27%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
4%
“Available in class”
30%
“They keep regular office hours”
65%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
48%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
45%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
4%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
49 Students rated on-campus housing 3.4 stars. 2 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
40 Students rated off-campus housing 1.8 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
49 Students rated campus food 2.9 stars. 8 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
49 Students rated campus facilities 4.2 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
49 Students rated class size 4.7 stars. 80 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
49 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
49 Students rated local services 3.3 stars. 16 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
49 Students rated academics 4.3 stars. 59 % gave the school a 5.0.
Kenyon College REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Kenyon College?
12 Students rated Kenyon College
Martin
Unless you want to go to a Covid-19 POW camp, I would avoid this college like the plague. They put kids into 2 week quarantines who don't have Covid. They encourage students to rat each other out. They scare the hell out of everyone letting them think we live in a world where the Covid boogey man is around every corner. The only thing they haven't done yet is issue a covid version of the Scarlet Letter signifying how nuts the place really is.
Hnnah
Incredible. If you are looking for a life-changing educational experience, Kenyon is it. The small classes sizes mean your education is more personalized and tailored to your skills and interests. The professors really get to know you, and you develop meaningful and lasting relationships with them, not just while you're a student in their class. You get invited to professor's houses for dinners and sometimes class, and you get life advice and hilarious anecdotes about their fascinating lives. The students can be competitive academically, because it's a very rigorous curriculum, but most students are dedicated to their own education and supportive of others. There isn't anything Kenyon can't offer, if you just ask.
Tara
When I visited, I was extremely impressed. I’m a prospective student and I’ve never felt more at home when I’m away from home. The students were so polite (opening doors for the tour and things) and they seemed very happy. The sports facilities were the best I’ve seen so far and the coach was very humorous. It seemed easy to get around and to find your niche.
Michelle
As with any college, Kenyon has a wide variety of students with many different personalities and interests. That being said, most Kenyon students are fairly liberal, ranging from (on the extreme end) students who are extremely active in politics and protests, to (on the less extreme end) students who want nothing to do with politics but who are respectful of LGBT+ students, racial minorities, etc. It is a beautiful campus, but sometimes Middle Path (the main path that runs through the campus and connects all of the buildings) can get muddy or icy in bad weather. Most of the students that I interact with are very intelligent, thoughtful, and creative, and we regularly engage in academic conversations outside of class. Many students come from fairly wealthy families, but there are a number of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds as well, and there are many resources in place to support these students. Overall, my only complaint about Kenyon is that it is slightly isolated; Gambier, OH only has one market, one coffee store, one sandwich shop, two restaurants, a post office, a tiny bank, and almost nothing else other than the academic and residential buildings themselves. While there is a shuttle service to the nearby town (which has more normal restaurants, stores, etc), it is a little inconvenient, and I wish Kenyon were located less in the middle of nowhere. (That being said, I love it here.)
Autumn
I enjoy going to Kenyon a lot! I think they market it a little bit idealistically though, and I wouldn't say that it's quite the artistic indie-kid haven that people make it seem. That being said, there's generally always a friendly face to be found, and I have never felt completely alone here.
It's worth noting that a lot of the kids here are fairly affluent, and that sort of devil-may-care attitude sort of pervades the party/drug scene. People can afford to waste time and money so they do. Again, it's not repulsive, and some may find it appealing, but as someone who doesn't partake in the party scene it's sometimes a bit discouraging.
Kenyon is a SCAM. The "college" is not an institution of learning, it is a radical socialist re-education camp. Dissenters are severely punished, while hateful ideologues are elevated. Kenyon sanctimoniously claims to be "progressive" and "liberal" while being the exact opposite. Instead, it is regressive and authoritarian. Kenyon has a terrible ROI - students leave with no skills that will lead to career success. It was recently ranked 983rd as the best-value college by PayScale, which tracks the average ROI of an education. If you love your child, do not put them in harms way to be a target of bigotry. The post-modern, hateful ideologies that Kenyon indoctrinates their "students" with will only cripple them in the real world. On the other-hand, if you want your child to be a radical social activist that will continue to leech off others and live in your basement, then this is definitely the college for them. Attending Kenyon is the equivalent of burning 300k cash in your fireplace.
Taaj-Udeen
Kenyon has been great to me even though it took a freshman year of adjusting. Coming from the Washington D.C. area, Gambier OH was a big culture shock. The downsides of Kenyon are definitely its small size and beyond remote location. It is truly in the middle of nowhere. Conversely, Kenyon's size and location can be a blessings since it pushes you to find a solid group of friends and also pushes you to try things that you might not have elsewhere. Students at Kenyon wear several hats. They have the ability to be athletes, greeks and leaders of student organizations all at once. The academics are great, but the intimate connections made at Kenyon usually open more doors than most schools.
Qiyam
Overall great place to be and learn. I can fully absorb the knowledge I am supposed to learn. Faculty and staff are avid supporters of their students, and do everything in their power to see us succeed, no matter how "difficult" the material. Students here strive for the best, but not without having fun. A very balanced space with very talented individuals at Kenyon. I am proud to call myself a Kenyon Lord.
