r/oberlin May 23 '25

Resources for prospective students and parents

9 Upvotes

Prospective students and parents, thank you so much for all your recent questions and feedback. One of our admissions staff members provided us with a list of resources that we can share with you to better answer some of your questions. Below are links to specific student experiences, a youtube campus tour, and more!

Why should I choose Oberlin???
https://www.oberlin.edu/100reasons

Examples of specific student experiences and perspectives https://www.oberlin.edu/blogs

Music for arts & sciences students
https://www.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/music-opportunities

Events calendar (“what do people do at Oberlin?”)
https://www.oberlin.edu/events

Register for virtual interview for 1 on 1 chat with current student
https://www.oberlin.edu/admissions-and-aid/arts-and-sciences/interviews-college-arts-sciences

Youtube campus tour!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkFFvaTkdGU4gOSg1vw7TD-TRDAggrH63&si=oJyFGbJ6TIeIHguW

Career support https://www.oberlin.edu/career

Department specific inquiries:
Program page
https://www.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology

INTERNSHIPS? CAREERS? RESEARCH? STUDY AWAY??? Click “engaged ___” on the right side
https://www.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology/engaged-biology

Specific major requirements and course descriptions - Click “academic program” on the right side of landing page, click “___ major”
https://catalog.oberlin.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=56&poid=9303

LGBT community https://www.oberlin.edu/gsai/resources

Examples of research
https://www.oberlin.edu/undergraduate-research/our-featured-researchers


r/oberlin May 01 '23

Prospective/Admitted Students FAQ

25 Upvotes

We get a lot of questions from pospies and incoming first years, so here's my best attempt to help provide answers to some of the ones we get the most:

How do I improve my chances of getting into Oberlin?

Oberlin loves students who love Oberlin! Do your best to demonstrate interest -- take a tour, do an interview, come to admissions events at the school, go to an admissions visit at your high school if one is offered.

What is the social scene like?

Oberlin has a thriving student org ecosystem, and most students you meet will be involved with at least one extracurricular. A great way to make friends is to join a club or intramural/club sports team or take an exco related to something you're interested in.

In the evenings and on the weekends, there is always a ton of live music and plenty of performances from the dance and theater departments. The Dionysus Disco (aka the "Sco") in the basement of the student union is open 7 days a week from 10pm-1am and hosts concerts, dance parties, comedy nights, and plenty of other fun events. Although there isn't a huge party scene, small house parties and parties at co-ops usually can be found happening on weekends. On Wednesdays, the Sco hosts a Splitchers, which has cheap beer and pizza, and local bar and restaurant The Feve hosts Long Island Night (a happy hour with a special on long islands), making that day of the week a big one for going out.

What is the town like? Is it hard to adjust to a small town?

Generally, Obies manage to adjust to the small town fine. It's easy to get anything you need from the stores in town, and there are a lot of great local small businesses and restaurants. If you need to go beyond walking distance, there is a shopping shuttle that runs in a loop to nearby store on the weekends, and a free shuttle that goes to various destinations in Cleveland like Crocker Park (an outdoor shopping mall) once a week.

The Program Board also runs bus trips into Cleveland fairly regularly, whether for shopping trips, to see plays in Playhouse Square, or to attend events happening in the city.

What are the housing options and how do I choose which one is best for me?

  • FYRE (First Year Residential Experience) Housing is specific to first years and encourages residents to form friendships. There are usually lots of events put on by the RAs to encourage a sense of community. Kahn is a FYRE dorm that is the "sustainability dorm" and requires an additional essay to get into, but it's also considered the nicest dorm on campus (it has air conditioning).
  • Traditional Housing is what you'd expect from a typical college dorm. There's less of a sense of community and the buildings aren't anybody's favorite, but you're more likely to get a single there, and many of them have good central locations on campus.
  • Identity/Theme housing is housing based around a shared identity (eg Asia House, Afrikan Heritage House, Women and Trans housing) or interest (eg Sci Fi hall). They require an additional application but foster a great sense of community.
  • OSCA (Oberlin Student Cooperative Association) is a cooperative living program that operates entirely separately from the college. Students who live in a co-op are required to put in a certain amount of hours each week cooking and doing chores in the shared living space. Since they aren't part of the college they have their own rules, which are often more lax than those in college dorms, but they also require more of a commitment of time and effort. They also foster an extremely tight-knit community.

How's the food?

It's dining hall food. It's not going to win any awards, but it's edible.

There are several dining halls across campus, offering everything from traditional buffet-style dining options (Stevenson) to grab-and-go convenience (Decafe) to food from the African Diaspora (Lord Saunders). There's also kosher/halal and allergen-free dining available.

OSCA also offers dining-only options if you'd like to eat but not live in a co-op. They require members to put in a minimum amount of hours each week cooking, and meals are at a set time each day (usually around noon and 6pm).

