Kenyon College
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Psychology
Minor: Spanish
Student Self Identifies as: Caucasian Heterosexual Female
Summary
I am part of the Psychology Club and I volunteer at the local elementary school.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
High School Experience: An all-girls private school in McLean, VA with a graduating class of about 70 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Psychology
Minor: Spanish
Extracurricular Activities: I am part of the Psychology Club and I volunteer at the local elementary school.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Volunteering at the elementary school has. It’s been really nice to have some exposure to kids. It’s also nice to connect with people in the town.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
It’s mainly writing focused, and that’s for all my classes, not just the classes in my major. It’s a ton of reading and then writing pieces, like essays or reflections. We also have some group presentations.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or especially poorly?
It could be more research-oriented or there could be more opportunities for students outside of the classroom. Other than that, I wouldn’t say there are any major flaws in the department.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s pretty collaborative. Everyone wants to help everyone else. We have a ton of resources on campus. Also, within your personal connections, people want to help each other out. People are only competing with themselves. People aren’t asking you what your grades are and stuff.
What has been your favorite class you’ve taken for your major?
Cognitive Processes. It was with a really good professor and the class was really interesting and interactive.
What has been your least favorite class you’ve taken for your major?
Adult Development. It was with a really weird professor. I thought it would be more about going into adulthood, but it was more about old people in retirement homes.
How accessible are your professors?
99% of them are available in office hours no matter what. Even if you are busy and can’t make them, you could always schedule an appointment. They’d usually be on campus after hours and they live nearby, so they’re very accessible.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
It’s always been something that I’ve been interested in. I love hearing about the experiments and how the brain works and how it affects your overall personality. I don’t regret my choice.
Reasons to Attend
1) People are really, really nice. Because of the community, you get to know people really well and, because of the [remote location], they’re there for Kenyon and nothing else.
2) We have really great relationships with our professors. You get to know them and get to see them all the time. Most of them live right near campus so you get to walk their dog or babysit their kids and stuff like that. You are able to connect with them on a personal level.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you fall into the financial aid category or are someone who doesn’t have high socioeconomic status, Kenyon is pretty accommodating with that stuff and people don’t really care how much money you have as an individual. But, I know people who are in that bracket at Kenyon struggle with the rich kid mentality and people being unaware of other people’s situations. It’s not a mean thing, but people are unaware of their privilege. [The median family income of a student at Kenyon is $213,500 and 755 of students come from the top 20%. Kenyon provides need-based financial assistance to about 43% of students.]
2) If you’re a person of color and want a strong community of people who are from the same culture as you, Kenyon has good resources but it does have those communities, it’s just not as common. Some people on campus would like to have some more people like them.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Norton Hall, which was an all-girls dorm. It changes year to year, but that year it had more of a personality of a quiet dorm. I had one roommate.
Sophomore: Caples Hall, which a larger dorm and is co-ed. I had one roommate.
Junior: I don’t know where I’ll be yet. I’ll be living with one roommate in either Old Kenyon or Manning.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s really, really safe. I don’t mind walking back by myself at night. We’re near a small town, but like 10 minutes outside of it so there aren’t [non-students] walking around.
What is your favorite place to get away from campus?
Columbus. It’s like an hour away and there are some cool areas. It’s a nice break from the small-town Ohio rural life.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
For me, it’s a lot less than for other people. My friends and I go out like once every two weeks or so. That’s partially because there aren’t a ton of events on campus, especially if you’re not in Greek life. If people do go out, it’s to a casual party. A lot of people tend to not go to those things, they tend to hang out in their room with their friends. There aren’t huge frat parties and that kind of thing.
How happy are you with the nightlife options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I was pretty satisfied with it. I wasn’t looking for a school that was really into the party life. I didn’t need a school that had a ton of parties or was in a crazy town. I wish there were more things on campus more consistently because there tend to be grouped up every couple of weeks in the beginning of the year. For someone who doesn’t need to be partying all the time, this is a good place.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Of my two closest friends, one was across from me my freshman year and the other was my freshman year roommate. Kenyon has a really good roommate survey and they take a lot of time to pair people.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Kenyon College?
In terms of Greek life and parties, it’s not too strong. That’s not something that I mind, but for the people who are looking for that, it’s not the place. Your social life has a lot to do with what clubs you join and where you live your first year. It’s pretty easy to meet people in classes because they’re very small and personal so you get to know the people around you.
How would you describe the student body?
Everyone is really nice. I only remember the people I haven’t liked because they’re pretty rare. Everyone who goes to Kenyon is very driven, but aren’t super competitive with the people around them. Everyone has their own passions and people are really into what they do. Overall, Kenyon is very progressive and liberal, so if you’re more conservative it wouldn’t be such a great school.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think that’s a hard question to answer not because it’s not an inclusive school, but because it attracts a lot of White, upper-class students. When there are people who are different than the majority of people on campus, it’s no problem. In terms of inclusivity, I think students feel very included. [The median family income of a student at Kenyon is $213,500 and 755 of students come from the top 20%].