Johanna
Admittedly, I was really nervous when I first arrived at Kenyon. I was far from home and I didn't know anyone there, but everyone made me feel extremely welcome during the first week. The upperclassmen were very helpful when giving advice about courses and professors and I connected easily with the other students in my dorm very well. When classes began, I was blown away by the passion of my professors and I felt like I was completely engaged in what I was learning. The coursework is difficult and the teachers expect a lot from you, but I feel like everything is worth it. Concerning extracurriculars and social events, it's pretty quiet during the week, but everything becomes more lively during the weekend and people are always doing something fun. I really like Kenyon and I don't think I would trade the experiences I've had for anything.
Kylie
I just finished my freshman year at Kenyon and I absolutely love it. Going in, I was nervous about the small size and the location in rural Ohio; however, I've discovered that both of these aspects of Kenyon actually contribute to what makes it such a great place. The students, though small in number, are as a group generally very kind and intelligent. Therefore, the campus is very close knit and there is a great sense of community. This sense of community is also bolstered by Kenyon's location in the middle of nowhere. Gambier is a hamlet with five businesses and no off campus housing for students, but students can find almost anything they need in the market or excellent bookstore and the lack of off-campus housing options gives the students a more common experience. And, if a student yearns for crowds and more shopping opportunities, the bustling metropolis of Mount Vernon, Ohio, is about ten minutes away by car and accessible by campus shuttle.
Andrea
Kenyon College is a wonderful college academically. Classes are small. I had a class with six people in it my first semester and my third semester had four. Professors are always there. They may not be as helpful as you wish, but they are there. It is small and rural, that comes with its ups and downs.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Kenyon College is 26%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What is your overall opinion of this school?
It's nice to not be at a huge school but I definitely could do without seeing every single person I know when I go to breakfast in sweats and no make up on on Sunday morning.
If people have heard of it, they're impressed. Otherwise they think you're in Africa.
The worst things are the isolation, drinking culture, and weird social vibes.
Best are the professors.
What is the stereotype of students at your school?
Outside of our circle of elite/semi-elite liberal arts colleges, I don't think there is any. Nobody's heard of us. Inside it, we like to characterize ourselves as quirky friendly community-oriented intellectuals.
Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
Yes, mostly. It's hard to define Kenyon students. Most of us are too apathetic to really get involved in politics or student environmental groups or the like, so we're not like Oberlin students. Our main form of activism is through allstu emails. Now that it's become a better-known school, the students have to be pretty smart to get in, but some have an edge in admissions because they're "legacies." There's a lot of drinking, but we work really hard, too. Most of us are individuals. We get along pretty well as a student body, despite our differences.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
Shout out to the swim team! The lords swim team is pretty famous for winning 34 NCAA championships and having the longest winning streak in NCAA history. A lot of students are on sports teams, though, and all the teams seem to be close-knit. There are a variety of frats and sororities that are also very close. The sports teams and greek life organizations throw great parties, often held in the Old Kenyon basement, that the whole school is invited to and encouraged to attend, and no one cares whether you're drinking or not drinking, which is great. Our a cappella scene is absolutely stunning, and there are a variety of other musical groups you can participate in, too. There are lots of clubs and committees, so whatever you're in to, I'm sure you can find a club/sport/committee/organization to be part of at Kenyon.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
I would tell the high school version of myself to stop wasting time trying to be cool by hiding your intelligence. The pursuit of knowledge and the curiosity that results in learning new things are beautiful instincts that should not be suppressed. In high school I had an irrational fear of being branded with the dreaded label of “nerd”. In college and beyond I now am liberated by the freedom to express my inner nerd and let it flourish. I want to look my high school self in the eye and let him know what he is missing. I want to let him know how it is exponentially more exhilarating to discuss the impact Edouard Manet had on the Impressionism movement than it is to argue over the impact Adam Sandler had on comedy movies. As a teenager it is easy to allow peer pressure and the fear of embarrassment squelch intellectual curiosity. As an adult you begin to realize that fear, especially the fear of embarrassment, only prevents you from experiencing what is truly enjoyable.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Everyone knows everyone. That can be good and it can be bad; it's certainly very intense--but we're a school that's very into community, into our collective history, into keeping Kenyon "Kenyon" and being active within the community as well as in the outside world. There's a hell of a lot of activism, political and otherwise, and it's an enormous inspiration. There are negative things about any environment, and believe me, Kenyon drives me bat-shit insane sometimes...but one thing you can't say about this school is that we don't care.
Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
Cold and isolated in the winter and only decent in social life, but incredibly satisfying and inspiring in terms of intellectual growth and achievement.
The professors are the best thing about Kenyon; they are caring, knowledgable, and genuinly interested in your passions and growth as both a person and an individual.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
When it comes to tolerance, Kenyon is all talk. Theoretically, it's cool to discuss different ways of thinking--as long as you can back it up with the name of a prestigious philosopher. You can even make some intellectually outgoing statements--as long as popular opinion supports you. But when it counts, students don't want to view other ideas or lifestyles with anything resembling open-mindedness. There's a tendency to over-intellectualize in compensation for the inability to understand differences without judging. If you do something truly controversial, prepare to be the character-assassination of the week.
Where is the best place to get work done on campus?
Last year I always worked in the common room. It was loud but a nice atmosphere with friends nearby. The library is fine too, with lots of study spaces. But the best place to work, in my opinion, is to sit outside on a nice day or to go down to the Kokosing Gap Trail to sit on a bench.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
62% of students attending Kenyon College receive some sort of financial aid.
10% were awarded federal grants.30%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.