Ohio University-Main Campus Reviews

Jessica

from Miamisburg, OH

Alumni

What tips can you share with prospective students?

Be open-minded and willing to work! Ohio University is a great place to grow your perspectives on life, form your own opinions on topics, and really help you figure out your way into adulthood. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to meet people, make new friends, participate in activities, and just HAVE FUN!

In what ways do you feel this college challenges students academically?

Ohio U offers a wide range of academic programs to suit your needs. You will have the opportunity to not only study the core subjects related to your major, but you will also have the ability to branch out and take classes that you are interested in for elective credits. Additionally if you add a minor you can really challenge yourself and learn even more about a topic that is perhaps related to your major but wouldn't necessarily be your central classes.

In your experience, what is there to do for fun at this college?

There are SO MANY opportunities for fun!! At the beginning of Freshman year be sure to go to the organization fair so you can learn about all the different clubs you could join! Whether they are related to your major, volunteering, recreational sports, or books, etc, there is something for everyone! Joining a club is a great way to meet new people and make friends who are interested in the same activities as you.

Caitlynn from Norwalk, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	Ohio University is a great academic school and I feel I have learned so much in just a year of attending this university. Although, freshman year is based on tier one classes and usually are only review and basics, they are great refreshers and help in your transition from high school to college. I feel these classes helped me greatly and rose my confidence in being able to excel in college classes. Not only are these classes helpful, but the professors are usually willing to work with you outside of class hours.
Am enjoying being here	Ohio University, is indeed different and while the location is a bit far from the craziness of the city, it is such a beautiful and enjoyable place. Yes, OU does tend to have the reputation of being a party school, but there is so much more than that to the school and people. The school offers many free events on campus, that are great ways to meet new people! These events can range from sporting events, to movie nights in Baker Center. There is so much to do at Ohio University, you just have to go out and find it!!
Bang for the buck	Although Ohio University is a bit on the expensive side, I feel it is worth the expenses. The whole atmosphere and community at OU is amazing, some of the buildings and dorms are in need of refurnishing, but all in all, they are nice places to live. The education offered at Ohio University are worth the costs, and the opportunities are endless.
Tips for prospective students	Tips I would give for prospective students would be to enjoy yourself and do not be afraid to experience new things. College is about finding yourself, so take advantage of education opportunities as well as extracurricular activities. Have fun but do not skip your classes because whether you believe it or not, even boring lectures are key to being successful in classes. You are there to learn most importantly! Go out and meet new people and join clubs and new activities, you will be amazed at what you can do and who you will meet. Take advantage of free tutoring sessions and the library, they are so extremely helpful!!
Great for these types of students	Ohio University is a college and campus for all types of students. If you make the most of your experience and yourself, you will love OU!

Ashley from Roseville, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	I love the classes and professors here. Some of the professors/instructors were particularly helpful to me and I often enjoyed seeing them outside of class, usually strolling about campus. The wide range of classes here also allows me to pursue my various interests, like a drawing class I took Spring Quarter, as well as my tiers and general education requirements.
Am enjoying being here	I absolutely love the campus. The people and instructors and staff - everybody - are so lively and happy most days. The rain is a bit of a literal downer some days, but mostly it's fantastic weather. Fall is gorgeous, winter is pristine and spring brings life about in ways that winter couldn't dream of. The party scene is good, if you're into that kind of thing. If you're not much of a partier, (like myself) there's always like minded people and plenty of free shows to see at the various places on Court Street. The only thing I don't like is the lack of film program. It's the only reason I'll be leaving the University and it was a decision that's breaking my heart in two.
Bang for the buck	The only thing I would wish for would be a film major that is available to everybody. Right now the only film major is for the Honors Tutorial College.
Tips for prospective students	There are TONS of hills. If you're not much of a walker, grab a bike. It rains a lot as well, so bring boots! Be prepared to study, they like exams here.
Great for these types of students	Students who like medium sized campuses, students who like rural settings. People who enjoy wild partying on the weekend. People who enjoy kind, intelligent professors.

Jada from Toledo, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	It's way different from high school! I am finally learning what I want to learn. They do have a standard requirement for students in their DARS report which helps students organize their credits and keep track of thier progress towards graduation, but you still get to pick classes that YOU want for YOUR major. Thats the awesome part! So yes, I am learning alot because its what I want to learn and I havent met any teacher that wasn't dedicated to help me if I needed it.
Am enjoying being here	It may sound crazy wanting to be at school, but I love OU! Seriously, I once thought I wanted to go to Columbia University because of their amazing Journalism background, but now after I've been at OU for a year and a half, I wouldn't trade it for any other school in the world. No lie. The campus is gorgeous during all seasons. The people are even nice! Everyone I've met has never seemed unfriendly or uninviting. I have a good time and I'm able to focus on my work despite the party school title. The real party happens at Alden, that's our main library. We call it Club Alden jokingly because everybody is always there, getting down to business with their books and its open 24/7 so some people plan to be there all day.

