How to Apply to Mathematics at Kenyon College: Choose a Classical, Applied or Statistics Focus in the Mathematics and Statistics Department After Entry, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Kenyon College is a liberal arts college in Ohio. Undergraduate mathematics is offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (in the Natural Sciences Division). Students apply to the College and declare a major after entry. Here is what you need to know, based on the department’s pages, the course catalog and the admissions and financial aid websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is not covered here (the math core includes one programming course, see below).

1. Degrees and areas

• One major, three emphases: the catalog says the mathematics major has three areas of emphasis: classical mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics; all majors complete the same core courses. The pages read do not state the degree name (BA or BS); see the course catalog.
• Core courses: the MATH 111, 112, 212, 213 calculus sequence (or equivalent); one semester of statistics (STAT 106, 116 or equivalent); one semester of programming (COMP 118 or PHYS 270); MATH 222 (Foundations); MATH 224 (Linear Algebra); and MATH 480 Senior Seminar (prerequisites: MATH 222 and at least one 300+ level MATH or STAT course before the end of the junior year).
• Area of focus: every major takes at least three courses from a single column of the catalog table, at least one of them a MATH or STAT course at or above the 300 level. The five columns are Algebraic (A), Continuous/Analytic (B) and Discrete/Combinatorial (C), which make up Category I (classical mathematics), and Applied (D) and Statistical/Data Science (E), which make up Category II. Column D gives an applied mathematics emphasis and column E a statistics emphasis. Special topics courses may count with the department chair’s sign-off.
• Depth and breadth: at least two MATH or STAT courses at the 300 level or above, at least one within the area of focus; plus courses from at least two other columns outside the focus, with at least one from each of Categories I and II. The catalog sums this to at least 13.5 courses (8.5 core, three in the area of focus, two outside it spanning the categories); students with AP credit can place out of some introductory core courses and so need fewer than 13.5.
• Senior Capstone: it begins in the fall of the senior year with independent study on a department-approved topic, an oral presentation to the faculty in November and a poster presentation open to the Kenyon community at the end of the fall semester.
• Honors: to enroll in the Mathematics Honors Seminar by the end of junior year, students need at least two 4-credit-hour math/statistics courses numbered 300 or above (at least one at the 400 level), an overall Kenyon GPA of at least 3.33, a GPA of at least 3.6 in math and statistics courses, and a reasonable expectation in the faculty’s view of fulfilling the honors requirements. To earn honors: at least six courses at 300+ (at least two at 400), pass the Senior Capstone and MATH 498, present to a committee with an outside examiner and pass the examination written by that examiner. Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors or no honors may be awarded.
• Minors: a mathematics minor (the calculus sequence plus four other department courses, at most one at the 100 level) and a statistics minor. Statistics sits in the same department; it is mentioned here and not covered further.
• Teaching certification: the catalog says students interested in teaching high school mathematics should take MATH 230 and 335, which are required for certification in most states, including Ohio.

