Chance for Merit Money

flatlander
Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:50:49 +0000

Hi bookmom,

We visited (in order) Denison, Kenyon, and Ohio Wesleyan, as my daughter was looking for a smaller LAC. Before we went out, OWU was #1 on her list - the psychology department is top-notch, and the admissions department was great in communicating with her - with Denison and Kenyon tied for second.

She spent most of a day at Denison, where the sun was shining bright and campus looked gorgeous. It was a Friday, so there was a lot of energy evident in the students: a pick-up soccer game, Diversity Day celebrations at lunch, lots of posters advertising weekend events, etc. She liked the students she met, and felt comfortable in the class she attended.

We stayed overnight at a bed-and-breakfast in town, and had some good conversations with the owners about their perceptions of Denison and the town of Granville - I know this definitely helped in the decision-making process.

On Saturday, we spent 1/2 day at Kenyon. This is where I learned the weather has a lot to do with initial impressions; it was pouring rain, and my daughter had decided even before she stepped foot outside the car that she did not want to go there. The fact that it is in the middle of nowhere - I grew up on a farm in VT, and even I thought it was isolated! - did not appeal to her. She did not attend any classes, nor did she have a chance to interact with any students, who were laying low on that dreary Saturday morning. I liked that they sent the students and parents off in separate tours; our guide, who was from NYC, was very happy at Kenyon and did not miss having a city, or even a town, close by. (Yes, there is the “town” of Gambier, but Kenyon is Gambier, and Gambier is Kenyon.)

Last stop, Ohio Wesleyan, where my daughter stayed overnight. Unfortunately, they put her up with someone who hated being there -she had wanted to go to Ohio State, but OWU offered more financial aid. She had OSU posters and paraphernalia all over her room! The campus is cut in two by a very busy street, so it lacks the cohesion of Denison. Granted, we toured the campus Monday morning, so the students did not seem all that happy to be there, and I did not notice a lot of posters advertising on-campus events. Our tour guide was terrible - not much of a personality, not active in any groups or clubs, and she failed to point out the brand new buildings going up. My daughter met with the chair of the psychology department, who was great. We found Delaware very depressing, although there are attempts to revive the downtown.

After we got back home, my daughter decided Denison was the one, and she applied ED. I sometimes wonder: What if the weather had been terrible at Denison? What if we had had a lousy tour guide? Would my daughter still have wanted to go to Denison?

It really is a subjective process!

flatlander