Oberlin College Top Questions

The best academics in the Mid-West bar none. The professors are not only accessible as resources and friends, in many cases they are the go to people in their field.

Intense academics, but interesting and fun. Profs are all amazing. you don't even realize it. Learning for it's own sake is what oberlin is about.

Every professor you are currrently in a class with (at least in every class I've ever taken) will make at least a concerted effort to learn your name ... sometimes it's difficult in a class with 65 people but they try their best and genuinely apologize when they get it wrong. It is rare to find a class where students do not participate in the development and direction of a class discussion. If students are at all competitive, it is against themselves, always trying to do something better than they did before. It is not uncommon to walk out of a room with a group of students who continue their class discussion all the way down the block and through a meal. The most unique academic class I've taken has to be History of American Sexuality. The education here is not really geared toward getting a job, it is far more about learning for the thrill and pleasure of it, but it is not difficult to craft your course load so that you will learn desirable skills for the job market (if you already know what job you want and what those skills are - most people are far more unfocused than that, though).

Ok so the classes are small, some professors will give a shit about you, others wont. All the professors appreciate genuine interest. I'm a psych and neuro double major, and the neuro classes are really challenging, and I consider myself someone who knows how to study. But there are some very easy majors. Learning is for its own sake but with an eye towards practical application, not necessarily a specific job, since our majors are not that specific. (small school- so we have psychology, not clinical psych versus developmental psych as two seperate majors) Oberlin students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class. I have like 10 a week. Students are not that competitive. You need intrinsic motivation here.

Favorite class: Approaches to Western Art with Erik Inglis. He is amazing, so helpful. The class was easily the best reason I have ever found to wake up before 9 AM. Art history can be boring fairly easily, but Erik made the class enjoyable, starting out by telling us that "I don't know" are the best three words and that we're going to look stupid at some point, but that's okay because that's how you learn. Graphic Narrative with Dan Chaon is for the comic book nerds among you, and those who strive to be comic book nerds. Dan's great. Students study a lot, but they know when to take breaks and how to manage time so they can make it to the improv show at the Cat in the Cream later, or to their Poi Exco Monday night. Professors are ridiculously helpful. Take advantage of Office Hours if you're having trouble. I ended up having amazing conversations with several of my professors when I finally went to Office Hours. My art history professor found out I want to work in a museum and started telling me what classes would help me most and what extracurricular programs would be helpful as well.

I love Oberlin professors. I have not yet had a professor who I didn't like. I may not have found their lecture style interesting or been annoyed at quirk in their grading style but I have never disliked a professor. Professors here are generally very easy to approach at office hours or if you're just walking by their office and see them in there. I've also been invited to (and accepted) invitations to professors' houses for dinner or end of the year banquets. Even if you're not in a small class (less than 20 students) profs go out of their way to learn your name. I have a professor who I had first semester freshman year remember me and my name on the first day of class this semester (2nd sem junior yr). If I run into a professor from a previous year or semester they remember me and its not uncommon for us to just have a conversation about something either related or unrelated to the topic of the class I took with them. Professors are genuinely interested in seeing students succeed and will often hold review sessions, help a student one on one or set up a student tutor if further help is needed. Academics here are rigorous and challenging. I never feel as if I'm breezing through a class and in my more difficult classes there are always options available for help like review sessions, profs office hours, student study groups, student tutors. There is a lot of freedom in designing your course of study at Oberlin since there aren't any required classes. Instead there are distribution requirements making sure you take a broad range of classes in many different departments. This let me explore some departments I might not have explored otherwise such as the religion and anthropology departments. Even major and minor requirements generally offer a great deal of flexibility. So while there are no concentrations that appear on your transcript if you are interested in plant bio you probably won't take any animal physiology or development courses. But if you're interested in both you can take both animal and plant courses. I do spend a considerable amount of time on school work, especially as I have started taking more upper-level courses but my friends and I always manage to find time to have fun. A really neat program at Oberlin is the Exco program. Exco is the Experimental College in which students, profs, even townspeople can teach classes. There are so many fun things like juggling, swing dancing, horse care, pottery, martial arts, reading Calvin and Hobbs, watching Firefly. You can count 5 Exco credits toward your general graduation total.

Academics are tough and classes are demanding - especially in terms of being expected to think for yourself. I think Oberlin doesn't always try to prepare students for a job as much as for loving learning, or for academia or the next degree.

Oberlin academics focus on teaching students to critically think and analyze things for themself. Professors are intelligent and helpful. Classes cover a wide variety of topics, with an emphasis on a liberal arts education. The natural science department (particullarly biology and chemistry) is among the best in the country. Humanities courses are excellent. The only departments to really fail to impress are the Comparative American Studies and Philosophy departments.

Students at Oberlin are not competitive. They learn because they want to. Professors are for the most part very nice and easy to get to know. Some professors are very good and some are not. As with all schools, visiting professors are hit or miss. Oberlin is not a "hard" college. If you are smart or study a lot, you will do well. This is not to say it's not a good college--I learned a lot in each class I have take. Professors make it easy to learn. Requirements are easy to fulfill so you can explore and take what you want. Class discussions are often boring. Some students don't seem to have smart things to say in class. Good professors have A LOT to say and are very knowledgeable and fun to listen to.

Excellent, excellent, excellent. Also, it's easy to study abroad for a semester: Oberlin really encourages it.

