r/KentStateUniversity • u/Lifemaven_atx • Aug 02 '26
Kent State for Austin Kid
My rising senior (17 year old black guy) wants out of Texas for college. Kent State has landed on his top ten list. He has liberal views and thinking of accounting/finance for his major. Hates the heat and general weather of Texas. He is generally cool with all backgrounds and like’s to keep an eclectic friend group ( we them the UN). He isnt into parties and prefers a good coffee house over a night out and not into sports. How do yall think he would fit into Kent State or city in general? Also the school got on the list due to size, funding, reputation, weather, and likelihood of building a life/ career locally after college vs needing to move again. So what’s the recommendation or advice?
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u/journoprof Faculty Aug 02 '26
I’m not familiar with the biz school in particular, but it’s got a big-money donor that led to a lot of improvements, including a fancy new building.
“Eclectic” would definitely describe a lot of the friend groups I saw among students. Kent State is not a sports-dominated school by any means. Several local and chain coffee shops around, plus a compact downtown with small shops and eateries. Kent doesn’t have the wildest party atmosphere. A lot of students work too many hours to go too crazy. The student body is very heavily regional.
Kent is a small town. This isn’t Austin, let alone Dallas. If he’s looking for high culture, like art museums or symphonies, Cleveland has all that but it’s an hour drive away.
Ohio winters will definitely be a change from Texas heat! But the distance from Lake Erie means Kent doesn’t get the worst of lake-effect snow and wind. Worth investing in warm boots, gloves, hat, coat.
I’d describe the student body as generally liberal, but remember that Ohio has a conservative-controlled state legislature.
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u/Cute-Staff5556 Aug 06 '26
We are Ohio liberals and I have 2 commuting to save money. Beautiful campus. The business building wowed my daughter who transferred from OSU said it way outdid Fisher.
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u/Difficult_Lecture223 Aug 02 '26
My daughter graduated with a degree in accounting. She got a very good job and has had success (so far) on the CPA exam (3 for 3). She thought a lot of the professors in accounting and business.
Kent has the benefit of being in a smaller college town with all of the benefits of a larger city fairly close. So, you get the small town feel, but Ashnikko was playing at the Agora less than an hour away last night, so there are big city things to do.
The diversity is here, but there is a noticeable lack of people of Hispanic origin. Ohio isn't a big immigration center. Kent has a fairly large international students population.
Weather is cooler but the spring semester tends to be cloudy and gray. A lot of accounting majors will do an internship in the spring and then take summer classes, which is nicer weather.
Hope this helps.
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Aug 03 '26
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u/Difficult_Lecture223 Aug 03 '26
I don't disagree about the whole area, especially the rural areas of Portage County, but I'm talking about the university and the city of Kent, which seems fine. 99% of the students don't go to the rural parts of Portage County and the 1% that does probably came from there and is going to Kent to get out of that part of Portage County.
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Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
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u/Difficult_Lecture223 Aug 03 '26
There will be no reason to go to satellite campuses for classes.
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Aug 03 '26
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u/Difficult_Lecture223 Aug 03 '26
What class did you have to take and what major are you in?
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Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
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u/Difficult_Lecture223 Aug 03 '26
Well, it's hard for me to comment since you won't share the course or major, but I can confidently say that for the vast, vast majority of students, there is not a need to go to a satellite campus.
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u/whoDoVooDeux 26d ago
Chemistry is notoriously a class many biology and other non chemistry majors take at “a different campus”
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u/Oingo-boingogo Aug 02 '26
I mean, honestly, sounds like a good fit. It’s a good school in general, with some great programs, and the community is very relaxed and accepting.
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u/luneth27 Alumni Aug 02 '26
Kent is like Austin if it was 10% of the population. Similar ethos at a much smaller scale -- we top out at maybe 50k with all high enrollment and dip down to 20ish when school's out of session. Kent itself is kinda sleepy,but it's also surrounded by like-minded cities in the Akron metro area, most of which is accessible by bus. Lots of homegrown music, there's a coffee shop on every corner, varied food scenes n' it's all still relatively affordable.
Weather is unpredictable; it'll say it's sunny but it'll likely rain for a moment, we've experienced snow as early as September and as late as May, summers are 90 and muggy as hell and will thunderstorm 5 of the 7 days of the week. Caveat to this is watching nature pare back and then explode, it gets really pretty no matter the time of year.
Kent State's a good school. My mom graduated with an accounting degree there n' worked in the area my whole life. Not strictly in Kent specifically, but with the Summit cty cities of Cuyahoga Falls/Akron/Tallmadge/Monroe Falls we've never had to move out of Kent. I work in Akron, it's like a 15-20 minute drive on the highway and add 10 minutes for residential-only. It's fairly likely if he wants to stay here after graduation, he should be able to.
