<p>Please list the Strengths and Weaknesses of Oberlin in all areas, including but not limited to the academics, the professors, the fine arts, the living conditions, the costs, and any special/strong programs.</p>
<p>FluteBegger – your question is far too broad and seems to indicate a disturbing sense of entitlement on your behalf. Instead of posing inappropriate questions on this Board, why don’t you first start with researching the thousands of past posts on Oberlin, the College website, the various books on colleges? Also, I actually did a little bit of research myself and noticed you posted the same question on 8 other College pages.</p>
<p>As SwatGrad points out, you have come on a little bit strong for someone rather new to this board. It would help if you could show that you have done some research on your own before seemingly asking everyone else to do the work for you. Some of your other posts indicate that you are considering a flute major, but have had only four years of self-study and one year with a teacher.</p>
<p>You should be aware that flute in general is a very difficult instrument on which to be accepted at a major conservatory. Thousands and thousands of kids start out on the instrument and a typical orchestra needs only three (one of whom probably spends more time playing piccolo). You should also be aware that Michel Debost, the lead flute teacher at Oberlin, is one of the most sought-after flute teachers in the country if not the world. He was Rampal’s successor at the Paris Conservatoire before emigrating. Competition for places in his studio is quite intense and your competition will be playing very difficult sonatas and concertos from memory at a very high level. The other modern flute teacher at Oberlin is Kathleen Chastain, who has played as guest principal flutist with Orchestre de Paris and also taught at the Paris Conservatoire. At most schools, she would be the top flute teacher, so getting into her studio is also quite hard. I will not say that it would be impossible for you, but most of those who are accepted on flute at Oberlin have been playing for far longer than four years and have been studying with the very best professional teachers they could get. Oberlin gets applicants from around the world for space in the flute studios there. You need to be exceptionally talented just to get past the pre-screening round and among the very best to be accepted there.</p>