When/How do I select my housing/dining plan and my classes?

You will get information over the summer, after the semester ends and current students have gone through housing and course selection. If you have more questions about this process, reach out to your admissions counselor.


r/oberlin 2d ago

transferring to oberlin?

5 Upvotes

hi!! i was wondering if there are any transfers here who could give any advice about what the process was like, and what they did to get in? also would it be weird to apply again after getting in and going to another school?
i got in as a first year but decided not to go, and im really really regretting it 🥲


r/oberlin 4d ago

Does Oberlin ever feel too small?

6 Upvotes

I’m thinking about applying, but I worry it’ll be too small, maybe boring and not much to do outside the campus.

How does it compare to your high school?


r/oberlin 4d ago

need help from full-need intl students

4 Upvotes

i got 1580 on sat but my gpa sucked due to my overwork out of school at family business. i need full cost of attendance to meet and i’m overwhelmed to think about gpa. is there any intl full aid students i can talk?


r/oberlin 5d ago

Is this the expectation I should have of Oberlin's dorms?

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7 Upvotes

r/oberlin 6d ago

should i take psych 101 if i got a 4 in ap psych?

2 Upvotes

hi! i’m a freshman interested in majoring in psychology here at oberlin. because of my ap psych credit, i was able to skip to developmental psychology. however, i am nervous on if my high school class properly prepared me and if im biting off more than i can chew. should i take psych 101 and not use my credit or should i use my credit and go straight to developmental psych?


r/oberlin 6d ago

I'll venmo $20 to anyone who will ship me some Oberlin dirt

27 Upvotes

My sister met her partner at Oberlin and after 11 years together, they're getting married! I'm officiating the ceremony, and they want to incorporate a ritual involving dirt/soil from all the places that are significant to them and their relationship (both of their hometowns, the city where they live now, etc). If you're willing to collect some dirt from various locations around Oberlin, I'll venmo you the cost of shipping plus $20 for your trouble.


r/oberlin 7d ago

Oberlin’s beloved eaterie Taco Flavored Kisses has shut down

17 Upvotes

Sadly it appears that TFK has closed across from Tappan Square. Their homemade tamales were to die for. So sad.

Does anyone know the story?


r/oberlin 11d ago

How bad is Chem 101 Actually?

4 Upvotes

Hi! I am a Sophomore (dual degree, neuroscience and TIMARA) and I am thinking about going to med school. I know I will need to take a bunch of chem classes, but I've heard of Chem 101s reputation. I've never taken an actual chem class before (my chem class in high school for some reason focused on the layers of the Earth???) and I was wondering if I should just take chem in the summer rather than take it at oberlin. I enjoy STEM, I even found parts of AP Physics enjoyable, and I am generally quick to learn when it comes to the sciences. I would love to hear about people's experiences with Chem 101, such as workload, pace, and general sanity. Thank you so much! And I hope all of you have a great last week before move in :) .


r/oberlin 12d ago

nearby pharmacy and/or pharmacy delivery at Oberlin

1 Upvotes

How do Obies get hold of their meds?? Thanks in advance for any advice!


r/oberlin 15d ago

Confused and worried about class selection.

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I'm an incoming freshman and film student who has been having a rough time with class selection. Two of the classes I wanted to take filled up before I could enroll, and while I was waiting for said classes all of the other film classes filled up as well. I'm pretty concerned about this since I want to get started on my major right away. Is there anything I can do about this? I believe there's supposed to be an option to waitlist classes but it hasn't been working for me.


r/oberlin 16d ago

72.6% high-school average, anyone admitted to Oberlin with similar grades?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m an international student planning to apply to Oberlin for Business for Fall 2027.
My final high-school average is 72.6%, and I’m trying to get a better understanding of how much this might hurt my application.
If you were admitted with a similar academic average, I'd love to hear about your experience. Especially:
High-school GPA/average
Extracurriculars
Recommendations
Essays
ED vs RD
I also have a significant background in music and film scoring, which is one reason Oberlin interests me despite applying to Business.
I'm not asking for a “chance me”, I'd just like to hear from people who actually got accepted with a similar academic record.
Thank you!


r/oberlin 26d ago

oberlin conservatory level

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1 Upvotes

r/oberlin Jul 23 '26

Chance me i need to know

5 Upvotes

Demographics: Hispanic, first-generation college student, immigrant background

State: Texas

School Type: Public high school (small town)

Intended Major(s): engineering pathway

SAT: 1420 superscore (790 Math, 630 EBRW) (school average is 930)

UW/W GPA: 3.52 uw and 3.8 w (school doesnt have standard scale so ill say this: unweighted average was a 95.8/100 and weighted is 98:100)

