- 4 Year
- OBERLIN, OH
Oberlin College
- grade A minusOverall Grade
- 4 Year
- OBERLIN, OH
- Rating 3.64 out of 5 649 reviews
COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:
Oberlin is excited to open our campus to prospective students and their families, and will continue to monitor local, state, and national guidelines as our top priority remains the health and safety of our students, staff, and visitors. In addition, we’re offering many virtual experiences that capture the energy and passion of this amazing place—and of our amazing Obies. Learn More
Report Card
- Academicsgrade A+
- Valuegrade B+
- Diversitygrade A
- Campusgrade C
- Athleticsgrade C+
- Party Scenegrade C+
- Professorsgrade A+
- Locationgrade C
- Dormsgrade C
- Campus Foodgrade C+
- Student Lifegrade C+
- Safetygrade C+
About
There are many colleges. There is only one Oberlin.
Located in Oberlin, Ohio, about 40 minutes from Cleveland. Oberlin offers our 2800 students one of the world’s great undergraduate educations, and we have a long tradition of educating top scholars and musicians. Here, students pursue multiple passions and interests within a supportive, collaborative community. We focus on undergraduate teaching, hands-on research projects, culturally immersive study away experiences, and world-class music opportunities. For over 100 years, Oberlin alumni have gone on to earn more PhDs than graduates of other liberal arts school. And in nearly every career field, our graduates are making an impact and improving our world.
An Oberlin education is extraordinary, and each person experiences it differently.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Admissions 101: Understanding the Application Review Process
This is a virtual event you may enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
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What happens after you press “submit”? Step into the shoes of an admissions counselor to find out! In this session, we’ll read sample applications, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and decide whether to admit, waitlist, or deny. Understanding how counselors read and make decisions can help as you put your application together.
Live Virtual Campus Tour
This is a virtual event you may enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
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Join a current Oberlin student for an interactive virtual tour of our beautiful campus!
Live Virtual Information Session
This is a virtual event you may enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
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Attend a live virtual session for an overview and Q&A to learn more about academics, student life, and the admissions process at Oberlin College.
Live Virtual Campus Tour
This is a virtual event you may enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
View Event Description
Join a current Oberlin student for an interactive virtual tour of our beautiful campus!
Oberlin College Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Admissions
Will You Get In?
Will You Get Into Oberlin?
Test Scores and High School GPA for Oberlin College See Other Colleges
Cost
Scholarship
Academics
- 88%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. 40 responses
- 51%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want. 47 responses
- 45%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage. 47 responses
Majors
Most Popular Majors
- Music Performance93 Graduates
- History55 Graduates
- Political Science and Government50 Graduates
- Biology48 Graduates
- English46 Graduates
- Economics44 Graduates
- Environmental Science43 Graduates
- Psychology36 Graduates
- Information Science32 Graduates
- Music28 Graduates
Carbon Neutrality
Sustainability is integral to the way we learn and live. To create an enduring ecological and human community, we shape our college and curriculum to be responsive and responsible to the local, regional, and global environment. A sustainable infrastructure project is underway to help us reach our ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2025, making Oberlin a national leader in clean energy.
Students
Campus Life
- 97%
- of students say they don't have Greek life. 38 responses
- 63%
- of students say no one pays attention to varsity sports. 64 responses
Instagram Posts
After College
- 74%
- of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation. 27 responses
Oberlin College Reviews
Classes are small so far except for my economic and computer science intro classes--but I get sufficient help nevertheless. Obies are also pretty amazing. I already have some close friends despite being a somewhat shy international first-year student (now rising second-year!). The overall atmosphere of Oberlin is friendly and open. It's a small campus, and everyone is nice so far!
In this COVID19 pandemic, Oberlin really showed its capacities. It's one of the fatest colleges to switch to online courses and its professors adapt to the situation very quickly. They are also providing support for students!
In my experience with Oberlin in the 19-20 academic year, I can say, sadly, that it is a school on the decline. The administration that I have experience with has a lot of heart, but there's only so much they can do when the professors are leaving and the students worsening. If you instinctively feel that you are better than this, you are probably right. I try not to imagine how life would be for me if I hadn't transferred.
Its culture requires a conversion almost by faith if you do not already hold extremely liberal views. I transferred to a school that's also known for its liberalism, but compared to Oberlin my current school feels so so normal. For better or worse, studying at Oberlin will make you more liberal, despite what you actually think about it.
On the positive side. There are still a few amazing professors around. Concerts in pre-corona time were free and wonderful. Some facilities (Library) are good.