Oberlin College

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School Says - Student Body
Students on Oberlin's campus are presented with a rich diversity of extracurricular options. There are over 120 student clubs and organizations funded through the Student Union. Over 500 concerts and recitals are presented annually by students, along with almost 100 theater, musical theater, and opera performances. A large number of visiting artists perform at Oberlin, as do many lecturers and speakers. Oberlin also sponsors an excellent film series, and there are numerous campus parties, dorm and co-op picnics, and special events sponsored by the Student Union.

Oberlin College was honored for the fourth consecutive year with a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, a commendation given to colleges and universities for exemplary civic engagement and service to the local community. Oberlin has a longstanding tradition of social responsibility and community service. More than 75 percent of Oberlin undergraduates engage in some form of community service during their time at Oberlin through one of the college's many official programs, student organizations such as Immerse Yourself in Service, and independent projects. Since its establishment in 1994, Oberlin's Bonner Center for Service and Learning (BCSL) has encouraged undergraduates to become engaged citizens through curricular and co-curricular initiatives that enrich both the community and the education of students themselves.

School Says - Academics
In addition to the traditional academic offerings listed above, Oberlin offers a winter term, in which students complete independent and often self-designed projects, either on or off campus. Each January, students explore topics outside of regular course offerings, enabling them to devote their energy to a single project. Projects include, but are not limited to, research projects, internships, reading projects, arts projects, and community service. Oberlin is also home to the Experimental College, a student-run organization that sponsors courses for limited academic credit taught by Oberlin students, townspeople, administrators, and faculty. Each year a heterogeneous list of subjects is offered including crafts, special interests, community service, and academic subjects not found in the regular curriculum.

School Says - Admissions
Admission to both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music is highly selective. In the Arts and Sciences class entering in 2009, the middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 660 and 750 on the Critical Reading portion of the SAT I, between 630 and 720 on the Math section and between 650 and 740 on the Writing Section. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 28 and 32 on the ACT composite. The median unweighted GPA was 3.70 and the middle 50 percent had unweighted GPAs between 3.5 and 3.9 in rigorous high school curriculums. The Conservatory seeks talented music students who have demonstrated records of achievement, potential for further growth and development, the ability to meet Oberlin's demanding standards, and the dedication required to become professional musicians. The most important factor in admission to the Conservatory is the performance audition, or in the case of certain programs, the compositions, tapes, and supporting materials submitted.

School Says - Campus Life
Oberlin College is located in the center of Oberlin, Ohio, a town of 8,600 residents, about a 35-minute drive from Cleveland. Oberlin is an idyllic residential town, which is made lively and exciting by the presence of the College. Cultural events dominate the social scene with over 500 concerts and recitals, 50+ theater and dance productions and 200 films annually. Though there are a multitude of bicycles in Oberlin, everything a student needs is within walking distance of campus.

School Says - Cost Aid
Tuition for the 2009-2010 academic year is $39,686. Room and board fees total $10,480. The student activity fee is $318. Costs for the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music are the same.Oberlin meets the full evaluated need of all admitted students. In 2009-2010, approximately 66 percent of students received need-based aid. The average package was about $31,039. Oberlin requires financial aid applicants to complete both the FAFSA and the PROFILE.

Students Say - Academics
Oberlin College, a school "for laid-back people who enjoy learning and expanding social norms, allows each and every student to have the undergrad experience for which he or she is looking, all the while challenging the students to change themselves and the world for the better." Oberlin is a place where students "focus on learning for learning's sake rather than making money in a career." As one student explains, "I didn't plan on becoming a scholar when I entered Oberlin....As fate would have it, I ended up loving my college classes and professors. Now I hope to be a professor of religion." At Oberlin, "academics are very highly valued, but balanced with a strong interest in the arts and a commitment to society." Some might suggest Oberlin puts the "liberal" in "liberal arts," and the school's staunchest supporters agree, stressing the school's emphasis on open-mindedness and the belief that "one person can change the world." Among the school's offerings, "the sciences, English, politics, religion, music, environmental studies, and East-Asian studies are particularly noteworthy." The presence of a prestigious music school imbues the entire campus community. One undergrad writes, "Oberlin's greatest strength is the combination of the college and the conservatory. They are not separated, so students mix with each other all the time." Professors here-the "heart and soul of the school"-are dedicated teachers who "treat you more like collaborators and realize that even with their PhDs, they can learn and grow from you, as well as you from them." They are "excellent instructors and fantastic people" who are "focused on learning instead of deadlines." Undergrads also appreciate "a cooperative learning environment" in which "Students bond over studying together for difficult exams."

Students Say - Campus Life
Life during the week at Oberlin can be "pretty bland," as "almost everyone has to crack the books and study it up." It's not always bland, though. Some here manage to find time for the many "events [going on] each weekend-operas, plays, organ pumps, etc.," or "rally to stage to help the oppressed." Thursday afternoons at Oberlin means "Classical Thursdays," an event during which "you get free beer from the college if you bring a professor to the on-campus pub." Another feature of campus life is "the musical scene, which has its heart in the conservatory. All of the other arts-performing, studio, whatever-are intertwined with the talent in the conservatory." On weekends, "people let loose, rip out the bong (no pun intended), and drink beer. Not everyone does this every weekend. Some don't do it at all," and "there is absolutely no pressure on those who don't." There are also "tons of student-produced social events like parties, fundraisers, concerts, dances, etc.," keeping students "very connected to each other and to what's going on in the community." Hometown Oberlin "is a small town, and about all there is to do there is go out for pizza or Chinese, see a movie for $2 or $3 at the Apollo, or go to the Feve, the bar in town."

Students Say - Student Body
If you're a liberal, artsy, indie loner who likes to throw around the phrase 'heteronormative white privilege,' then Oberlin might be the place for you. "We're like the Island of Misfit Toys, but together we make a great toy chest." "We're all different and unusual, which creates a common bond between students." "Musicians, jocks, science geeks, creative writing majors, straight, bi, questioning, queer, and trans [students]," all have their place here, alongside "straight-edge, international, local, and joker students." Oberlin has a reputation for a left-leaning and active student body. One undergrad observes, "They are less active politically than they would like to think, but still more active than most people elsewhere." Another adds, "Most students are very liberal, but the moderates and (few) Republicans have a fine time of it. Every student has different interests and isn't afraid to talk about them." Some here worry "Oberlin's student body is becoming more and more mainstream each year."

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