<p>According to stats, Miami is more selective than OSU and OU (in that order). Miami tends to have more suburban/private school/preppy/conservative types--lots of accounting majors and pre meds.
OSU is just huge--take a number and get lost on its (sorry) ugly urban campus--but it does have just about any major you could want. OU-Athens has more liberal/woodsy/party types. Just generalizations from a Miami Alum.
For me Miami's biggest attractions were the lovely campus and the European program in Luxembourg.</p>
<p>Miami might be trying to bring in more guys by adding an engineering program. A lot of schools have trouble keeping a male/female balance since more girls are going to college these days. Otherwise, for public engineering in Ohio, think U. CiNciNNaTi or OSU. Ohio does have a lot of good state schools (like Kent, Toledo, Wright State, Akron etc.), but they are considered commuter schools that don't really attract many students from outside their regions, let alone from out of state.</p>
<p>Carolyn-
I forgot to mention something that Miami of Ohio does that I think is <em>brilliant</em> and wish more schools did. They have an on-line newsletter for parents of freshmen. What an exceedingly smart idea. They can keep the parents informed of the activities, programs, etc, and address the collective angst of the parents. Very, very smart.</p>
<p>^
I would maybe put BGSU next on the list, it's certainly not considered an esteemed school by most CCers, and has somewhat of a reputation as a party school, but can be very good in some disciplines (e.g. music education). Its largest downsides are the perpetual winds--bitingly cold in winter--and the less than inspiring campus. It is definitely a commuter school, and most students from my high school in Toledo go to either UToledo, BGSU, or OSU. A lucky few make it to more selective institutions; we have two girls headed to the USAF academy, and one or two at UMich. Anyway, about Miami... </p>
<p>I don't know too much about it (never visited or applied), but our salutatorian and the concertmistress in our local youth orchestra will both attend there this fall. A friend of my mother's had four children who went there, and I have overall heard praise for the university.</p>
<p>To explain the "financial tailspin" in my post: Our h.s. had a financial crisis (4.7 million in the red at end of '05 school year). Cuts are being made, and AP and honors classes are taking a big hit. So, we looked around for some programs over the summer that my daughter could take part in to replace AP etc in h.s. She's taking classes at Kent next fall as part of Ohio's Post Secondary Option program, where the state pays the tuition for h.s. students to take university classes. The classes count for both h.s. and college transfer credit.</p>
<p>Thanks for the explanation. We live in central Ohio and a lot of kids here take clasees at OSU through PSOP. I think I misread your post and thought you were referring to a child in a college having financial problems.</p>
<p>Regarding the Post Secondary Enrollment Option - A college admin officer told me in April that the state is underfunding this. Not all students will receive free tuition next year. Be sure your student applies early!</p>
<p>From an outside Ohio viewpoint I would say that the ranking list above fails to mention The College of Wooster, and Ohio Wesleyan which appear to be the equals statistically of several schools mentioned. Ohio has a wonderful array of small liberal arts schools other than these mentioned which include Hiram, Wittenberg, Otterbein that may fit some kids very well. I am somewhat jealous of how many realsitic choices a student from Ohio has close by with all the fine Pennsylvania schools,too. But then again , if we lived in Ohio instead of Texas my D would be enamored with Rice and Trinity and Southwestern and Austin......</p>
<p>Why am I not surprised. . . .all that crooked political money involving state investment in rare coins. In Ohio, education will always take the first budget cuts.</p>
<p>I think the ranking lists here started out on the topic of state schools, so that's how Wooster was missed. There's quite a bit of chat here on the private u's in Ohio, much less on the state ones. It's useful to see some posts on those schools, as they are where most students in Ohio can afford to attend.</p>
<p>chrisd, I understand the parentheses in transfer's post now. Thanks.</p>
<p>But while I am here, how does a local view the private school situation in Ohio ? I would assume it is Kenyon, Oberlin everybody else. I'm more interested in the everybody else part of the equation, right now anyway.</p>
<p>Chrisd, don't listen to Curmudgeon!;) Start another thread, if necessary, but enquiring minds want to know (the local view of private colleges in Ohio). My daughter is still at Interlochen, and during her absence I've "added" another school to her list...College of Wooster. Don't know if it will stay on the list once she's home, but I'd love to hear any local scoop.</p>
<p>In addition to the schools mentioned, other good Ohio LAC's: Denison, Kent State, Xavier (in Cincinnati), Antioch (Yellow Springs...and no it's no longer just the hippie place it was in the 60's), John Carroll (Cleveland), Muskingum College, and Ohio Dominican. There's a wealth of good LAC's in Ohio!</p>
<p>Thanks chrisd--yes, I was only including public schools on my list.
I forgot BGSU--that is probably one of the better ones. By saying "good" state schools, I don't mean they are selective. But of the tens of thousands who go to these schools there are many excellent students who choose them for price, location, or major. Each school has its strengths (Wright State is very accessible--great for handicapped students, for example). Many of these schools have more adult students, more working and parenting students, so don't offer that typical college experience--more of a "real life" experience. (What parents pay for private schools to get their kids away from?)</p>
<p>I wonder why most of these large state schools are excluded from "357 Best Colleges" (and why are so many NY and CA public schools included? why are some tiny private schools with low stats included?) As chrisd said, MOST college students are choosing these schools. </p>
<p>Of all the Ohio public schools, a school like Cincinnati should be in "Best Colleges" (engineering, respected medical school)--above a school like OU Athens, in my opinion. Even Wright State has its own med school. It's not just Ohio--think about any flyover state--what about WMU, CMU, EMU in Michigan. . .is it just that locals will go to these schools anyway, and east/west coasters would never go there, so they don't get publicity?</p>
<p>Atomom you speak like a true Miami alum. Ohio University has its own engineering school and med school. So tell me again why Cinn. should be ranked ahead of OU?</p>