2. How admission to the major works: apply to the College, declare after entry

• At application: the admissions pages read do not ask applicants to choose a major or say that mathematics has a separate admission line or cap; whether applications are reviewed by major is not stated, so please ask the Office of Admissions.
• Declaring the major: the catalog says a major is usually declared no later than the second semester of the sophomore year. Students keeping the option open typically begin with calculus and normally complete the calculus sequence, MATH 222 and either COMP 118 or STAT 106 by the end of the sophomore year. A grade requirement or cap on places is not stated in the pages read. All MATH/STAT courses for the major must be taken for a letter grade, and a student wishing to declare must petition to change any grade of P in a MATH/STAT course numbered 222 or above to a letter grade for it to count. The department encourages students to consult a faculty member to plan their studies, and those wanting a variation of the major are asked to discuss it first and then submit a written proposal.
• Internal transfer into the major: beyond the declaration rules above, the pages read state no separate conditions.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school coursework: the “Selection Process” page recommends a curriculum that includes the five academic core subjects (English, mathematics, history or social science, laboratory science and foreign language), with honors, AP or IB courses where available; most applicants complete at least 20 academic core courses. It does not name a specific math course (such as calculus or precalculus).
• Where to start after entry: the department says first-year students interested in majoring in mathematics or statistics are encouraged to enroll in MATH 100; students who want to continue beyond a year, or major or minor, usually begin with the calculus sequence MATH 111, 112, 212 and 213; students who already have calculus or want more than one math course may begin with STAT 106 and 206 or COMP 118; a few well-prepared students may take MATH 222 or 224 in the first year, and should ask the chair.
• Placement: the department offers tests to help students decide which level of calculus fits; these and other entrance information are used during Orientation for course advice. The catalog encourages all students without Advanced Placement credit to take the placement exam appropriate for them. Students who have already had substantial calculus may qualify for MATH 112 or 213.
• AP calculus and statistics (the Registrar’s table is headed “Class of 2029, 2030”, which may not be the table for fall 2027 entrants, so check the current one): Calculus AB 4 or 5 – MATH 112 credit, placement into MATH 212 or 213, MATH/4 credit; Calculus BC – the table shows MATH 112 and MATH 212, a Sequences and Series placement exam, and MATH 213, with MATH/4 credit (the layout does not make clear which result goes with a score of 4 or 5; see the original table); For the AB subscore on Calculus BC, 4 or 5, the table lists MATH 112, the Calculus placement exam and MATH 212 or 213 (see the original table for how they pair). Statistics 4 or 5 – STAT 106, with placement into STAT 206 or 216 and STAT/4 credit. A footnote says MATH 212 and 213 are independent of each other, offered every semester and may be taken in either order or together; MATH 213 is the prerequisite for more courses and is the gateway to upper-level courses; students considering the major need both. The footnote also says that with a 4 or 5 there is no need to take a placement exam, while the BC row asks for the Sequences and Series placement exam; check with the Registrar. AP credit counts toward the 128 semester hours required for the degree but cannot satisfy the diversification requirement or substitute for a semester of residence.
• IB and A-Level: the Registrar’s IB table lists biology, chemistry, modern languages, physics and psychology, not mathematics; the page’s list of recognised programmes includes the British A-Level, and credit policy is left to the course catalog. Math credit for IB or A-Level is not stated in the pages read.
• Honors sequences: the pages read do not list a separate honors calculus sequence; “honors” means the Mathematics Honors Seminar at the senior stage (section 1).
• Math competitions: how they are viewed in admission is not stated in the pages read.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines: Early Decision 1 (binding) is due 15 November, with decisions in mid-December; Early Decision 2 (binding) and Regular Decision are both due 15 January, with decisions in mid-February and mid-March respectively. The Office of Admissions says that, though it varies by year, about 40 to 45 percent of each first-year class enrolls through Early Decision, and ED applicants are considered on the same terms as others, including merit scholarships and financial aid. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply: the Common App or the Coalition App. The application fee is not stated in the pages read; see the admissions office or the College’s page on the application platform.
• Required materials: Secondary School Report with transcript, a counselor recommendation, a teacher evaluation (the College prefers it from an instructor who taught you in a year-long, traditional college-preparatory course in your junior year; the website does not say it must be a math teacher) and a mid-year report. Optional: a portfolio through the applicant portal, an interview (recommended, not required; a virtual one-on-one with a student fellow) and up to two additional recommendations.
• Testing: test optional. If submitted, official or self-reported SAT or ACT scores are accepted and both are superscored; official score reports are needed only if admitted and enrolling. SAT Subject, AP and IB results are not required but will be considered if submitted. The admissions page describes the policy as temporary, so check the policy for fall 2027 entry.
• Home-schooled applicants: the same requirements as others, with one letter of recommendation written by someone not related to the student.

5. US domestic applicants

• Tuition and costs (2026-27): the cost page lists tuition of $72,880, housing $9,080 (double room), meals $10,780 and a student activities fee of $350, totalling $93,090. All students live on campus on the universal meal plan, so room and board are in the comprehensive fee. The same page also lists an estimated 2025-26 cost of attendance of $96,940 (direct cost $89,600, books/personal $1,900, transportation/miscellaneous $1,950) and a 2024-25 table (mandatory charges $87,160). The page mixes academic years, so check the figures that apply to fall 2027 entry. The College is private; the pages read make no in-state and out-of-state tuition distinction.
• Aid: the College commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for qualifying students for all four years, through grants, loans and campus work. It says 85% of students receive some form of aid, and the average net price in 2025-26 was about $45K (the aid page says “$45K”, the cost page $44,823). Applicants for need-based aid submit the CSS Profile (code 1370): 15 November for ED1 and 15 January for ED2 and Regular Decision; the FAFSA is due 15 January. For 2026-27 the College asks for parents’ 2024 federal tax return and W-2s, submitted through the College Board IDOC service.
• Merit scholarships: all first-year applicants are automatically considered, with no extra application. The scholarships page gives a range of $20,000 to $35,000 a year and the aid overview page gives $15,000 to $35,000 a year (the website says both); they are renewable for four years with satisfactory academic progress. Named awards include the Kenyon Excellence Award, Kenyon Honors Scholarship, President’s Scholarship and Distinguished Academic Scholarship. There are also talent scholarships in writing, music and studio art ($25,000 a year, separate application) and a National Merit scholarship of $1,000 a year.
• STEM and KEEP scholarship programs: the STEM program is for STEM-interested, socioeconomically disadvantaged students (including first-generation students), and KEEP is for students from underrepresented backgrounds; both need a separate application, include a five-week summer experience (two credit-bearing courses, a $1,000 stipend, with housing, meals and tuition covered), and remove the loan and work-study portions of the aid package for four years.
• Home state and neighboring states: for students living in or attending school in Ohio there is the Ohio Promise Scholarship ($100,000 total, $25,000 a year over four years; if a student qualifies for others, the highest-value one is awarded) and a competitive Ohio Full-Tuition Scholarship (a separate application). Students living in or attending school in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania or West Virginia automatically qualify for the Stateside Promise Scholarship ($100,000 total, $25,000 a year). Guaranteed admission for in-state residents is not stated in the pages read.
• A math-specific scholarship: the Austin E. Knowlton Memorial Scholarship supports a student from Logan County, Ohio with up to $18,000 over four years, with preference to students interested in majoring in mathematics or a related field.

