Ohio State University

Recently, I transferred to Ohio State from a small SUNY school. People told me that the change would be jarring, that the size of Ohio St. would be overwhelming, that I'd hate it, blah blah.

Boy were they wrong.
Ohio State really is a "top tier" public university. I seriously believe that an undergraduate at this school will get an education equal to that at Berkeley, William & Mary, Virginia, UNC, etc. The facilities are top notch and the faculty tends to be very good. I've yet to come into contact with a lackluster professor.

The departments in which I spend most of my time (history and political science) are PHENOMENAL. Internationally renowned scholars abound in both. You're learning from the best at an institution like this.

I have not once felt like I've been treated as a number. People who say that are either insecure or just bluffing. Professors are always available and advisement staff are very helpful.

The campus is beautiful. Plenty of austere brick buildings, a gorgeous new library nearly complete, lots of green space, etc. Maintenance is top notch too.

Columbus is not a bad place to be for college. Sure, it's not D.C. or Chicago, but it's the best city in Ohio and probably the second-best college town in the Big 10. Lots of artsy stuff, concerts, exhibits and bars. If you're willing to get off your ass you'll find something to do.

Perhaps most importantly, OSU has the second-biggest alumni network in the entire country. It is a very recognizable name and every potential employer I've spoken too loves to say, "Oh yeah, I worked with a great guy from Ohio State" or "my boss went to Ohio State, he's doing really well for himself." While not an Ivy degree, it does carry a good amount of weight and should open doors after graduation.In short, this is a great public university. I like it here so far and am looking forward to having some good memories after my undergraduate career. Don't be intimidated by the size, I promise you will not be just a number.

1st Year Male -- Class 2010

Extracurricular Activities: A+, Social Life: B

I'm writing this review because I feel compelled to give the most accurate image of OSU as possible. As a new transfer student, I wasn't completely sure what to expect coming to OSU before I came here. Being from the Long Island area of New York, OSU doesn't get quite get the academic and social credit of other well-known schools in the Northeast/Midwest such as Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Miami U., BC, Maryland, GWU and Cornell. However, I think that this school is better than most of the major private/non-Ivy League schools in the North East, and definitely better the SUNY system schools because of its great location, dedicated faculty (I'm not talking about TA's, that's a different story), the price you pay for your education (even for an out of state student like myself) and the limitless activities you can do in Columbus (it's not NYC or DC, but those cities are so expensive that they're not really made for college students anyways). The major difference is that unlike those schools, OSU gets most its students from Ohio and the rest of the Midwest. While some may see that as a downside, I see it as refreshing, since it was my purpose to escape those snobby North East people. This school is big, VERY BIG, so if you're looking for your hand to be held during your college experience, don't come here. Aside from that, I have been impressed with pretty much everything I've seen here, except for the occasional hiccups in doing administrative work (Ex. finding an on-campus job, getting your Buck ID to work properly). But overall, I wouldn't change a thing, and I'm ultimately happy that I transferred to OSU from my previous school, a small liberal arts college in California, which was nowhere near as fun and enjoyable as OSU has been.

Some pieces of advice. If you can, take all of your math and science courses at your local community college. The math department at OSU sucks, because they give you 50 minutes to take a test that is nowhere near finishable in that amount of time. And if you have to take a math class, try signing up for night courses, because even though they are two hours long, they are actually taught by a full time professor, two days a week. With science classes, they are almost always easier at your local CC.

The two best programs at OSU are 1. Business, and 2. Engineering. If you decide to major in any one of these programs, you are definitely getting your money's worth. As a Business student, the Fisher College of Business is a mini campus on the north part of OSU's campus, with brand new buildings with state of the art facilities (we have a business library with an up-to-the minute stock ticker)! The career services staff does a good job of helping students critique their resume's, and in their job search. Also, Fisher has lots of Business related clubs (i.e. Undergraduate Finance Association), which will make your job search even easier because you will be bound to make some contacts along the way.

Sports are huge, and most of the teams at OSU are either good or great. Football is obviously king here, with everyone in central Ohio pretty much idolizing Jim Tressel and everyone else on the team. Basketball is also exciting, with Thad Matta coaching the team and making the sport more popular than it has been in a long time (but don't confuse us as a basketball school like Duke, UCLA, or UNC). Everyone has tons of school spirit, and you either grow to love it or hate it (I personally love it, since I never saw any of that at my old liberal arts school).

Columbus is a great college town, especially if you're a sports fan. Aside from all the sports teams OSU has to offer, you have the Columbus Blue Jackets and Columbus Crew, which offer $10-$25 dollar student tickets on certain nights, which is sweet. There are so many good bars and clubs near the University and on high street that I can't even tell you where to begin. Add to that concerts at Newport Music Hall and the Lifestyles Community Pavillion, shows and performances in OSU and around Columbus, gallery hopping at the beginning of each month, and German Village, you shouldn't be bored at any moment at this school.

And one last thing. Don't listen to others, or say to yourself that you are just a number at OSU. That's complete garbage. Professors are always accessible during office hours, and are always willing to chat with you about HW and grades (this is Central Ohio, not NYC, where people can be cut-throat). It's really up to you to decide how much of a quality education you are going to get here. And if you're bored or feeling lonely, join a club on campus, or do some other fun stuff on campus (Ex. house parties, frat parties, other social events). This is a big public university, so the type of students who do the best here are the one's that balance their academic studies while having fun at the same time. I have friends at Carnegie Mellon who have to study all the time and don't get to go out as much, so I feel lucky to be at a university like this one. In short, college is about finding yourself, and discovering what your passions are. I believe that OSU prepares students more for the real world better than say a small liberal arts college because it teaches you to be an independent person. The hardest thing for me when I first came here was finding my good, solid group of friends. However, once I did, I never looked back. I'm having the time of my life, while studying in a quality educational/business program. I highly recommend OSU as a large public University, especially for those in the North East who are looking for an alternative to the big name schools in the Northeast/Midwest, or can't afford to pay the more expensive Ivy/Public Ivy schools closer by.

1st Year Male -- Class 2012

Education Quality: A+, Useful Schoolwork: B