R. from Athens, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	Although only finished with my first quarter at Ohio University, I've already delved into topics that I initially only had hopes of studying. An example would be that I was very interested in archaeology and mythology, and read much about it throughout high school. One of OU's freshman courses allowed me to revisit my long lost love, and learn a great deal about it in the process!
Am enjoying being here	The Athens campus of Ohio University is a very beautiful campus, all things considered; although the winter weather can be somewhat inclement. My professors have been very knowledgeable and willing to help, and are very clear when answering questions. It's a very enjoyable atmosphere.
Bang for the buck	One of the downsides is the fact that, like all universities, OU can be somewhat pricey (especially when it comes to dorms and meal plans!) Still, OU's faculty are usually very high quality. All things considered, it's not a bad deal at all.
Tips for prospective students	Don't get overwhelmed during your first quarter. The campus is lovely, so take a walk or two. Take advantage of the library. It's very useful. Be mature and responsible--there's plenty of time for goofing off during breaks.
Great for these types of students	Students who already live in Ohio get a fairly good deal, especially with scholarships (especially public school students--there are several scholarships specifically for graduates of local schools). OU is also very homeschool-friendly. On the whole, it makes a very good choice for students who want solid academics on a moderate price (and a pretty campus to boot!)

Rebecca from Silver Spring, MD

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	Pretty much all of my professors are enthusiastic about their topics. They are always looking to get their students as enthusiastic, so they make sure to keep the ball rolling fairly quickly, moving from topic to topic throughout the quarter. Don't be surprised if professors ask the class what they are most interested in focusing on or what topics they'd be interested in learning that aren't included on the syllabus - it's a common practice. However, you won't learn a lot unless you attend class. I know, it's a bummer.
Am enjoying being here	The combination of professor enthusiasm, social life, and laid-back atmosphere make this school loved by pretty much everyone. However, the quarter system can be pretty high-tense, and fast-moving. Students rave about the social aspects, the campus, and infinite opportunities OU gives us, but are always ready for a break from class.
Bang for the buck	As an out-of-state student, I'm paying a pretty high tuition. However, I'm a Sport Management student at OU, and OU's program is the first and premier program in its field. Plus, they have a high ranking professional club for the Sport Management students AND a great club for students interested in sports agency. I also really enjoy my sorority, and greek life here is pretty well received. On a more general note, I've heard that, overall, OU has amazing programs that all the administrators and faculty get excited about. Plus, alumni are super-involved, and always looking to extend a helping/guiding hand to fellow Bobcats.
Tips for prospective students	Have fun. Get involved early and wait to weed out the less important clubs/opportunities. Stay posted on all the events OU has, both for fun and academics. Use ALL the resources (Career Center, Supplemental Instruction, Writing Center, Tutoring, Ping Recreation Center, Athletic Events, the list goes on and on...) - they're free, helpful, and lead to more fun.
Great for these types of students	Great for students who can balance work and play well; can be involved in a lot of different things and get homework done; looking to not just learn, but EXPERIENCE; must like Halloween (it's a REALLY big deal here); enjoy small towns and strong communities; committed to ALWAYS being a Bobcat

Hannah from Swanton, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Am learning a lot	I am learning a lot at Ohio University! I am a sophomore who recently transferred here and so far I believe this decision was one of the best I ever made. The GenEd courses are not too hard but I have studied a lot and therefore learned a lot. Yes, OU is a party school, but the classes are just as good as the night life.
Am enjoying being here	I LOVE Ohio University. The students are nice and the professors are great. Any type of person could find there spot here as everyone is pretty open and happy. Some students enjoy it too much as there are parties and events happening every night. Keep yourself focused, have a good time, and enjoy the beautiful campus.
Bang for the buck	Tuition cost is what you would expect from a state school. It's not much more expensive than other schools in Ohio that offer far less value in education. If you are coming here for something like journalism, which we are ranked nationally for, the price is definitely worth it.
Tips for prospective students	If you like to have fun BUT can keep yourself under control, welcome to Athens! But if you have a hard time focusing and partying gets in the way of your studies, this may not be the place for you.
Great for these types of students	Every type! I have met every type of student here and continue to make unique friends daily.