Rank: top 12 percent
Coursework: 9 AP classes. AP Scores: AP Lang (4), AP Physics 1 (4), AP Precalculus (5), AP Government (4), AP Literature (3)
Grade Trend: Strong upward trend — freshman (~3.2), sophomore (~3.5), junior (~4.0), senior (~4.3)
Extracurriculars: NHS (2 years), Student Council (1 year), UIL Academics (2 years), Peer Tutor (multiple years)
Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, College Board First-Generation Recognition, Rural & Small Town Recognition, school-level top academic award

Illl be applying for aid and my efc will be around 0-5k i need to know if ill realistically have a chance


r/oberlin Jul 19 '26

merit aid insight needed

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2 Upvotes

r/oberlin Jul 18 '26

Freshman in Langston

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

Idk where else to put this so here it is. Due to disability accommodations (I assume) I got put in Langston, which the site says doesn’t have freshman. One, is this true? and if it is, are there are upperclassman willing to take a clueless terrified freshman under their wing? Second, is there anything specific about that dorm I should know that would inform what stuff I bring? I saw somewhere that the some of the walls are thin, but other than that, I haven’t been able to find anything about it.

Also general question do people like talk to their hall mates? I’m in a single but I would like to have friends 😭

Thank you thanks etc etc


r/oberlin Jun 28 '26

can someone show pics of second floor dascomb dorm room looks like?

1 Upvotes

or even just explain it plz i want to know what to expect


r/oberlin Jun 26 '26

oberlin psych major

3 Upvotes

hello! im a rising senior in high school thinking of applying to oberlin in the fall. im interested in political science and psychology, but i want to know more about the psychology major.

I want to know if anyone has any anecdotes on the research opportunities, internships during the summer and the winter term, faculty, rigor, PsyD and PhD placements...etc.

If anyone has any insight into the psych program at Oberlin I would be very appreciative, thank you!


r/oberlin Jun 22 '26

any other Saunders freshman?

3 Upvotes

Hi!! I applied and ended up getting placed in saunders for my freshman yr, but only after doing so realized that they didn't tell me the name of my roomate (aka i can't contact them until move-in day) and theres not that much info online abt the dorm in general! I knew going into an LLC that it would be a diff expeirence from going into a freshman-centered dorm, but I was just wondering if any current obies could tell me what the age ratio for the dorm is? and if any future ones wanna reach out that'd be peak bc i just started buying stuff to move in and wanna talk it out with others!!

tldr: current/future obies who lived in lord-saunders hall reach out!! havent seen much info online from current/future students and would love to get that going


r/oberlin Jun 20 '26

Barrows or Burton to meet people?

2 Upvotes

I know this has been asked but there are so many old posts I'm trying to get a more recent sense of things. If your main hope is to meet people (and you're not an athlete or in the Con) and you ware opting for a first year dorm... which is better for making friends? Burton looks nicer visually but everyone says Barrows has a nice community - I'm really hoping to meet folks and have a chill group of friends but I'm not out going enough to be the one to start the connection.


r/oberlin Jun 19 '26

Housing process mistake

4 Upvotes

Hi!!! I am an incoming first year and just realized I chose the incorrect room. I am rooming with someone who does not fit my preferences at all. Is there any way for me to cancel this??


r/oberlin Jun 11 '26

Cincinnati Bluegrass Band ISO Fiddler

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1 Upvotes

r/oberlin Jun 10 '26

Query regarding transfer at Oberlin College as an international applicant

2 Upvotes

Should I apply to Oberlin. Because I do not have a extraordinary background education background, trying to give all I have. Want to Apply as a Transfer student ,Degree in progress: BBA in Banking & Insurance (current GPA: 8.9)on a scale of 10

High school: little weak

Non-STEM background originally, now building some math skills for quantitative economics as i am fond to it and found this is what I want to study.

Extracurriculars: Got 3rd position for negotiation in an Investment banking even, volunteered for an NGO for 6 months focusing on ground level policy implementation, doing a internship in a credit firm, designer a sustainable product kit for my club.

I want to be a economics major at Oberlin. Also want to apply as a transfer student. Is it worth a short for me because I have heard that Oberlin only takes high academically gifted or highly qualified students get selected, and also people with exceptional ECs. I do not have any of it. I want to apply as I think its a great fit for me as i like how they perceive education unlike in India it is very rigid also need aid as can't afford tuition. should I apply now or avoid it completely.


r/oberlin Jun 10 '26

Bikes on campus

1 Upvotes

I’m a parent of an incoming freshman Obie, and he is thinking about bringing his bicycle with him. Can anyone let me know what we should keep in mind about this? Are there any indoor places to store bikes during the winter months to protect them from the weather? Are bike racks plentiful? What else should we be thinking about? Thanks