6. International applicants

• English requirements: international students whose primary language of instruction in secondary school is not English must submit an English proficiency exam. The accepted tests and the scores “encouraged” are: Duolingo English Test 130, IELTS Academic 7.0, IELTS Indicator 7.0, TOEFL 100, and TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition 100. The page words these as scores of “at least” that value being encouraged; no hard minimum is stated.
• Waiver: applicants whose primary language of instruction in secondary school is English do not need to submit one.
• Interview: not mandatory; the College partners with InitialView and Vericant, which post the interviews online for the admissions team without evaluating candidates.
• Other documents and credential evaluation: the materials common to all applicants are in section 4; transcript translation and credential evaluation rules are not stated in the pages read, so please write to globaladmissions@kenyon.edu.
• Proof of funds: not stated in the pages read; ask the international admissions office.
• Aid: international students applying for need-based aid complete either the CSS Profile or Kenyon’s Online International Financial Aid Application (available in the Kenyon Admission Portal after applying). Students living in the United States or Canada must use the CSS Profile and cannot use the international form. The aid page says the family contribution for admitted international students stays constant in future years, and that an international student admitted without aid is not eligible for aid during the four years. Whether applying for aid affects admission is not stated in the pages read.
• International scholarships: merit scholarships consider all applicants automatically; the scholarships page does not describe an international-specific scholarship.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not mention whether the Gaokao is considered or how; this is not published there, so please write to globaladmissions@kenyon.edu or see the admissions office’s “representatives by region” page (not read for this guide).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific requirements are published in the pages read; the general international requirements are in sections 4 and 6.
• Testing and English: testing is optional; English scores are in section 6.
• International curricula: students taking AP can use the table in section 3; IB mathematics credit is not stated in the pages read.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Undergraduate research: the department’s research page says there are many opportunities for undergraduates to do research in mathematics; some students take independent studies for independent projects and collaborative work with faculty, and successful juniors and seniors sometimes enroll in the Honors Program in Mathematics. The Summer Science Scholar (SSS) program provides financial support for summer research with a faculty mentor for 8 to 10 weeks. The department’s home page says 110 students a year pursue College-funded research projects across the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
• Outcomes: the department’s “After Kenyon” page says mathematics and statistics majors are found in a range of careers and lists alumni employers and related internship stories; it prints no employment or graduate school data. The College has a 2025 outcomes report page that was not read for this guide.

9. Transfer students

• Overall: the College accepts a limited number of transfer students each year, depending on class year and availability of living accommodations. The admissions page says successful transfer applicants in most cases present grades of B or better in their current courses.
• Materials: the Transfer Common Application; official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended (including this year’s courses); a College Report completed by a registrar or appropriate dean; an Academic Evaluation from a professor; a mid-term report; test requirements as in the testing policy.
• Deadlines (fall entry): option 1, 15 March (decision by 10 April); option 2, 15 April (by 10 May); option 3, 15 May (by 27 May). The pages show no year, so check. The aid page also lists 15 March for the transfer option 1 CSS Profile and FAFSA and points to the other options’ deadlines.
• Math-specific transfer requirements: the pages read do not state a math-specific transfer GPA or calculus/linear algebra requirement. The department’s transfer credit rules say credit from other institutions, and whether it applies to the major or minor, must be approved by the department chair; off-campus study courses may count toward the major with the chair’s approval, ordinarily no more than one unit/8 semester hours; and transfer credit ordinarily does not count as one of the two 300- or 400-level courses required for the depth requirement or the area of focus.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED1 15 November; ED2 and Regular 15 January; Common App or Coalition App; teacher evaluation, counselor recommendation, mid-year report; testing optional; confirm the application fee with the College
• CSS Profile (code 1370): 15 November for ED1, 15 January otherwise; FAFSA 15 January; merit scholarship consideration is automatic

International applicants (including China):

• Duolingo 130, IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100 (or the waiver for English-medium secondary schooling); CSS Profile or the College’s online international aid application
• How the Gaokao is used is not published; write to globaladmissions@kenyon.edu

After entry:

• Start with MATH 111, 112 or 212/213 depending on placement and AP; declare the major usually no later than the second semester of the sophomore year; complete the calculus sequence, MATH 222 and COMP 118 or STAT 106

Transfer students:

• Fall entry: 15 March, 15 April or 15 May; outside math courses need the department chair’s approval to count toward the major

Sources: Kenyon College, Mathematics and Statistics; Mathematics and Statistics: program and requirements; Mathematics and Statistics: research; Mathematics and Statistics: after Kenyon; Course catalog: mathematics and statistics requirements; Admissions: apply; Admissions: deadlines and requirements; Admissions: Early Decision; Admissions: selection process; Admissions: testing policy; Admissions: interviews; Admissions: transfer applicants; Financial aid and scholarships; Tuition and costs; Applying for financial aid; Scholarships and grants; Registrar: AP and IB; AP scores table (classes of 2029 and 2030). The dates on the admissions pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the College’s website for the latest.