Oberlin academics are incredibly high quality but relatively low pressure. Everyone works hard but enjoys their homework (it is extremely rewarding) and the professors are very helpful and accessible. Intellectual conversations outside of class are constant. The most unique classes are called Excos and are taught by students or members of the community. My freshmen year I took an exco on the social implications of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Academics are amazing. People here seem to know everything! It's a little intimidating, but like always, if you go to office hours and try your best, you will do fine. You are encouraged to try new classes. The faculty doesn't want you to fail, and they want you to experiment with things that are new to your academic world.

My professors in my non-lecture classes know me by name. The first-year seminars are great for that, and I can count on those professors to write recommendations for me if I need them. My favorite class this year was music history, the professor really loved it and made it so interesting and fun! Class participation is very common, and I can only speak for myself when I say that I study for at least a few hours every day, depending on the types of classes I have. I don't feel a whole lot of competition, I feel like that would be more prevalent in the conservatory. I don't spend time with my professors outside of class, but I certainly get on the best with my private flute teacher (she's the closest to my age). I feel like it really depends on your degree as to whether or not Oberlin is job-geared. As for me, there is absolutely no way I could get a job with a music history degree from the college (as opposed to the conservatory), but since I'm premed, I want to take advantage of Oberlin's musical resources before I'm tossed into a completely science-filled world after I graduate.

I've been very fortunate with my academics since freshman year. I made some bad choices with my courses my first semester, but ever one since then has been smooth sailing. All the professors in the theater department know me and I'm on first name bases with a couple of math and chem professors. One of my favorite classes was with a 'Obie Legend' Bob Young (who'll retire soon). It was the incredibly difficult course on Multi-Variable Calculus. It was that class that made me want to be a math major. It was inspiring and insane. Conceptual and challenging. Loved it. My least favorite class, by far, was a first year seminar called 'Uses of Metaphor'. The course description and syllabus were both promising. However, the professor, John Hobbes (coincidence) was horrendous. Our discussions consisted of us talking and him telling us that we're wrong. It was awful. He didn't like it when people had opinions that differed from his. For my final paper, I just asked him what he wanted me to write. So I did everything he told me to, down to the letter. I got an A. I was not happy with that class at all. I think most students (I can't speak for them all) have very intellectual conversations outside of class. Actually, it could be considered very odd. Everyone talks about philosophy, physics, art (mostly art) and music when not in class. Even when high. Especially when high. Some students come from very competitive schools and feel lost in Oberlin a little. It isn't a competitive school. I know my instinct is to check what my classmates got on a quiz...but after the first semester, I stopped caring about other people's grades and focused on my own. I haven't had any problems with competition. We all want to do well. The only competition that occurs is when it's personal between two people. I love both my majors. The math department is extremely nurturing (as it is an incredibly tough subject) and all of the professors are there to help. My adviser, Bob Bosch, met with me every week to help me with homework in his upper level Operations Research class. Theater is also a very strong department. People who come out of the Oberlin Theater department usually have a strong education in either acting (especially Shakespeare) or directing. It's a small department, so it isn't too difficult to break into the bigger shows. And there are always student productions going on to supplement the faculty productions. The academic requirements, especially for a double major like me, can be frustrating. I won't be able to take all the courses I want senior year because I need to get right of some core requirements, for example. However, it's all geared to give us a comprehensive liberal arts education. The academics are most certainly geared towards learning for its own sake. Almost to a fault. The cinema studies department almost didn't exist because on paper it looked to be too vocational for the administration. Especially in the arts majors like Film, Theater and Creative Writing, the education in how to be good is excellent but there is little instruction on how to use it in the real world. I wish there were more classes that focused on getting agents and whatnot. On the other hand, the other departments, like Math, flourish due to the school's academic nature. I love learning math for it's own sake.

The professors at Oberlin truly care about students and do their best to get to know as many students as they can. They are very dedicated. However, they usually do not offer enough sections for popular classes. Oberlin needs to higher more professors.

Professors know you by name, most classes are fairly small and teachers usually love to help you outside of class as well. Very dynamic range of good areas to study.

I love most of my professors here. They are really nice and genuinely care about students. if you're struggling, they will do their best to help you. You really learn a lot in the classes and there is a VERY wide range of things to learn about - there are many eclectic, unusual, interesting classes.

The academics at Oberlin are excellent. The professor work extra hard to know your name, your academic strengths and weaknesses, despite whether it's a lecture size class, or small discussion based class. The only issue I have had with unresponsive professors is in the psychology department, which I have heard from other students as well. I am a studio arts major, and the teachers within my major are absolutely amazing and inspiring. I literally, am inspired and challenged every day to push myself and develop my role as an artist. The art teachers, and my adviser are supportive, intelligent, caring and awe inspiring.

Wonderful. Amazing professors in small classes, not the toughest graders generally.

Academics at Oberlin - for me - have been really great thus far. I am an English/art history double major with a theater minor. The theater department is too small and it is notoriously hard to get into art classes (art history majors have to take one art class in order to graduate), but overall the class selection is pretty good. If you just go beg a teacher you can usually get into a class, with a few exceptions, of course. A lot of my classes are discussion and most of them are small, which I really like. With one exception, every professor I've had has been great. Most of them are willing to help you out in any way they can and I feel really close to some of them - especially my advisor. I went to brunch with him over winter term and it was fun. The requirements at Oberlin are pretty easy to complete as long as you schedule yourself correctly.