Hannah

a current student here

Categories	Comments
In three sentences	Ohio University is a free spirited school. They make opportunities for their students and do a great job preparing their students for the future. Given the opportunity, I would attend here again because I honestly consider this the best town and school in the world.
Tips for prospective students	Take advantage of all the things OU has to offer. They have so many great internships and free tutors that will explain things way better than some of the professors. It takes a rare breed to do well in school in a town like Athens so remember why you're actually here. Don't take it so seriously you forget to enjoy the town either.
Academic Rigor	It depends on your major. STEM fields are obviously more difficult than media however everybody is going to have to work harder than they knew they could. This is different than high school.
Dorm Life	Some of the dorms have bats in them, some of them just had new kitchens installed. Good luck.
Food and Dining	The food is more focused on quantity than quality but it's really not bad. There are markets to spend unused meals at that always had cookie dough and ice cream and real food if you're into that. I would for sure eat there again. They have lots of vegan, vegetarian and meat eater options. All of which are pretty delicious.
What to do for fun	There are a million fun things to do in Athens. My favorites are sports events, going to bong hill, going to strouds, going to the athena or fun barn theater, and of course going to pet land.
Bang for the buck	I would pay double for getting to live in Athens with all these amazing people. The environment is amazing and the education is challenging.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus	We leave the football game after the 110 plays. They're fantastic, our football team is ok.
Great for these types of students	If you love wearing pajamas to class and texting your professors for help after bonding with them at office hours this is the place for you.
Clubs and Activities	There is literally a club for everything. There is a club where you just look at pictures of dogs. If for some reason you can't find one that satisfies your needs, its so easy to make your own. It was 2 pieces of paper and a trip to Baker.
Greek Life	It's not a big enough deal that you are required to be in it. I am not in greek life and I have never felt left out as a result.
Campus Safety	If you walked through an alley at 4 in the morning it is more likely that someone would offer you a coat than try to hurt you or steal from you. There are plenty of alleys if you'd like to test this theory.

Proud Bobkitty

a current student here

Categories	Comments
In three sentences	I transferred to OU from Marietta College and I believe it was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I had much anxiety being a minority student on a campus with about 30,000 students but OU offers so many organizations that cater to the needs of students of color. I also love that the campus offers 100+ organizations so getting involved was not difficult at all.
Tips for prospective students	My first tip for prospective students is to visit the campus before attending. It is a large campus and finding your way around can get quite confusing. I'd even encourage prospects to visit more than once. My second tip would be to research about the different organizations on campus online before attending. In the beginning of the fall semester we have what we call the Involvement Fair which is an event held outside on the College Green. Each organization sets up a table for students to come and learn about the organization. With so many students and so much going on it can be quite overwhelming. So I would recommend looking at a few things the student might be interested in online so that when the time comes and the student is at the fair, they'd already know which tables to go to!
Academic Rigor	OU has amazing academic programs however because I am a psychology major and I only speak mostly on that department. There are so many great opportunities offered for internships it's unreal, which is what attracted me to the campus anyway. I loved my classes because I felt like they challenged me and they really caused me to think. I appreciated what I learned and I never thought that I'd use some of the information I absorbed in my daily life. But who knew stats would come in so handy from time to time!
Dorm Life	There are so many different places to live on and off campus. Because it's so large, the campus is divided into the Greens; North, South, East and West Green. I lived on South Green which is the furthest from most of campus but it is the most quiet. It is also closest to the major dining halls so I appreciated that. South Green had mod style living which I thought was different, but I liked it. I personally lived in a gender-neutral mod so men and women could room together. It was made up of LGBT students and it was very comfortable. My only complaint was laundry. Students pay for mostly everything on campus so I expected free laundry but that wasn't the case. The prices varied from time to time but overall laundry was quite expensive.
Food and Dining	The food is probably one of my favorite things about the campus. There are so many dining options available that I haven't even been to each one yet. The quality of food is great and the convenience of having so many options is a major plus! We have everything from fine dining, cafes, food courts, coffees shops and convenient stores.
What to do for fun	There is always something going on on campus. When its warm out most students like to play beach volleyball on South Green. We have Ping which is our state of the art gym, that's where I spend a lot of time. There is a student lounge in Baker Center where students go to play pool, watch tv, or just sit and hang out and there's also the convenience of having West 82 food court right next to it. I also spend lots of time in the Multicultural Center (MCC) which is a place for students to go and study and we also host events there such as holiday parties. It's also a great meeting place for students because it's in Baker Center which is in the middle of campus so it's easy to find.
Bang for the buck	I do believe that we get what we pay for when attending OU. I have such high praises for my school. Things do get expensive, but I can honestly say that there's nowhere else I'd want to pay that much for. However, I still wish laundry was free. :)
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus	One cool tradition is the walk through College Gate. When students first join our family we gather in front of College Gate and walk through together. It's a moment that signifies our welcome and our start to OU. It's one of the most exciting things about being a new Bobcat.
Great for these types of students	If you're interested in fashion, we have an organization called FACES which is a modeling/dance organization. We host so many fun events to showcase our trends and our students' fashion ideas and it's my favorite organization so far!
Clubs and Activities	The campus offers 100+ organizations so I guarantee that there is something here for every kind student. I mentioned the Involvement Fair previously. It's so informative and beneficial especially for new students and I definitely encourage every student to go each year because there's so much to get involved in.
Greek Life	We have an office dedicated to Greek Life. The Greeks on campus host a lot of fun school related and non-school related events throughout the year. Although its not for everyone, and not everyone wants to join, the Greeks definitely bring lots of fun to the campus.
Campus Safety	Our campus security is available 24/7. We also have an event called Ask the Chief where the students get to express their voices and concerns directly to the chief of police. It's a conversation style event and I think after leaving every student feels a little more secure in their safety on our campus.

