<p>My daughter has visited the three schools mentioned above, and didn't really love the campus feel for any of them all that much, although she liked UK more than the others (instate). But we are planning to visit OU and it is quite a long car trip for us. Just wondering what to expect compared to these other campuses, if anyone has had relevant experience?</p>
<p>Sorry. No first-hand experience with any of the others. OU seems to be typical college campus to me.</p>
<p>The best way to get an impression of OU is to visit. Go to the various buildings, take a tour, walk around Campus Corner, and maybe talk to a current student if they don’t seem to be busy. </p>
<p>Here are some videos, mostly promotional, that can give you a glimpse into life at OU.
<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
Couch restaurants (aka the Caf): <a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
OU’s Channel for admitted students: <a href=“go2ou - YouTube”>go2ou - YouTube;
<p>The awesomely terrible “OU Anthem”: <a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<p>Thanks, I looked at the videos, looks really nice. I hope she will like it there. Do you have any suggestions for what we should see in the Norman area on the evening before our tour, whenhen? </p>
<p>When will you tour Norman? Tbh, you won’t get an accurate impression of the school or city between now and late August. </p>
<p>Ok well are are coming June 6, after school is out. I would love to come now, but can’t get away due to commitments and school. So we will have to make the best of it </p>
<p>You did not mention what part of the country y’all are from. It is becoming the ‘hot’ season down here, so bear in mind that during the school year the weather is much more comfortable that it will likely be in June.</p>
<p>We are from Kentucky, so not quite as hot here, I appreciate the heads up! </p>
<p>What, if anything, is your daughter considering studying? Does she have any extracurricular interests she’d like to pursue in college? Anything she’d be interested in pursuing (could be anything from improving bike lanes to researching seismology to learning how to knit) in college? If she does go to OU, will she be in the honors college, or University College? If you’re not sure, click here <a href=“http://www.ou.edu/honors/curriculum/honappform.htm”>http://www.ou.edu/honors/curriculum/honappform.htm</a></p>
<p>According to my calendar, it looks as though your daughter will visit on Friday. If you want a quick breakfast, I’d recommend going to Cafe Plaid, a great coffee shop on Campus Corner. The scones are excellent, particularly if you get them heated up. After you’re done, walk around Campus Corner and possibly other buildings that interest you. Should your tour start at 9 AM, and you’re not too tired by the end of it, I’d encourage you to walk over to the Fred Jones Museum of Art. It’s in OU’s arts district, admission is free, and it’s a good way to kill 30+ minutes. Oklahoma City itself is another option. The visitor’s center has a number of free pamphlets and magazines about what to do in both Norman and Oklahoma City for someone only briefly visiting the area. I’m sure you could also find information for tourists on various travel websites. </p>
<p>If you’re going on the 2pm tour, there are a number of excellent restaurants in Norman. I’m a huge fan of Thai Kum Koon which is about .8 miles from OU’s campus. If you go there, get the delicious Thai Tea. Closer to campus there are a number of good places. Fuzzy’s is extremely popular among OU students, although I’d guess much of this is due to their college sized alcoholic beverages. Walking around Campus Corner should present you with enough options as the food ranges from somewhat expensive Vietnamese (Coriander Cafe) to less pricey, enormous slices of pizza (NY Pizza) to dirt cheap chili hot dogs (Diamond Dogs). </p>
<p>Remember that during the summer, at least half of the students you see will not actually be full time University of Oklahoma students. Dorm life will functionally be dead since most OU students taking summer classes either sublet an off campus apartment, or continue living in the one they already leased. The vibrant social scene that characterizes the residence halls during most of the year will be functionally absent, minus the few campers who inhabit the dorms when regular school is not in session.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the detailed information. We will follow your advice for food and seeing the sights.
She is interested inArabic and pre-med. she would fit the Honors College eligibility requirements listed on the website. She would probably look for singing or theater opportunities for fun, plus service opportunities in the community.</p>
<p>I know OU has the Arabic flagship program as well as a strong focus on the middle east in their IS department which should become even stronger thanks to a couple recent private grants. The arts department at Oklahoma is surprisingly vibrant and there are plenty of ways for non majors to get involved. In addition to singing groups, a Renaissance reenactment group, and student plays, one of the hipster coffee shops on Campus Corner, Second Wind, hosts weekend open mic nights. The honors college also offers a supposedly excellent course on the history of Musical Theatre, and the film studies department is always looking for student actors to assist in various media projects. I’m sure there are other venues but given that I have both the voice and artistic inclination of a dead frog, I haven’t exactly explored them. </p>
<p>If she wants to spend her weekends volunteering at OU, it’s certainly easy to do so. I think the most popular volunteering organizations are APO, a co-ed service fraternity, Circle K, and Rotaracts but I could be missing a couple. Those are just the ones I’ve heard about. Because University of Oklahoma is so central to the state, the various offices and departments do quite a bit of outreach for the surrounding community.</p>
<p>My final though at 1AM, if you want to drive about 15 minutes north, you should catch a movie in the Warren Theatre. My history professor raves about its opulence although I’ve never been. </p>
<p>I forgot to include the Jacobson House which is extremely close to the Fred Jones Museum of Art. Never been, but it sounds interesting and you’d probably get a personal doscent (sp?). Here’s the link <a href=“https://jacobsonhouse.org/”>The Jacobson House;
<p>It’s also across the street from the Library Bar and Grill, a somewhat overpriced, but still pretty good, casual sit down with a nice selection of beer. OU’s Hillel, a Jewish student group, frequently goes there as a sort of informal shabbat. </p>
<p>I know a student in the Arabic Flagship program who absolutely loves it. His Arabic is phenomenal. Take a look at the YouTube videos on this program. Campus is also nice and easy to walk. Definitely high on the list.</p>
<p>Well, we finally made our trip to OU. Beautiful, friendly, not too large or too small. Within 45 minutes of arriving on campus the day before our official tour, she already liked it! By the time we came back next morning (pouring rain, ha ha) for the tour and meetings with premed advisor, Arabic flagship director, and Honors College person, she was totally smitten by all the school has to offer her. It is in the top 2 of her “list” now. I posted a visit report if anyone is interested. Thanks to those who posted some good info for us. </p>
<p>^Thanks for the campus visit report! Glad your daughter like OU. You mentioned parking was a little difficult. Was there a lot of people on campus that day?</p>
<p>We are planning a visit next month around 15th or 16th of July. Can’t wait!</p>
<p>Well, not difficult but I was just confus</p>
<p>Well, not difficult, but I was just confused about the parking. The Oval is really more of a U shape. It is one way traffic. People are parked all along the oval, but the Visitor parking is allowed on the final quarter of the U shape that you come to while driving. There are signs posted once you get to the last part. The visitors center is the last building on the oval, so you are supposed to go in there to pick up a visitor parking pass to put into your car. If there aren’t any spaces left, then they point you to another parking area to use. We were early enough, and did find a spot on the Oval. It is nice that they give free parking. The Visitors Center staff were very friendly. </p>