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Anyone receive a merit from Kenyon? they are tight with the money. Must have a small endowment?

I throw this out for anyone to dispute or agree with me. Somehow after seeing my son's acceptances with offers of no money at all, I am under the impression that only the wealthy and the crowd that has no assets at all will be able to attend private colleges. We are being forced into State colleges by financial default. Any thoughts?

By Emmline (Emmline) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 02:22 pm: Edit

I can only contribute that my D was offered $4000.00/year for merit. About 1/4 of the offers she got from a couple other schools, but Kenyon is also somewhat more competitive than the other schools.

By Dennis (Dennis) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 03:22 pm: Edit

It seems to me that merit aid at small LACs is relative to both an institution's budget and the pool of candidates for such aid. My son got a serious scholarship offer ($12,000 per year merit) from one LAC that is not quite as competitive as Kenyon. We received only token offers from Kenyon and other more competitive LACs. For what it's worth, the US News & WR ranks Kenyon's "financial resources" as #45 amongst top LACs.

By Guyute (Guyute) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 01:12 am: Edit

I have a strange case in that I received $10,000 of need based aid from Kenyon whereas I received none from other schools.

By 2dsdad (2dsdad) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 08:18 am: Edit

D applied for merit scholarship at Kenyon but was not offered any. Unsubsidized Stafford loans was the only offer mentioned in the package. None from Bryn Mawr either. Scripps on the other hand offered her about $14,400 a year James E. Scripps scholarship. Several less selective schools have offered her around $12,500 a year.

By Songman (Songman) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 11:16 am: Edit

Thanks Everyone.Kenyon is not in the running. Sad because the school seems like such a good for my son....has anyone ever heard of appealing merit awards????????

By Antigone (Antigone) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 04:45 pm: Edit

Yeah I got a lot of need based aid...

By Fruitbreeze (Fruitbreeze) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 07:15 pm: Edit

Me too. I've got a very generous need based package.

By Songman (Songman) on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - 05:11 pm: Edit

Kenyon is back in the running for us.....if the rest of the admin is half as nice as the fin aid person we spoke to our son will be in good hands....by the way to show you that it is out of control in our house (this college quest stuff) My son and his parents have never seen Kenyon....I know. I know silly isn't it??????

By Willywonka (Willywonka) on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 - 08:16 pm: Edit

It really is a shame that the prevailing feeling about Kenyon's financial aid seems to be "how stingy." It was the first school that I looked at outside of the University of Maryland and is still very high on my list of schools that I would be thrilled to go to.

Hopefully, a couple talks with individual financial aid personnel will make the price payable for me if it turns out to be the place I want to end up.

By Songman (Songman) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 09:59 am: Edit

Willywonka- I would not say that the prevailing feeling,at least from what I have read,is that Kenyon is stingy. There are many LAC's like Kenyon that are on a limited budget and endowment I would imagine. If I was in their shoes I would take care of the ED students first then accept students that clearly qualify for federal aid and very wealthy students that can pay the bill. This is a sad reality. While I have no proof that a school like Kenyon approaches admissions in this manner, it is only my guess that they would be forced to take this approach.

The middle class crowd (and that is us) are forced to bring finances into the decision. Clearly next time with our daughter we will research a college to determine the extent of merit scholarships awarded as a % of the applicants. You live and you learn.

By Enzom (Enzom) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 10:18 am: Edit

For what it is worth Kenyon plainly states on its website that for those students who fill out their FAFSA forms on time the pledge to meet 100% of demonstrated need.

By Songman (Songman) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 02:01 pm: Edit

Enzom- thanks- I realize that Kenyon may state the above on the website. One has to have a fairly low EFC or be extremely needy for most LAC's to provide aid. Merit awards on the other hand I would think are limited to a yearly budget that is somewhat a function of the size of the endowment and scholarships that were established by alumni. no? "Demonstrated need" is the key ....it is the hot potato issue here. See The Fin Aid board and in the parents forum see the string titled "Ivy league gets a run for its money...."

In no way is our family upset with Kenyon or the other LAC's that accepted our son. We did not know the admin process that well. Next time for our daughter we will be better informed.

By Enzom (Enzom) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 02:05 pm: Edit

Is your son going to Kenyon next year?

By Songman (Songman) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 02:16 pm: Edit

I wish he was There were other factors that led to his/our decision for him to attend UMASS/Amherst instead. It was a very difficult decision. He wants to see how it will go at UMASS, if he is unhappy there he may transfer to a LAC..although I understand it is much tougher to transfer to a school like Kenyon for sophmore year?

By Enzom (Enzom) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Songman:

Sorry to hear that. If his decsion was due to financial aid(or lack thereof) that is a particular shame. Can't really help you with info on transfer admission. You may want to call Kenyon to find out. Best of luck to your son.

By Songman (Songman) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 08:23 pm: Edit

Enzom- Thank you. I did write Dean Britz a letter, so who knows?. It is up to my son to do well at UMASS/Amherst. If he really wants to major in writing than he will find a way to make it happen. If not he will change his major and drive his parents crazy HA!.

By Enzom (Enzom) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 09:53 pm: Edit

Most importantly, he will get a great education at UMASS as well and may very well be thrilled to be there. My wife went to all public and state schools. Guess what? She is a Mayo Clinic trained Dermatoligist now and one of the brightest people I have ever met. Its really who YOU are and not "where did you go?" that matters most.

Cheers,

Mark

By Songman (Songman) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:52 am: Edit

Thanks.Mark.We received a note from the Dean of Kenyon yesterday thanking us for our letter. Kenyon is a class act in my opinion. From start to finish the entire admin process was a pleasure! My son wants to give UMASS/Amherst a year and see how it goes. Who knows he may find himself,assuming Kenyon would accept him,back at his first choice school next year.......

By Trickdacy (Trickdacy) on Thursday, June 24, 2004 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Really, I thought I had almost no chance of going to Kenyon. It was too expensive, and they didn't seem to have a lot of merit aid. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how well they covered my need. I got about 6000 a year in merit, and almost everything else in need-based aid. At graduation, the guidance counselor told everyone I got something like a 150,000 dollar scholarship! I guess she was in a mood for exaggeration...

By Songman (Songman) on Saturday, July 03, 2004 - 12:38 am: Edit

Trickdacy when were you notified of all this aid...Before May 1?

By Trickdacy (Trickdacy) on Saturday, July 03, 2004 - 01:30 am: Edit

I found out about midway through March. Kenyon sent me my financial aid packet along with my regular acceptance. Most colleges do tell you about financial aid before you have to make your decision, at least in my experience.

By 2dsdad (2dsdad) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 09:49 pm: Edit

"Anyone receive a merit from Kenyon?"

I had posted earlier that my D had not received any merit money from Kenyon, but I have to amend that with the $1,000 per year they gave her in late May or early June as a NMS. They give up to $2,000 in that category, but I am not complaining. She applied for a Kenyon Honor Scholarship (1/2 tuition) but didn't get one and wasn't awarded one of the Distinguished Academic Scholarships ($2-10,000).

http://www.kenyon.edu/x10027.xml