OP- go visit and have your DC stay on campus in a dorm, then decide. My DC attended the Conservatory and had a wonderful 4 four years. I love the campus, small town and mix of students. Yes it's liberal, but the musicians, athletes, hipsters, etc. make for a unique school experience.

Anonymous wrote:Would not want my child to attend a school where pretty much everyone has the exact some views and any sort of dissent from those views is not accepted.

This isn't true of Oberlin actually despite your limited view through media coverage, but if you're concerned about liberal bias dominating your child's campus you'll have an issue at most top colleges.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://oberlinreview.org/14052/news/enrollment-drop-creates-financial-shortfall/

A school on the decline. Be warned.

College enrollment has declined every year since 2010, and that's supposed to continue for the next 4-5 years. It's obviously not affecting the top 50 private schools, or flagship state schools. But some smaller state schools and SLACs are definitely feeling it.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/20/news/economy/college-enrollment-down/index.html

The Oberlin article referred to an "unexpected drop in admissions." Most colleges would be factoring in the national decline in enrollment but on a case by case basis and it looks like Oberlin wasn't expecting this drop at all. It does fall into the top fifty schools you referred to so I wonder if this fall has to do with the negative news it's been generating in the press?

My daughter is a student there right now and absolutely LOVES it. You should go and check it out and not listen to a lot of the crazy things people are saying on here. I'm actually wondering how many of these people who are freely giving their opinions have ever been to Oberlin because it doesn't at all resemble the place I've seen or where my daughter attends.

There are definitely liberal students there but we're republicans and didn't feel like it was overwhelmingly or "in-your-face" liberal. They have a brand new president who is the first African American woman to head the school and she is a strong leader who I believe will take Oberlin in a great direction.

Btw, there are many unique things about Oberlin that I didn't see at other schools we visited. First is the option to live and/or eat in co-ops. Those are student-run dining facilities and houses. You can also opt for the more traditional housing (which mine did) and eat in one of several dining halls. Another unique thing about Oberlin is the ExCo or Experimental College. These are classes that fall outside of the curriculum but can be both academic and non academic in nature. They are taught by other students, faculty or people in the community but everyone must submit a curriculum ahead of time for approval. This year my DD is taking three ExCo classes including Songwriting and History of Disney Animation. You can also take things like Korean language, not taught in their Asian Studies department.

They have an amazing conservatory and so many opportunities to hear music on and around campus. These students are incredibly talented and it's exciting to have the chance to hear them collaborate. Oberlin also has a beautiful art museum on campus and twice a year students sleep out for the chance to rent amazing art that will be hung in their rooms.

The town is really nice and right across from campus. It has multiple coffee shops, restaurants, an Oberlin-run movie theater and much more. It is by no means a big city but I wish my college town had been so convenient and offered so much.

OP - if your child can visit I would highly suggest that. My child isn't an athlete but the parents of athletes I have spoken to say that it's a really special community and that the older students really look out for the younger ones. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://oberlinreview.org/14052/news/enrollment-drop-creates-financial-shortfall/

A school on the decline. Be warned.

College enrollment has declined every year since 2010, and that's supposed to continue for the next 4-5 years. It's obviously not affecting the top 50 private schools, or flagship state schools. But some smaller state schools and SLACs are definitely feeling it.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/20/news/economy/college-enrollment-down/index.html

Oberlin is already at a 29% acceptance rate and that will likely increase over time......not a rosy future.

Anonymous wrote:https://oberlinreview.org/14052/news/enrollment-drop-creates-financial-shortfall/

A school on the decline. Be warned.

College enrollment has declined every year since 2010, and that's supposed to continue for the next 4-5 years. It's obviously not affecting the top 50 private schools, or flagship state schools. But some smaller state schools and SLACs are definitely feeling it.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/20/news/economy/college-enrollment-down/index.html

My DC is a current student-athlete there and loves it. Yes, there is a super liberal element, but they do not comprise the entire (or even majority) of the population. They get the attention. There certainly is a "preppy" (and some may even say growing) cohort at Oberlin. A large number of my DC's friends are majoring in Econ and Political Science and have enjoyed terrific, competitive internships on the Hill and on Wall Street which will make them competitive for grad school. Oberlin ranks high in terms of sending their graduates onto graduate programs.

OP, your DC has to visit the school for him/herself and not take the advice of anonymous haters in this forum.

https://oberlinreview.org/14052/news/enrollment-drop-creates-financial-shortfall/

A school on the decline. Be warned.

Sorry, meant to put Oberlin above (Oberlin is not a target school). Middlebury is.

Anonymous wrote:I know about the reknowned music program. Could an MBA aspirant get a good econ/finance/business education at Oberlin to prepare for grad school?

No. The economics department is good as it is at pretty much any well-ranked LAC, but Middlebury is not a target school for those careers (the experience of which is key to getting into an MBA program) and there aren't many alumni connections in those industries to find a job. Furthermore, the student body detests more career or business oriented students: largely anti-capitalist sentiment.

If you want a LAC that'll be a good feeder for MBAs, look into the NESCACs (Williams/Middlebury/Amherst/Bowdoin especially) and Claremont McKenna College on the West.

I know about the reknowned music program. Could an MBA aspirant get a good econ/finance/business education at Oberlin to prepare for grad school?

Right or wrong, given the polarizing brand that Oberlin has developed for itself as SJW central, I would be very hesitant for my child to go there....especially given the large number of equally excellent colleges available.

Anonymous wrote:
And look at me with my 2 ivy degrees and my rampant typos.

Typing classes at the Ivies are not what they used to be. #MAGA

I have known various people who went to Oberlin. The odd thing is that they're all "normal" people. Even one or two Republicans. They enjoyed Oberlin but they also commented on how liberal and alternative / SJW it is these days. There was probably a time in the past where a more traditional or centrist or pragmatic liberal could go to Oberlin and still fit in and have a good time but my perception is that in the last decade the college has become a very intolerant liberal breeding ground. I even hate to use the world "liberal" with Oberlin any more.

Kenyon is a good recommendation. As is Denison.

Having said that, do visit, try to spend a weekend / overnight on the campus, tell your son to not just focus on the team but the rest of the school and the atmosphere. Oberlin has developed a reputation for becoming a hardcore left/SJW school that a preppy sports player may risk being ostracised by many of his classmates.

Anonymous wrote:College is a bit what you put in and not everyone is ready to kill it on the SAT at age 16/17.

Ah the old late bloomer myth. 99% of people are who they are by their late teens. Elite firms are even asking for SAT scores now!