Visit Report by mflevity (Member since November 14 2006 with 495 posts) Visit Date - February 2008
Visit to Oberlin College in February 2008 by mflevity (Student, HS Class of 2009)
Visit Activities:
Information Session:
Yes - The admissions officer was funky (you don't see pierced earrings on a lot of 50-year-old men) but down-to-earth...I'd say it was an above average info session. Campus Tour:
Yes - The student guide was bright and seemed happy to be there; she'd just returned from study abroad in Paris. Classroom Visit:
Yes - I went to a creative writing class. The students seemed moderately engaged.
Oberlin College Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
The students seemed happy to help. I was approached by several students from the class I visited. Overall, I felt a constant buzz of energy on campus.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
The secretaries were very nice (struck up a conversation to distract my mom while I collected brochures). The class visit professor didn't really acknowledge my presence, which was awkward.
Appearance of Campus: 4 - Very Good -
A few of the buildings looked mismatched and less than pristinely clean, but not enough to really bother me. Several buildings were quite beautiful.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
I can't really complain...much. I think it fits the nature of Oberlin to be a bit cluttered.
Dormitories: 4 - Very Good -
I didn't see an actual dorm, just the lobby of a dorm building, but it looked pretty typical.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
Students said that they felt very safe, and I couldn't imagine many crimes going down in a small town in Ohio.
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
I was mostly impressed by the verve and energy of the students, as well as the way music permeated the music school buildings AND the general campus.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 4 - Very Good -
I didn't poke around much, but the small town looked charming and adequate for the average college student's needs. There seemed to be plenty of cute, cheap places to eat.
City/Town/Community: 4 - Very Good -
A surprisingly diverse small town. If you've never lived in one, I'd imagine you would enjoy it.
Campus Visit Notes for Oberlin College:
Visit Description:
Overall, I definitely enjoyed my visit (I'm a junior, and it was my first college trip). The students have a distinctive character that is hard to describe; I could use words like "unique" and "nonconformist" but it's impossible to really portray a typical Oberlin student in writing (probably because there isn't one). Let's just say that my mom was slightly shocked by a few students' appearances, though they didn't bother me as much. I suppose I should mention to my fellow girls that I came away with the impression that many of the guys at Oberlin are gay (my friend who visited both the music school and the general college felt the same way). So take that as it is, depending upon how "on the prowl" (or whatever kooky phrase PR uses) you're looking to be in college.
I would definitely recommend eating lunch in the campus dining hall, as it was especially helpful in getting a feel for the student body.
Beware of the other students at the information session and on your campus tour; I came away more frightened by the driven and intense juniors (who didn't seem like fits at Oberlin at all) than I was by the quirky Obies. Maybe it was just the particular day I was there, but if I'd met any of them before mingling a little with the student body, I might have been put off the entire school. If possible, do a classroom visit and lunch at the dining hall before you come into contact with any fellow prospective students.
Oh...and definitely check out the build-your-own smoothies in the basement of the Student Center. Delicious.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
We stayed in a Best Western about 10 minutes from campus. It was adequate, but barely. If we go back, we'll likely stay at the Holiday Inn that is also 10 minutes from campus.
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The students seemed happy to help. I was approached by several students from the class I visited. Overall, I felt a constant buzz of energy on campus.
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The secretaries were very nice (struck up a conversation to distract my mom while I collected brochures). The class visit professor didn't really acknowledge my presence, which was awkward.