Oberlin College
- grade A minusOverall Grade
- 4 Year
- Oberlin, OH
- Rating 3.64 out of 5 652 reviews
COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:
Guided campus tours are offered at select times, with some modifications to protect the health of our guests, students, and employees. Registration is required for all visitors. However, in the midst of a global pandemic, traveling to campus may not be possible. 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.
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Oberlin College Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
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Cost
Scholarship
Academics
- 88%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. 40 responses
- 50%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want. 46 responses
- 46%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage. 46 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
Engaged Liberal Arts at Oberlin College
An Oberlin education is extraordinary, and each person experiences it differently. Your path at Oberlin will include many experiences and places, but they’re all connected. We call it Engaged Liberal Arts (ELA). ELA takes what you’re learning in your courses and puts it into practice through internships, research, study away experiences, winter term, career exploration, and beyond.
Online
Students
Campus Life
- 97%
- of students say they don't have Greek life. 37 responses
- 63%
- of students say no one pays attention to varsity sports. 63 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.