The course and kinetics of free radical polymerization in bulk ofp-alkylphenyl methacrylates with AIBN initiator were studied by DSC, in the temperature range 348–373 K. The enthalpy of polymerization, the residual monomer content, as well as the overall reaction rate constants and the activation energies were determined. The similar values of the overall rate constants indicate that the relatively small alkyl substituents inp-position of the phenyl ring affect the polymerization rate to a very small, if any, extent.