We are at stage that Oberlin is the college where my son decided to go. I like to know any insides about some experience for premed students? How are professors? How rigorous is Oberlin for study? Any help to get in to med research or to prepare for MCAT?
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If you get no specifics here, have him talk to the pre med advisor to learn formal supports offered and have him ask admissions to speak to a student ambassador with a like interest.
It does appear the school uses committee letters for future medical education.
Congrats to your student. It’s great he found a school he loves.
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IME Oberlin is highly rigorous. Classes tend to be quite challenging in terms of curriculum and pacing. The student body is really smart, talented, and competitive. In many ways it’s similar to Reed college…was that on your S’s list?
Your S should talk with the pre-health advisors. It would be interesting to know what proportion of prospective MD/DO applicants they support/don’t support with a committee letter. It’s important to know that if a student does not get a committee letter, their MD/DO app won’t be competitive (if they still chose to apply.)
Your S can also ask about opportunities for clinical experience in the local area (relatively more important than research, but your S will be able to get research at oberlin without a problem….he will just be limited by what the profs are working on.)
Oberlin is a fit school…you didn’t say your S has visited but that is a must in order to assess the fit. You also didn’t say if your S is LGBTQ+ (and you don’t have to say here.) But, if not, I generally caution a non-athlete non-lgbtq male about the social atmosphere at Oberlin. That’s why a visit is a must.
Often the Admissions Office will put an accepted student in touch with current students for a phone or video chat. If you tell them what kinds of students you’d like to speak with, it’s likely they’ll arrange it. Such student(s) shoukd be able to answer your questions.
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College Trans!t!ons lists Oberlin at #30 on a list of top feeders of medical schools when adjusted for size with 90 given as the number of graduates going on to med schools. That seems like a pretty healthy number for a school of its size.
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Yes we visited as athlete. Most important reason he is joining as an athlete. You are correct about campus, we felt there. Do you know anyone studied there? Is there matriculation rate is lower? Is it not good college if you are not LGBT community? What are the chance to non LGBT will survive there?
Can you say more about this? (The social atmosphere for a non-lgbtq+, non althlete male student at Oberlin). It’s one of my son’s choices but he hasn’t visited yet. Feel free to DM me. Thanks!
Just sent you a PM
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Yes please DM me also if you can
Does Oberlin take many kids with disabilities?
I also want to know about this!
Dd considered (and we visited) Oberlin for premed. After the visit school was removed from the list. We couldn’t even finish the tour. It was very clear no fit. For my daughter atmosphere was way too artsy and very liberal (including students creating curriculum etc).
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Visit for sure! As silly as it is, classical music over speakers in bathroom in admissions literally triggered my kid. I loved it :).
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Welcome to Oberlin! My S, a non athlete, non LGBTQ, has loved his time there. And we love visiting. His friends run the gamut of interests and majors.
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Sent you a DM
I generally caution a non-athlete non-lgbtq male about the social atmosphere at Oberlin
I feel that this is a bit reductive. Is college not the time to explore and be among people who don’t look like you, aren’t from your same background, don’t think the way you do? This is how we become well rounded and prepared for life as an adult. I have now spent a good amount of time on the Oberlin campus over the past 4 years and 2700 young people cannot be reduced to simply athletes and LGBTQ.
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As someone who has worked as a college counselor (and spent plenty of time on the Oberlin campus), it’s critical that students have a good social fit at their school. That includes a sizable enough of a dating/hook up/intimate relationship pool (whatever terms you want to use.) My experience is informed by one kid who attended there, other college counselors, and many students. Enough said. You get to have your opinion, and I get to have mine.
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Of course we each have a right to our opinion! I got stuck on the non athlete part of your post, TBH. I would have agreed with non musician as I have found in my experience over the years that it seems like everyone at Oberlin is in a band. I have not found it to be at all “jock-ey” and to me athletics are very much in the background. But each of us has had our own experiences to draw from and that’s what makes this forum special.