Kenyon College (KC)

This tiny midwestern liberal arts mainstay is Ohio's oldest private college, and is filled with "uniquely quirky and motivated" students and faculty alike. The school's "academic vigor" and intense focus on writing (it is known as "The Writers' College") are two of Kenyon's hallmarks, and the curriculum provides "a well-rounded liberal arts education in which emphasis [is] placed on critical thinking and class discussion." "Even though I don't want to be an English major, I think any college that values writing as much as Kenyon does has its priorities straight," says a student of the highly valued workforce skill.

The school "really knows how to offer a huge diversity of programs and activities to a very small campus," and "it is honestly hard to find a professor who is not thrilled by the content that they are teaching." The faculty is a deeply caring bunch who "love learning just as much as the students" and challenge them to succeed, and they make it known that "your voice is valued in class discussion." "I once met with a professor for an hour every day leading up to the final because I was so nervous about it, and he hardly batted an eye at taking that much time out of his day for only one student," says a sophomore.

"Small, individualized class sizes" make it so that classes are "terrifically interesting," and "out of class work is always meaningful." Students don't compete with each other when it comes to grades so "the cooperative learning environment makes it less stressful," and though "you will spend the vast majority of your time studying...it is also extremely rewarding." The "relatively" open curriculum allows students to take courses that they are truly interested in, and "there is a wide variety of options available in terms of classes" for students to develop new passions.

The word most often used to describe Kenyon students in "quirky." There are a variety of types, but "most people have a quirk or five." There are "a lot of hipster students and then a good selection of athletes" at Kenyon, but everyone "tends to be extremely friendly, wellrounded, and smart." Everyone is seriously involved in academics and extracurriculars, and "you're either a jack of all trades here or a master of four." There aren't really many cliques; "someone on the football team could just as easily be in the community choir or quiz bowl club."

People come to this "small campus with a big sense of community" because they know it will be a good fit, and it shows in the satisfaction levels here. "I stepped on campus and noticed two things: everyone was happy and the campus was gorgeous," says one of many happy students. The school is a place for "smart, forward-thinking students who study hard but also understand the necessity of taking breaks and having a good time on weekends." People at Kenyon are taught "to see, discuss, and connect the dots"; "Even though I'm not a philosophy major, I feel just as at home in those conversations as I do when I discuss Mahler or the next big party," says a student.

The "utterly pastoral" campus is "absolutely lovely"; "It's like going to school in a Marlowe poem-and with all of the English majors running around, most people know who Marlowe is," says a student. The town of Gambier is "in the middle of nowhere, so campus can get to be claustrophobic at times," but it provides its fair share of entertainment. "Greeks throw great parties [and] intramurals are popular, as are activist groups for everything from gender awareness to Palestine," and the nearby Kokosing Gap Trail is oft-used. The KAC (Kenyon Athletic Center) is unparalleled for a Division III school, and the "dining hall has an amazing commitment to local food." Partying on Wednesdays and the weekends "is a typical activity to unwind after a challenging week of academics."