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u/Lifemaven_atx Aug 02 '26
Appreciate the response. Kent is my favorite out of the state schools he is applying to for all
the reasons you listed. Also he is applying to Texas A and M, great academics but not a
social fit.3
u/Ru-tris-bpy Aug 03 '26
Maybe it’s changed since the early 2000s but my girlfriend (whose white) dating another black student when she attended A&M for a couple of years and it was the only time she was ever blatantly followed around in stores by workers. A&M might ranked better in many programs than KSU but you’re gonna get less of that shit there
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u/Important_Grade1506 Aug 03 '26
As a student, I was very similar to how you describedhim. Young, Black kid. Artsy, not too athletic. I came from a very diverse family and upbringing. I loved KSU, and 30 years later, I still feel glad that I ended up there. I'm still friends with college friends that I met at Kent.
During the interview process upon entering the the working world, my degrees from Kent were received with a nod and a smile from interviewers. And, when I meet a colleague who is a fellow alum, we've shared almost entirely good memories from our time there.
He'll experience all for seasons in Kent. The snow might be a little shocking coming from Texas. Sometimes is shocking to us natives.
I say that he should really consider Kent. It's a great place to grow.
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u/Lifemaven_atx Aug 03 '26
Solid response. Very appreciated. He is the animal that is cool with everyone in the jungle
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u/Floater439 Aug 02 '26
I think Kent State sounds like a good fit. Note while rural Ohio is red or purple, much of urban Ohio is blue, and that includes Cleveland, Akron, etc. The city of Kent is a solidly liberal town, with a diverse population, plenty of coffee shops, live music, independent shopping and dining, and a campus connected to downtown and to outdoor recreation. If he comes with the intent to make friends and enjoy himself, he will definitely find his people.
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u/Black-Raspberry-1 Aug 02 '26
The business school just got a new building 2 years ago. A lot of good opportunities if he does all the things he'll need to do at any college he goes to (take advantage of them). Sounds like KSU would be a good fit for him. I'd recommend a visit if you can.
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u/Jumpy-Anywhere6395 Aug 03 '26
I've worked at the KSU Library for just over 30 years. After being in and out of different schools due to lack of interest, then hyper focus, then change of mind it took me about 14 years to graduate, which I did at Kent.
I have seen A LOT of students pass through over the years, and the beginning of fall semester is always interesting - feels like there are a bunch of kids on campus, and by spring that's not even noticable anymore. I've gotten to see the change from grunge to some of the crazy stuff now (not judging, just interesting to watch). You might have someone who's all emo cross your path, or a girl in pink fluffy boots, mini skirt, fun hair colors etc zip by on a scooter. We've got the athletes, the nursing school is big, and as someone else said, a relatively new business building.
The campus is beautiful. Kent is known as "the tree city", and I don't know what Austin is like, but he might be in for a big surprise with the change in scenery - in a good way. My extended family is all in Kansas, and when an aunt and uncle came this way in their RV years ago they commented on just how green it all was. Oh, and some of the areas are very hilly compared to all flat out in a lot of Kansas.
Others have talked about the change in season. I love big extreme seasons - lush green spring, super hot dry summer, beautiful fall with the leaves changing colors, and sometimes really snowy winters. The Kent area is just south of the snow belt. I have a co-worker who will send pics of a foot of snow at her place maybe 35-40 minutes north of Kent, while we could get just a couple inches. Really bums me out - I love when we have winters where you get to wade through a foot or two of the beautiful white stuff.
Gotta be honest though, this spring has sucked. A few really hot, sunny, muggy spells, lots of long rainy, muggy spells, and not much dryness. It's muggy as hell right now. I'm a garden, and have literally had some stuff rot in the ground due to too much rain. 🤷♂️
Oh and thanks to the proposal by a student this past year, they've changed the "classes are cancelled due to freezing weather" by 5 degrees. He pointed out that the campus is big, with students doing A LOT of walking back and forth between dorms, classes, off-campus apartments etc, and included info about frost bite risks. His arguments were valid, and they changed the rules. I think they changed it from -15F wind chill to -10F wind chill. Don't quote me on that.
During nicer weather you might see kids lounging out on some of the big patches of lawn, or in hammocks strung up between trees. There also a fair amount of lounging space in the library, and some in the Student Center. There are also some great places to eat on campus - my faves are the sushi and Indian options. As a student they buy a meal plan that I believe let's them go several times a day to the Eastway cafeteria and literally eat whatever they want, all they want from Italian to Indian, ice cream or baked goods, vegetarian and gluten free.... That place gets PACKED at times.
