I can answer questions now!

<p>I'm sorry, I've been really freaking busy, Oberlin is so amazing. I haven't been checking here.</p>

<p>Yes, it's true they don't just look at your scores. Your scores are just a small portion of your application. Your essay is really important. All that quaere said is very true, and very well put. And yeah, I'm international - I only got to the US for college.</p>

<p>As far as I know, we don't have any students from Uzbekistan. We do have students from a lot of other places, though.</p>

<p>And yes, definitely send in art!</p>

<p>And Marika, Oberlin is VERY generous, even though they're not need blind. I get almost full tuition in fin-aid.</p>

<p>Please keep asking questions; I'll check as often as I can. I'm sorry again.</p>

<p>hi! dear TheOneCurlyFry ,I am greatly interested in Oberlin and i am a international student...just like u^-^So, i am wondering that how the art department is in oberlin. I know there is a gallery/art museum in oberlin with one of monet's painting.</p>

<p>And you mentioned that it's not appropriate to apply oberlin if you are expected to have finaid. But i am that kind of person who seek the full aid and really hope to get in...a dillema again.</p>

<p>i hope u could answere my question soon .thanks a lot</p>

<p>first of all..i'm not the theonecurlyfry...
but for all of u who r internationals and are worried abt fin. aid. I've got good news..I know 7 internationals from this yr..(including myself and the fairy) who are on full (or almost full) aid....
and I was an ed applicant too
and according to my knowledge..if you are not happy with your financial aid package after being accepted in the early decision phase..then u can drop out and consider other colleges ..(but I'm not 100% sure about it..u could always ask them before applying though)</p>

<p>I don't think I mentioned that Oberlin is bad for financial aid, I think Oberlin's pretty good with the fin aid. And the art department is pretty good, I'm not personally acquainted with it, but we have a truly excellent art museum.</p>

<p>What do people do for fun? Thanks.</p>

<p>Well, that's a good question, but something very difficult to answer. It completely depends on the person, and that's the general answer. For me, I know that weekdays/nights involve a lot of work and reading, but in between all of it there's frisbee playing, talking with friends, relaxing outside (though that's trickier as it gets colder). There are lots of events to attend, musical, academic, and otherwise. For instance, on Saturday night, I attended the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble's concert (which was mindblowing), and tomorrow afternoon before a seminar I'm attending a discussion event with an Oberlin alum about "Can Globalization Benefit the Poorest People in the World?" </p>

<p>If you have specific questions about various fun things and events, I can answer that. But really, what anyone does for fun varies a great deal. Also, many things are difficult to convey- some of the greatest moments of college have just been certain conversations, or spontaneous things that were amazing at the time.</p>

<p>I agree with everything fanatic517 says but I'll mention some more things. One great thing Oberlin has is a wonderful music scene so a lot of people go to different concerts, which can range from the orchestra, a fun organ concert program we have, an international group brought in, to a student band or singer/songwriter. There are always movies and speeches going on too. On weekends there is a lot of hanging out together, whether just talking in a lounge or going out and partying, but the party scene isn't super huge like you'd find at a state school with greek life. We don't really have a bar culture here or access to clubs either, though we have our one town bar and a campus dance club. Also, we don't have tons of stores for going out and shopping. So, lots of Oberlin fun is self-made fun and depends on campus events.</p>

<p>For fun? I go see shows that my friends are in or involve really super awesome bands. I go to lots of performances and lectures on topics that I'm interested in or want to know more about. I'm in a co-op, so I spend a lot of that 'fun time' hanging out with the people from my co-op at meals. Also just hanging out with my friends doing homework or just sitting around. Additionally, there are a few of us that are really into cooking so several nights a week (and I mean like 10pm or later) we'll get together and make peanut noodles, pancakes, french toast, cupcakes, etc. just to snack on and hang out.
Also, Oberlin has really awesome organists and every few weeks there's a midnight organ pump in Finney that's absolutely amazing (especially the Halloween themed one).</p>

<p>all the weekend stuff sounds wonderful, especially orchestra, but is there still a party scene? i will be honest and say that occassionally, i do just want to go out to party and dance. you said the party scene it isn't super huge, but it still exists right? are there any bands one might have heard of that have played on campus?</p>

<p>Yes, there are parties if you want to go to them. I've never been to one (they're not my thing), but I have friends who go. This year, Of Montreal, Animal Collective and Dar Williams played on campus (they're just some of the huge number of bands that do) and I absolutely love all the performances. There are so many, and they're all great! My weekends ae usually just spent hanging out with people, though - not really doing much. It's relaxing.</p>

