<p>All parents of Oberlin College and Conservatory students are invited to join the online parents' group at:</p>
<p>oberlincollegeparents</a> : Oberlin College/Conservatory Parents</p>
<p>This is independent of the college and is intended as a parents' exchange group.</p>
<p>My son is debating between Oberlin vs Univ Roch as a science major with lots of music (but not double degree). The student community at Ob seems great, very involved and cooperative, but the staff seems pretty flakey. Events are poorly organized, orientation and move-in subpar compared to most schools these days. Other Obie parents have told me they are very uninformed compared with other schools. What’s your take? Thanks!</p>
<p>pennkidd, I have to agree but I think what you are viewing as concerns, I view as positive things about Oberlin College.</p>
<p>My D2 is a sophomore. Two years ago her accepted students visit was indeed somewhat chaotic, perhaps disorganized, compared to the accepted students days for other colleges that she attended at both LACs and large universities. The “lunch” and refreshments at Oberlin were incredibly cheap, there were no organized class visits on accepted students day, and very little direction. Our entire family attended. We decided to look at it as a reflection of Oberlin’s personality. It was more like a disorganized family reunion, the opposite of a well-oiled machine—what we experienced at other schools. It was quaint. Cozy. Homey. Laid back. Authentic. Friendly. We decided if attending the college was anything at all like the accepted students day or the freshman orientation week which had the same pulse to it, our daughter would feel very comfortable. And that is exactly how it has turned out.</p>
<p>We attended one college’s accepted/admitted students day where they had all the newly accepted students names integrated into a video on broacast in one of the auditoriums. It ran at just the right heart-warming moment, scrolling your child’s name across the screen, this at a school several times larger than Oberlin. </p>
<p>At another college, an LAC, the accepted students day was run with the kind of precision (time-wise) that would make Hitler’s SS sigh in admiration. Everything was on time. Every accepted student was escorted to not one but two selected classes for sit-ins, and the parents escorted to special events on time, every time. Current students went to lunch with you and your student. Coincidentally, we drew the cover girl from that college’s admissions video.</p>
<p>I also have a sophomore, and have never gotten a disorganized vibe. Communications have been timely and the events we’ve attended have been well-organized and fun.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to accepted students day as my D didn’t attend. No problem with move-in day, though I don’t have anything to compare it with. </p>
<p>We went to the parents weekend this year, and I thought it was extremely well done.</p>
<p>My son graduated from Oberlin last spring. I can’t comment on accepted students day as my husband took him, not me. But after his visit, he was convinced he would rather go to Oberlin than Rochester, his other top choice. He had spent 2 weekends at UR but felt that Oberlin was a better fit. As a parent, freshman move in went fine. No problems. Nor did we have any other problems with move in other years. I always felt like I had whatever info I needed. On the other hand, my need for info was not intense. This was my third one to attend college and I figured out pretty quickly that the kids need to manage college, not me. By the way, my oldest attended Eastman, and had a great experience there as well.</p>
<p>D is a freshman. I thought move-in day went like clockwork (at least for us). All her stuff was levitated into her room by upperclassmen as soon as we could get it out of the car. Pretty much everything was “findable” and her RA was available for questions. No problems.</p>