Alexander from Traverse City, MI

a current student here

Categories	Comments
Academic Rigor	It's tough, but not that bad. The Honors Tutorial College is demanding, requiring students to keep above a 3.5 GPA. Having good writing skills is essential to succeeding at Ohio University.
Dorm Life	Living on East Green is the best because of it's proximity to the dining halls and the Main Green. The dorms themselves have spacious doubles. The lobby is equipped with a nice TV too.
Food and Dining	There is more than enough food at the dining halls. The proximity to uptown is also great for getting food from both local and chain restaurants. Shivley and Jefferson have the best meals.

Phillip from Akron, OH

a current student here

Categories	Comments
In three sentences	Ohio University is the perfect balance between open-mindedness and work ethic. It creates an atmosphere of fun but through trial and error allows the student to discipline themselves rather than forcing silly or unnecessary rules on the student. It gives the student the opportunities to grow and explore in a safe comfortable environment that prepare them for the working world.
Tips for prospective students	Coming here is a lot of fun. Almost too much fun. The reason is we're the number one party school and have a beautiful open campus that will suck anyone in. The only thing I caution you from is understand that while its easy to stay out late make sure you hit the library once a week. Go there and study or read or do homework. It will make all the difference.
Academic Rigor	OU has a lot of classes. Make sure you enroll in the ones your actually interested in. The way I see it; classes are hard when you don't care because then you don't put in the effort. Restrict yourself to classes that mean something to you personally (not just your parents) who knows maybe you'll find a major.
Dorm Life	Some of the best times you'll ever have are in the dorm. Theres something about being cramped with hundreds of students you don't know having a completely new experience that seems to bring everyone together. Dorms are fun, but be smart RA's are on the prowl! Dorms are most students first independent living space so have fun designing it and making it your own.
Food and Dining	Theres nothing like the dorm food. some people don't appreciate it until they leave the dorm and have to make their own food. Personally I loved it! Dorm food is an unlimited supply of all your favorite food, munchies ect. that you can eat whenever! Here, the best place to eat is Shivley. It almost feels like a community around dinner time, thats when you seen everyone on campus trying to get in.
What to do for fun	Well there is the obvious partying that Ohio University is known for. Don't worry, many students come here and ask me how to find a party. There everywhere! walk down the street and you'l see thousands of people just like you looking for a party; that is the party! Aside from the normal college activity theres plenty of fun things to do in our little college oasis. We are a mountain town so the temperature almost always stays moderate to hot and we have gigantic state parks with beautiful scenery comparable to any post card, including a beach and Native American carved caves. Ohio University has something for everyone and appeals to all your sensibilities. I have learned and grown as a person simply from being in this environment.
Bang for the buck	Well as far as money goes Ohio University is one of the more affordable schools in Ohio but also has one of the highest job placement ratings of any school in the country so if you want bang for your buck, there you go!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus	As far as traditions go we have them. Far more than you can count. Some of the more well known traditions lie within the party atmosphere. For example we have the biggest halloween celebration in the country and YOU MUST WEAR A COSTUME! Trust me its just more fun that way.
Great for these types of students	Ohio University is great for all students. Not just because its a great school and blah blah blah but because its big enough that anyone can find there way here. We have a vast assortment of majors in almost all fields and most of them are highly recognized. The campus rests in the most beautiful little city that is gorgeous to look at. The people here are great and fun and because its a community you don't feel like you get lost in a city like most big city universities.
Clubs and Activities	Ohio University has almost anything you could want to learn from rock climbing to yoga, and if you don't see your club here then make it!
Greek Life	We have a huge greek experience at Ohio University with tons of activities. If you are unsure about rushing we have a lot of support as well to make sure you have a great greek experience.
Campus Safety	Ohio University is a very safe school. trust me once you get here you'll get the text messages. OU has a balance active police force and campus security that are always monitoring and making sure no ones going to crazy.