How to get into Kenyon
What 70 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 109 Kenyon results that students posted for the 2017 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Kenyon? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Kenyon admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.90
Middle half 3.70 to 3.99
Median SAT
1,470
Middle half 1,420 to 1,528
Median ACT
34
Middle half 31 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.41
Middle half 4.20 to 4.57
Results posted: 70 admitted, 16 rejected, 23 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Kenyon acceptance rate; the official rate is in Kenyon’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| SAT | 1,470 | 1,475 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Kenyon admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service54%
- Journalism/Writing46%
- Music43%
- Athletics39%
- Advocacy/Politics36%
- Debate/MUN/Speech34%
- Work/Job34%
- Internship31%
Held a leadership role
94%
Founded something
44%
National or intl. award
53%
Did research
31%
Intended majors of Kenyon admits
- English/Writing19%
- Economics11%
- Political Science7%
- Computer Science6%
- Business4%
- Environmental4%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 11% first-generation, 7% low income, 23% underrepresented minority, 20% legacy, 0% recruited athlete and 7% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 4% chose Kenyon.
Three recent Kenyon admits
2026 cycle · RD · Linguistics/Languages
Linguistics and classics student building digital tools for endangered languages and language revitalization.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1580 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Chemistry
Percussionist and self-taught programmer with music composition work and a cryptography extended essay.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Music/Performing Arts
Theatre-focused applicant combining performance, vocal music, art, and writing, centered on Shakespeare.
GPA 3.78 UW · SAT 1510 · Original post
Essays that worked for Kenyon
“I have no pre-choir memories.”
Published by The New York Times
Where else Kenyon admits got in
Kenyon admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Kenyon?
- Among 70 applicants who posted a Kenyon admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.90 and the middle half reported 3.70 to 3.99 (59 reported a GPA). Kenyon sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Kenyon?
- Among 70 applicants who posted a Kenyon admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,470 and the middle half scored 1,420 to 1,528 (46 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- What extracurriculars do Kenyon admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (54%), journalism/writing (46%), music (43%), athletics (39%). 94% held at least one leadership role and 53% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Kenyon acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Kenyon in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Kenyon?
A Specialist who got into a school like Kenyon can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2017 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Kenyon. All colleges