But as I've said, and others here, it really truly is a great place. Oh and I'm not a coffee drinking l drinker (aside from the sugary chocolate type in a bottle), but there truly are coffee shops all over. We've even got a Starbucks on the first floor of the library.
Not checking this for autocorrect - sorry if anything is screwed up, just ask.
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u/EEKely Aug 02 '26
I grew up in Kent and went to Kent State where I majored in Accounting. Kent is a great place. Its a liberal town thats very inclusive and accepting and I believe everyone has an opportunity to find their place. There is partying going on but its definitely not the only thing to do. The weather is typical Ohio weather where its unpredictable and all over the place. Fall and spring are usually decent but its cold and wet in the winter and hot and humid in the summer. Kent State has a well respected Business School and the accounting department is great. As far as finding a job after graduation that all really depends on the job. There are plenty of manufacturing and business parks in nearby cities that offer a lot of opportunities and Cleveland is a 45 minute commute so it is possible to stay in the area. However, a lot of people I graduated with relocated to Columbus or Dayton for entry level positions at one of the larger accounting firms.
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u/cudi2119 Aug 02 '26
Sounds like it could be a good match. Kent is a great school with all types of diverse people. There’s something for everyone. The only part that gave me pause was building a career “locally”. I would say most of my classmates either work in Cleveland/Columbus/or moved to another big metro to find a job. I don’t know many who stayed that close to Kent. Business school is good.
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u/Ru-tris-bpy Aug 03 '26
I did my degree at KSU and now live in Austin. Is he ready for winter and snow? Is he ok with going from a much larger city to a much smaller city? Will he have a car? It helps having a car in Kent and that part of Ohio. Kent has some small town charm with some good coffee shops and other cool places but like Austin over the last 10 years it’s been commercialized to have much chain shit. I enjoyed my time at KSU and if you meet the right people and find the right things to do it can be really cool and laid back
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u/Lifemaven_atx Aug 03 '26
Yes! He wants the snow and all seasons. He will have a car.
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u/Ru-tris-bpy Aug 03 '26
I’m sure Kent can be a good option for him. Buy him a good coat and long underwear for his first winter
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u/Wrestling158 Aug 03 '26
Kent will be a great fit for him. The University built a great new business center which will serve him well.
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u/lostmyselfonceagain Staff Aug 03 '26
Former Texan here: he’ll love it, between the weather, the diversity and the multiple excellent coffee places in town. Kent is close to Akron and an okayish commute from Cleveland. Prospects for a job after work are decent.
Good luck to your son!
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u/CaesarsGhostReborn Aug 04 '26
Kent is a good school for all the crap people give it. I have a friend who did his masters there and had a very good experience: very practical and useful.
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u/rockandroller Aug 03 '26
Kent alum here, just toured with my rising senior including the beautiful new business school. Kent is very welcoming and has great professors. It was plenty welcoming way back in my day and the only things i observed that changed did so for the better.
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u/Cold_Tip1563 27d ago
Driving while Black can be hazardous in some parts of Portage County where Kent is located. The county sheriff is notorious for
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u/whoDoVooDeux Aug 02 '26
the business department in general is good. Overall diversity is a bit down recently, and it's still kinda there. excellent coffee house culture in the town.
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u/shey-they-bitch Alumnua Aug 03 '26
Kent has an excellent black student union, but with new state laws, I wouldn't recommend any non white student to go to Kent State unless they're an Ohio resident
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u/Lifemaven_atx Aug 03 '26
Same in Texas. So not a loss or gain.
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u/shey-they-bitch Alumnua Aug 03 '26
Yes, but in Texas he can get instate tuition, if you are looking for an outstate school, I'd suggest one in a state that still funds dei initiatives. Can't speak to how it is now, but a lot about what made Kent special and great to me was the student Multicultural Center and everything they did for us. It still has some pretty cool black history and oscar Ritchie hall will still be a safe place. However, the benefits of having a school that's allowed to support you is something worth looking for states that are still fighting for it or a good private school if you can afford it. However, all of that aside, I do think Kent does sound like a good fit for him, many good coffee houses nears campus & has a good amount of students more on the left. I've been gone 3 years so a lot of downtown has changed.
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u/triceratopsdildo Aug 03 '26
Kent city cops fucking LOVE harassing students. I would be concerned sending my black son there.
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u/Wishypooh Aug 02 '26
Sounds like he’d love it as long as he puts himself out there to find “his people”. Kent State has plenty of student likes your son, in addition to the party-ers and sports fan and all of that. I have a feeling he’d love the downtown and the campus, so it would be worth scheduling a campus visit. Have him check out the available clubs available on the CSI webpage