Liberal Arts Colleges

the Complete Guide to Liberal Arts Colleges

You are here: Home / Schools / Oberlin College

Oberlin College

Oberlin, OH
Take me to Survey Results
Oberlin College

Photo: Oberlin College. Retrieved from: unknown source.

Oberlin College is the first institution in the United States to admit female students and African-American students. Another historic contribution is the connection of Oberlin with the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the country’s oldest conservatory. Oberlin is also renowned known for producing alumni that earn doctoral and other terminal degrees. Students of Oberlin can cross register in other universities and colleges as Oberlin College is a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association and the Five Colleges of Ohio consortium.

Nearly three thousand students are in Oberlin, hard at work in pursuing their degrees by choosing from an eclectic array of majors in the college of arts and sciences, and in the conservatory of music . The degrees that a student can earn include Bachelor of Music, a double degree (Bachelor of arts and Bachelor of Music), Masters degrees in Music, Music in Historical Performance and Music Teaching. Many of the world’s most acclaimed conductors and opera performers have honed their craft in Oberlin.

School History

The college and the town were established together in 1833 by Presbyterian ministers. John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart took the name of Alsatian minister Jean-Frederic Oberlin and named the town and the institution after him. When Charles Finney became president of the college, the institution, then called Oberlin Collegiate Institute, rose to prominence.

The first students of Oberlin college graduated in 1841 and became the first women in America to receive Bachelor of Arts degrees.

Admitting African-American students in an institution was unheard of prior to the civil war, which made Oberlin’s policy to admit African-American students in 1835 a historic decision. In 1844, George B. Vashon, the future founder of Howard University, graduated from Oberlin College. He was also the first black American lawyer admitted to the Bar in New York.

In 1850, the Oberlin Collegiate Institute was renamed Oberlin College by an Act of the Ohio Legislature.

Oberlin is one of the most progressive colleges, and hence made headlines by the turn of the century. In 1970, Oberlin made news for allowing men and women to share the same residence halls.

Campus Life

There is no shortage of student activities at Oberlin, with over 200 active student groups to join. Service programs and organizations that are geared toward community involvement are very popular. Oberlin students are adventurous in their studies and most of the students are involved in civic pursuits and cultural endeavors.

Most of the students live in school, in women only or in co-ed dormitories. The women only halls include Baldwin Cottage for Women, and one safe space residence for women and transgender students. Students are allowed to allow any student of any gender to room with them in dormitories that necessitate sharing of one room or living space. There are also houses that are set up to allow students with language or cultural affinities to stay together.

Many students, however, look forward to the time when they can apply for Village Housing. This kind of arrangement can help a student wean from college life because of the autonomy. Village housing is for seniors or graduating students.

Financial Aid

Oberlin devotes a sizable percentage of its budget to meeting the financial needs of its students. The first step to obtaining aid is to submit all application for aid to the Office of Financial Aid. After a thorough evaluation of the financial need, packages including scholarships, grants, work-study options and loans are offered to the student and his or her family.

The Office of Financial Aid also accommodates questions on financial planning, and offers a confidential financial counseling for the family of the student. Students whose economic status drops because of various reasons like divorce, death, or illness may apply for re-calculation of financial need.

Rankings

2017 College Rankings

Best Colleges - Academic ChallengeBest Colleges - Collaborative Environment

Overview

Despite college rankings and countless beautiful college websites, most students and families know very little about the actual student experience at particular schools. College websites, campus tours and conversations with high school guidance counselors provide very limited information.

The Voice of the Student Survey compares the responses of over 7,500 liberal arts college undergraduates on more than 40 questions about college life. As a result, we learned what “real life” looks like at individual schools.

Some of the best (and worst) performers in our research are surprising. Some are among the U.S. News & World Report’s top ranked liberal arts colleges in the country, while others are ranked much lower but provide a successful student experience.

Our Liberal Arts Insider members know exactly how these colleges compare.

We surveyed thousands of liberal arts students to help you get the real scoop about the student experience… the good, the bad and the ugly.

Campus Community Coach & Safety Sherpa

How safe, accepted, and comfortable students feel on their college campus is one of the largest influencing factors as to how satisfied they feel with their college experience. Having a tight-knit college community is the cornerstone of a successful college experience, as proven by our Voice of the Students survey.

We can compare what the college brochures advertise to what students are actually experiencing; sometimes the admissions representatives have no idea how students on their campus really feel. This “Community” section is a way to find out exactly what students think about their campus, in their own words. Here, we have data about student satisfaction, housing, social cliques, and student’s sense of safety.

Get Our In Depth Analysis of Liberal Arts Colleges

The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
Learn More

Academics Advisor

Without a doubt, academics are a major focus, if not the top priority, for many college students. Schools will often advertise their classrooms as collaborative, but we’ve found that students sometimes describe the academic environment as highly competitive. Are students helping each other with academic work or trying to get ahead? Do students spend every waking moment with their nose in a book?

We asked students both qualitative and quantitative questions to find out how the academics at this school challenge them, and contribute to their college experience. Find out directly from the students how they feel about academics, challenging or otherwise, at their school.

Get Our In Depth Analysis of Liberal Arts Colleges

The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
Learn More

Social Life Navigator

In addition to academics, social life is integral to the campus experience, and it’s dictated by a few different elements. Do students feel discriminated against based on their identities? Where do students spend most of their time socializing? Do drugs and alcohol dominate the social scene? This is the kind of information that schools will NOT advertise.

So, to find truthful answers these to questions, we asked students for their perspectives. We looked into social aspects such as extracurricular involvement, opportunities in the local community, and alcohol/drug culture on this campus.

Get Our In Depth Analysis of Liberal Arts Colleges

The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
Learn More

About LiberalArtsColleges.com

We share the value of the liberal arts colleges with families and give liberal arts schools the opportunity to highlight their unique characteristics.

Learn About School Profile Upgrades

Click Here

Share the Love