Agree. I remember the saga (2016 to 2023) of Gibson’s Bakery vs. Oberlin College.
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I think you are right about the nature of the fear, but whether it has a legitimate basis is a different issue.
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Oberlin certainly isn’t for all students, but I would still encourage OP to attend for their first year and go from there. OP might also attend one of the accepted students’ days (assuming Oberlin is having those) and see how that goes…and do some research on the points below.
Additional observations from probably six visits over the last four years or so, including having one kid there for a couple of years…Academically, Oberlin is quite rigorous, nothing lacking about econ there (I don’t know about CS). Agree with michaeluwill about Ashby Scholars doing well.
The students and some of the admin involved in the Gibson’s situation are long gone. But the admin and trustees who took much too long to settle that lawsuit are still there.
There are fewer political type demonstrations than there used to be, but cancel culture is alive and well.
The dating pool for a straight, white non-athlete male is relatively limited.
Lastly, there is not much school spirit, and a clear divide between athletes and non-athletes. Athletic event attendance is comprised mostly of other athletes, many non-athletes don’t support the various teams.
@BIGGUYJJ Oberlin does have a reputation of being extremely progressive, but so do many of the LACs. I am posting Oberlin‘s FIRE ranking below. While it validates your concerns, please realize that the student comments come from those similar to you. You will meet and connect with those who seek a more apolitical social existence. Talk to upperclassmen, figure out which professors/classes to take. Every school has its social subsets. Moreover, you will learn tolerance and how to navigate politicized concerns making you a better person and professional later.
The OP got nearly a full ride.
Trying to get rescinded is a terrible idea. Effectively, that means getting poor grades. If they get rescinded from this school, no other school is going to want them, at least not for this fall.
OP, you’ve done very well for yourself. I’m not sure how prestige is having an effect on you. A college in the top 80 (by which I am guessing is somewhere near 80?) will be a good school, but it’s not going to be Harvard. My point is that prestige in itself is pretty meaningless. Edit: Oberlin is an amazing school. You are beyond lucky to go there. Not everyone there is protesting. Most people aren’t.
You, your parents, and your guidance counselor signed off on a binding agreement. Now you have cold feet. In life, you will have to do things you don’t necessarily think you want to do, and 99% of the time, you will be glad you did them. We can’t just hit delete on our decisions. This is reality. Go and make the most of it. Getting college almost fully paid for is so huge and so unattainable for so many that your best bet is to focus every single day on how lucky you are.
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There needs to be some sort of national collective agreement whereby if a kid is accepted ED, all other applications are automatically pulled via digital notification.
I think this is increasingly a problem. Kids are holding multiple spots.
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Yes, this student could possibly get him/herself and the school into trouble by not pulling the other apps. Are they going to arrest you? No, but it looks very bad for the school and if other schools find out, then you may indeed get rescinded.
OP, you signed off stating that you would pull the other apps so you need to do that asap.
Not sure which ranking is being used but US News has Oberlin #51. Last year was 39th but we know schools mainly are the same - but the methodology changed.
And in my mind, it’s more well known then others above it.
I’ve known about it since I was in HS whereas I didn’t know about, say F&M or Denison or others like that.
So not sure where top 80 is coming from (I know OP said it)…maybe a different ranking.
This might be hard to claim if it’s nearly a full ride.
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OP applied ED. Oberlin’s College of Arts & Sciences yield was just under 21% last application cycle (Class of 2027). Oberlin needs all the commits that it can get. Nevertheless, even Oberlin appreciates diversity.
EDIT: Removed the word “embarrassing” so that the thread can stay on topic & move on.
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If this is your political affiliation, you can find your people. You can be in the minority and still be fine. Oberlin College Republicans
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Embarrassing? How so? It’s higher than a lot of colleges on this list, including Case Western, Rose Hulman, UC Davis, Elon, and many other colleges.
There are lot of extremely well regarded colleges that have low yield rates. I don’t think Oberlin’s yield is indicative of anything much.
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I note many famous SLACs have low RD yields. The number of ED applications they deem well qualified that they get will of course affect the overall yield percentage, but then in RD, most still have to admit a lot of people for every one enrollment slot they still need to fill.
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20.95% is a low yield. But, yes, many other high ranked LACs also have low yields .
I think that’s a bit unfair. Would OP hold, for example, Case Western, at this low level ? Its yield is sub 15%. Or Kenyon at 18%.
Yields at many schools are low. Given the # of applicants it makes sense.
I’m guessing there’s many reasons for low yield in addition to # of applications per student. Oberlin’s last CdS is a few years old but like many top schools, it awarded need based aid to less than half.
My guess is a lot of yield is determined based on families (not on the cc but regular families) seeing $80k+ at one and a lot less at another. And that being a key reason for a college selection. OP is fortunate that Oberlin took that need for a decision away. Very lucky in fact - so many students aren’t given this opportunity.
OP should grasp this fantastic opportunity and any downplaying is unfair.
All schools aren’t for everyone but one doesn’t know til they try. Op spent a night there and felt good enough to go ED.
If the alternative is a community college - and the student worked hard to achieve this four year experience - it seems a bit short sighted to create negativity.
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Maybe it’s just the state of Ohio ? lol
The point remains that a College of Arts & Sciences with a yield of 20.95%–many of whom are ED applicants (about one-third), and many who receive merit scholarship awards, isn’t likely to be overly concerned about fit as much as about filling each first year class.
To me this indicates that they don’t practice yield protection (ex. waitlisting qualified students who they think may not attend).
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Getting rescinded like that is a terrible idea. Shows great immaturity. If the OP is not going to attend, better just to renege on the ED.
BUT as stated upthread, I’d recommend the OP start at Oberlin with the intent of staying all four years. A free ride at an excellent LAC is a gift and once there the OP can seek out social and academic fits.
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It’s not just SLACs. Moderately selective publics often have low yields, too.
Everybody’s NMSF merit darlings, Tulsa and Bama, are 8% and 18%, respectively. UConn and Bing are 18%. Michigan State and Clemson are 21% and 20%. I could go on.
There are a handful of yield superstars and then there’s everyone else. I know that a factor influencing Bing’s yield is that it ends up being unaffordable for families who might get free tuition but have to come up with ~$20,000 for room and board and expenses. They commute to a CUNY or local SUNY instead. Maybe Oberlin is gapping a lot of middle-income families and not discounting enough for full-pay families.
In any case, low/lower yield doesn’t mean it is a school of last resort for the kids who chose to go there.
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OP, if:
- Oberlin is affordable, and
- They offer CS and Econ (they do…), and a few other majors that could interest you…
Then you should go there with the intention of giving it a fair shot.
This is a great school. It, I think, is way underranked – I have always thought of Oberlin as one of the very best LACs in the Midwest, right there with Carleton, Grinnell, Mac, Kenyon.
So – just give it a fair shot. If you do that, and it still is a sour experience, well at least you will know that you tried.
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