The Ohio State University–Columbus (OSU)

Ohio State, one of the Midwest's premier universities, is a school with "strong name-brand recognition." Of course, it also has a massive student population, which makes the "campus feel like its own city." Nevertheless, OSU does an admirable job of "handling the large number of students that attend and creating opportunities for over 40,000 undergraduates." As one impressed student explains, "Every single student feels personally attended to and not [like] a number in the crowd of Buckeyes." Many undergrads here also appreciate that "the college is very research-based, which allows students to fully discover what exactly they want to do, and to also build connections with faculty." And while there are many great academic programs, a number of undergrads specifically highlight the "very strong business school, medical program, and engineering school." Moreover, students generally give high marks to their "friendly and approachable" professors. Though you might encounter a "couple of duds...depend[ing] on the department," OSU's faculty are usually "very passionate about the material they teach," which even makes for "very interesting general education classes." They're also "more than willing to meet outside of their designated office hours to help a student struggling with course materials or even just to get coffee and chat." Best of all, "they truly seem to have a genuine interest in the students' academic and career success."

Undergrads at Ohio State love that their peers come "from quite a range of backgrounds." Indeed, you can just as easily "find yourself meeting an individual from a very remote city in the state...[as you can] an out of state or international student from places...you'd think [the school] wouldn't have a reach." Thankfully, no matter where they grew up, these Buckeyes are typically "down-to-earth and have a strong desire to succeed." They also comprise "some of the most spirited fans" you'll ever meet. And while students here "take their academics quite seriously," there's still "a very friendly [and] cooperative atmosphere." As one undergrad shares, "I've never encountered anybody that didn't want to work on... homework or [study] for an exam due to selfish competitive reasons." Students also greatly appreciate the fact that "there are so many people here that every social group is well represented." For example, "there's a party scene, a big Esports scene, a lot of gym rats," and representatives from many religious groups. In other words, rest assured that "there's a place for everyone" at Ohio State.

OSU students boast that "it's impossible to be bored here" given that the university provides "thousands of opportunities" for extracurricular involvement. For starters, undergrads can participate in "countless intramural or club sport[s]," including volleyball, basketball and rock climbing. "When it's football season, game days are always the best," says a student. They go on to add, "Experiencing the atmosphere of the entire Ohio State campus in one stadium is amazing." Aside from athletics, students can join a number of clubs like "Dungeons and Dragons...student leadership, [and even] small [music] ensembles that don't require auditions." Buckeyes also quickly find that "going out on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays is extremely popular, whether [to] the bars or frat parties." Nevertheless, one student assures that "although partying is common, there is absolutely no pressure to partake in any of it." In fact, "there are an abundance of [alternative] options [like] weekly karaoke and trivia." Finally, should you need a breather from all that campus excitement, downtown Columbus is a "great place...[filled with] art galleries, coffee shops," and "top-notch" restaurants.