Oberlin College (OC)

The “rich academic courses and extensive resources” at Oberlin College, as well as its prestigious conservatory of music, make it “the ideal place to be passionate about a subject.” The school’s liberal arts curriculum and interdisciplinary emphasis give students maximum flexibility, and many “pick up double majors and multiple minors just by taking classes they enjoy.” With this support, there are “so many different paths students can follow to pursue one or more degrees, and [the school is] fully prepared to help you meet your academic goals.” Furthermore, the college has a roster of established programs like the Experimental College (ExCo), “an accredited organization in which students can teach for-credit classes to students, faculty, and community members,” and Winter Term, when students can “pursue short-term internships, intensive classes, individual projects, or study abroad programs.” Professors “are active contributors to their fields and are eager to engage with the student body.” Many classes set aside time for discussion, which helps “solidify learning and understanding over simply memorization.” Others incorporate community-based learning elements or innovative approaches to the specific material, such as an archaeology class where students recall “using traditional carving techniques to create real bone tools.” With the backing of a school that “supports you as you discover your place in the world,” it’s said that “you can become a big fish in a small pond, if you wish.” One student says, “There’s a general understanding that although it will be difficult, anyone can do well here. There’s like one million student resources to back that up.”

Oberlin is “a unique space where people regularly have multiple interests simultaneously,” and “it is very common to see people double majoring in very distinct fields.” Obies tend to be “expressive, quirky, and unapologetically themselves,” and with everyone putting it all out in the open, “you can definitely find people who share your…niche interests.” Each student “shows up to do the best they can, and the atmosphere…is not one of competition but of collaboration,” as people see one another as “a resource for everyone else to learn from and work with on interesting projects.” Most here are “generally very creative and artistic,” as well as being “curious and over-booked” with activities stemming from their many interests. They “are super into the things that they are into and really driven by innate interest in the topics they study, not by academic competition or prestige.” “Kindness and understanding [are] above all else at Oberlin,” and people are “grateful for a student body that never wanes in its desire to explore ideas and talk about them deeply.”

The cooperative association at Oberlin “holds together a strong community,” providing at-cost dining and housing to student members who put in hours to keep the co-op running. Those who participate tout the affordability and community offered, with one saying it “has allowed me to build relationships with my peers, learn new skills, and eat nutritious meals.” Another adds, “Joining OSCA [Oberlin Student Cooperative Association] is the best decision I made at Oberlin, and it has taught me so much about democracy, working with people, cooking, and nonprofits.” Even with academic credit in play, the ExCos become pastimes unto themselves, and help “build third-space communities around students’ hobbies, interests, and passions.” There are “so many opportunities to get involved with the arts” at this creative college, which means “lots of musical performances for free all the time,” and “there is always a lunchtime talk or lecture by a visiting alum or lecturer.” There are also “a lot of volunteering opportunities and natural resources, like the Arboretum and bike trail.” One student puts it simply: “Folks here are always busy.”

Oberlin offers abundant opportunities for students to gain experience that may be valuable to future employers. The Career Center, for example, coordinates Winter Term internships in various fields (past sites have included the Smithsonian Institution, Global Green, and Discovery Communications), usually sponsored by Oberlin alumni. Oberlin's recruiting database, ObieOpps, makes the sometimes daunting search for internships and jobs a simple process. The Office of Undergraduate Research provides support for students interested in faculty-mentored research, and OSU has special scholars programs in areas like law, business, and entrepreneurship for undergraduates who wish to hone their skills. To draw upon the experience of Oberlin graduates, students can visit TAPPAN, an online directory with thousands of alumni career profiles. Finally, there are frequent information sessions about anything you might be interested in pursuing after graduation from Google to grad school. Oberlin graduates who visited PayScale.com reported an average starting salary of about $49,400.