Should I reconsider Oberlin as a possible school?

Midwestmomofboys
Tue, 17 Sep 2019 16:21:00 +0000

Oberlin provides a fantastic education and for many college students, at any school, the day to day experience is not particularly affected by the senior administration. The faculty has not changed significantly so the in-class experience is as strong as it ever was. Both my kids visited Oberlin several times and were impressed with the classes they visited. My prospective athlete loved the school and the coach, but did feel that being an athlete on campus would be a minority role. We have been on campus when his school competes against Oberlin, and the kids are regular college kids, certainly some are quirky, as might also be found at Wesleyan, Vassar, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr etc. Oberlin’s social justice culture is built into the fabric of the school, from the days when it was active in the abolitionist movement and admitted students of color. I think the bigger challenge for Oberlin is adapting quickly to the changing demographics/applicant pool. You can find Oberlin’s Strategic Plan online, which identifies areas of focus, including the well-publicized shift in student numbers from the Con to the College. There are also plans to evaluate the curriculum to develop more majors/programs/opportunities which will appeal to students looking to work in business etc.

If Oberlin feels like a good option, I would not remove it from your list because some senior administrators have made what others consider unwise PR, legal, and communication strategies.