<p>I was checking out the website and was impressed by the number of national awards students receive at OU - it's actually the highest in the state!!</p>
<p>Past three (3) years:</p>
<p>Truman Scholars: 2 (Ultra-competitive)
National Science Foundation: 1
James Madison Fllwshp: 1 (One per state)
Mellon Fellowship: 1 (These are incredibly tough to get)
Goldwater Scholarships: 2
Fulbrights: 9 (!)
Ben Gilman Awards: 1 (for low-income students wanting to go abroad)
Rotary Int'l: 1</p>
<p>Those awards seem quite impressive - how do they compare to OSO or Miami of OH?</p>
<p>ON the website it says that Ohio University has the most national scholarship winners in the state, over OSU and Miami of OH. I am definitely surprised at this as I can understand OU being ahead of Kenyon/Oberlin simply based on sheer size; however, Case Western is a significantly largeer than Kenyon and Oberlin.</p>
<p>Anyone care to expand on this?</p>
<p>My sense is this is an outgrowth of their active honors program. Many of the better honors programs dedicate staff and resources in identifying national scholarship programs to students early in their college careers and then providing the support and encouragement to submit applications for these awards. Usually there is a dedicated administrator or faculty in charge of such an effort and there can be specific faculty who will provide critical review of application materials and research proposals. Fairfield has this type of coordinated program and has been extremely successful in obtaining these national awards for their students.</p>
<p>So this is a combination of great students and a great administration working together? Who knew that actually happened in higher education! Good to see that great students are actively supported at OU.</p>
<p>I wonder what they mean by national scholarship winners. . . . </p>
<p>OSU has sheer size, I think they'd come out number one in Ohio in any university numbers.</p>
<p>Regarding Case. . . I can only speak from my experience. I live in NE Ohio, outside of Cleveland. Case is regarded as a place that is expensive, good for pre-med and physical sciences, local kids who get accepted at Ivies but can't afford the cost often end up at CWRU because of good merit money there.</p>
<p>National scholarships are actually programs which provide financial aid for various educational experiences. For example, Freeman Asia provides financial aid for study abroad in Asia. Fullbright scholarships provide financial aid for engaging in graduate and post-graduate study/research in a foreign country. Rhodes scholarships provide financial aid for post bachelors study in England. All of these programs are highly competitive and colleges whose students are able to secure these awards are justifiably proud both of the students and their administrative support of getting their students through the process. While data on which colleges are most likely to get these awards says nothing about the actual college experience for most students, it does suggest that the college has made a committment to significant scholarship for its best students.</p>
<p>ChrisD, </p>
<p>Thanks for the info and I thought too, that OSU would out-do other schools - but once I checked into it further, I was actually disappointed by OSU and their numbers, especially their four year graduation rate, which sits at a dismal 62%!!!! The only receive around 16,000 applications each year which is pretty small for a school that size. </p>
<p>For In-staters, yes Case Western seems every expensive when you could attend a great state school that is much cheaper.</p>
<p>I think graduation rates for large schools in cities can be deceiving. . . there are many more students who attend briefly, while working, drop out, may come back later. If someone chooses to attend school in an isolated college town like Athens or Oxford, they're likely to be from a background where they can afford, more or less, to live on a campus, and go to school full-time.</p>
<p>Has anyone here been reading this board long enough to recall the "white paper" on undergrad student dissatisfaction at CWRU? That's been a few years ago, not sure whatever became of the administration's efforts to make students happier at Case.</p>
<p>Speaking of happy students, OU often turns up on lists like Princeton Reviews' of "happiest students."</p>
<p>And I also noticed that Case appeared on the 'Least Happy Students' rankings at #19. :(</p>
<p>I wonder why more people haven't discovered Ohio University? Seems like a great place to spend four years. Sure it is a decent size, but maybe it loses out to Miami? Not sure.</p>
<p>From what I understand from an alum, OU is in the midst of a concerted campaign to upgrade their reputation, their student body, their academic stature, and its paying off. Probably, people are only beginning to discover that these strides have been made and are relying upon old impressions.</p>
<p>ohmadre - </p>
<p>This is true, and can be seen in the rising requirements for their freshman scholarships (For Presidential: ACT 30 in 2004, 31 in 2005, and maybe 32 next year). They are even trying to upgrade their football reputation, hiring the former Nebraska coach ("Got Frank" t-shirts are all over campus). </p>
<p>The Provost, Kathy Krendl, has proposed "Vision Ohio" with a comprehensive plan to upgrade all aspects of the school. I read a talk of hers and sent her a long email outlining what I thought was good about the school and should be emphasized and where I thought improvements could be made (Haha - my S wasn't even a student yet, but I have opinions anyway - you know me!!!!). Anyway, when we parents were introducing ourselves at the parents' orientation, the Dean of my S's school said that my email was read - in its entirety - at the last meeting of all of the school deans. I got several really nice emails back in response, especially one long one addressing my concern about what seemed like a lack of diversity on campus.</p>
<p>Anyway, I backed off quickly because I didn't want to get involved with my son's college the same way I got involved with his HS. It's his life from here on.</p>
<p>BTW, Ohio is in a nationally-televised football game tonight (ESPN2).</p>
<p>WealthofInfo:
I have a favor to ask. What is your interest and/or connection w/ OU? Do you have a student attending? Just curious, as most of your posts are so overwhelming positive about this particular school. Thanks!</p>
<p>No connection in fact. Just a college admissions & university guru.</p>
<p>...as in work for OU?... ;-)</p>
<p>Nah, not so much. I work in the legal field on the west coast as does my fiance - he's actually the smart one however, I'm just relegated to checking out online message boards. :)</p>
<p>"hiring the former Nebraska coach ("Got Frank" t-shirts are all over campus). "</p>
<p>I think that's a mixed blessing. This coach is getting paid big big money. . . which comes from our taxes and tuition. </p>
<p>I'm thrilled to see money go for academics, student services, scholarships, but not for a big name athletic reputation.</p>
<p>I tend to agree - that sports and academics shouldn't be as heavily intertwined but I think that sports teams 1) keep alumni closely connected 2) ensure exposure on a different level, and 3) promote positive school spirit. I think the point is that a great sports team can't hurt, as long as the other constiuents don't suffer. </p>
<p>Besides, OSU will always be the big sports school in Ohio so I doubt that OU has anything to worry about.</p>
<p>Actually, Frank is only getting one-sixth the salary he had at Nebraska ($250K vs $1.5M). Game is on ESPN2 at 8:00ET</p>
<p>
[quote]
Besides, OSU will always be the big sports school in Ohio so I doubt that OU has anything to worry about.
[/quote]
You could say that again. OU is on the same level as KSU in college football. I went to Kent, but when the Buckeyes played them 3 years ago, I found myself rooting for the Ohio State more. Now if KSU and OSU played in basketball it would be a different story, but I grew up with OSU football (as did most of Ohio) so no team will EVER be on that level.</p>