<p>mmm that's quite exciting!</p>

<p>this has possibly been mentioned before, but i'll ask anyway, sooo:</p>

<p>what is the work load like at Oberlin? I've never been the type (in high school) to kill myself doing homework and studying, more just zealous about learning in general, intellectually curious? That's not to say I won't work hard. At all. Especially with what seems like really interesting courses. But I guess I just don't want to be struggling to stay afloat?
Is there a common sense of "work hard, play hard"? Does it just take a little time management to be successful in classes, be involved in the community, and have a good social life, or does this sometimes stress students out a bit?</p>

<p>I think the most important thing to stress is that in college, you have IMMENSELY more free time than in high school. You're on the campus, at most only a few minutes of a walk away from anything going on. Any activities you do may consume some time, but you can do them at times convenient for you. For example, I tutor for America Reads, and do that two mornings a week before class- a time I would simply be sleeping otherwise. Classes do not take up large amounts of your day (unless you have labs).</p>

<p>That said, I'm not going to sugarcoat things. If you come to Oberlin, you will work a great deal. It does depend on what classes you take, and on your own particular interests and skills. But with two politics and two history classes this semester, I usually have upwards of 500 pages of reading per week, one or more short papers a week, and large research assignments. It is a heavy workload, but you do have a great deal more time to take it on, professors are very willing to help, and you still have plenty of time for the fun and social things. If anyone has questions specifically about work or classes in those two departments, I could be more helpful there.</p>

<p>Fanatic517, you're also taking 300 level courses, which most first-years do NOT do. My workload, which is more average than Fanatic's (probaby slightly lighter than average), leaves with with a lot more free time than he has. I'm taking philosophy, politics, physics and computer science, so my work is more balanced between readings and problem sets. I procrastinate a LOT and I still get everything done in time. I have about 100 pages of reading every week, a lab, a pre-lab, a problem set, and I'm usually working on one paper. It's not terribly easy, but it's not terribly hard, either.</p>

<p>I pretty much agree with what Fanatic said, though. It's all in how you manage your time.</p>

<p>I was so jealous when I found out Animal Collective was going to play at Oberlin. </p>

<p>Anyway... I have more questions. How is the film and sociology departments at Oberlin? Also, I am currently writing a personal statement for Oberlin, and I need to get the requirement business straight... there aren't any "core requirements," right? I know they are some requirements... what exactly are they?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>I don't know much about the film or sociology departments, although I have friends taking some of their classes, and they seem really happy.</p>

<p>Okay, so there's the 9-9-9 requirement. This requires you to get at least 9 credits each in humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences. You have to take courses from at least two different departments in each of these three divisions.</p>

<p>There's also a writing requirement, a cultural diversity requirement and a quantitative proficiency requirement, which a large number of courses fulfill. You cannot take more than 84 credits in the same subdivision (humanities, social sciences or natural sciences) or more than 56 credits from the same department.</p>

<p>These requirements aren't as formidable as they sound, they overlap a lot, like the same course will give you 4 social science credits, cultural diversity credits AND fulfill the writing proficiency requirements, and if you've taken APs, you get credits from them, too.</p>

<p>I hope this helped. Keep 'em coming.</p>

<p>I think it's important to note that unlike other colleges, which often have several classes which all freshmen are required to take, the only thing everyone is encouraged to do is to take a first year seminar. Certainly not required, faculty from most departments teach them, with topics from Feeding the World and Approaches to the History of the World, to William Butler Yeats in Context and The First Amendment and the Internet. I think it really emphasizes Oberlin's commitment to giving students access to small classes in really interesting subjects.</p>

<p>Yeah, I agree. I'm in Rationality, Objectivity, and Truth in Science, and I love being in a class with only 11 other people and knowing everyone else (even though my largest class has 29 people.) First Year Seminars aren't required, though - just recommended.</p>

<p>wow. this thread is amazing. if only all the school boards had students pouring out this much information! Only problem is that I'm supposed to narrowing down my list!!! But, I don't think I can take Oberlin off--the co-ops, the music, the interested people all sound great. I know this post doesn't have much content, but I wanted to thank you guys.</p>

<p>You're welcome. We love it here, and we want you to come here :D. You should definitely not take Oberlin off your list.</p>

<p>Alright, I posted this in the main Oberlin thread, but hoping to get more response here...</p>

<p>Oberlin, with one or two other schools, is at the top of my list, but I'm very curious about the art department. I would be majoring in studio art/painting, so obviously this is important. I haven't gotten a chance to visit or talk to any art professors yet. An art teacher at a private school near me said Oberlin had a 'small art department,' but wasn't too positive about it compared to other LAC's. Do any of you have experience with the art department/faculty/facilities, or know anyone else who could give me some honest information on the caliber of the visual art department? </p>

<p>ALSO, how does winter term work? Would the first week in January be an ok time to visit? I'm guessing it would be better than nothing. Will the campus not be as active as usual? Are there actually classes going on that I could sit in on? If a friend and I wanted to overnight would we be able to find fun things to do during the evening?</p>