<p>I think back to my freshman orientation, and they really press one thing on incoming freshman...get involved.</p>
<p>Getting invovled on campus is the number 1 best way to make a big campus like Ohio State feel smaller. I joined a couple clubs (we have 800!) when I got on campus that ranged in size from 10 people to a couple hundred! But it gave me right away a base of people I was connected to. </p>
<p>I came to Ohio State not knowing even one person (I was out-of-state). I found out who my roommate was around Labor Day and we chatted online, so I at least felt like I sort of knew someone when I got to campus. The first day on campus, I left my door open and I met just about everyone on my floor. From that floor my freshman year, I gained four friends who I can say are my absolute best friends in the world; and I still live with my roommate.</p>
<p>Now, I can't go a day walking on campus where I don't see at least a few people that I know. My facebook boasts nearly 400 friends from Ohio State. These are people that I actually have real connections with. Either I've lived with them, worked with them, had class with them, or was involved in the same group with them.</p>
<p>Believe me, Ohio State is a big place, but why do you think over 90% of our freshmen return every year? Because they get connected to OSU and it really does feel like home.</p>
<p>Thanks, osufunguy! How far are you from home?I t sounds like OSU was a good match for you. I know there are lots of opportunities available (one of the perks of a big school), I'm just not sure my daughter will take advantage of them because she is shy. But. . . that will be her choice and that's what I have to start coming to terms with. Life will be what she makes it.</p>
<p>I was in the same boat as your daughter, about 250 miles from home. And to be honest, I was a fairly shy guy myself. I had a small, close group of friends of four or five people in high school, and coming to Ohio State was actually my "coming out" party per se.</p>
<p>I desired for the same thing at Ohio State, and I was able to get that same small group of friends that I had in high school. But at the same time, I met so many people here at Ohio State that I became much more outgoing. I never knew that I would actually be able to have an impact on a campus of 50,000 students, but I did. My own family couldn't believe how much I had changed (for the better) when I came to Ohio State. </p>
<p>I came into OSU not really knowing what to expect, and fully expected to just be the shy guy that I had been in high school. But college is all about becoming who you have been meant to be your entire life, and apparently for me, it was an outgoing, go-getter kind of guy. I wouldn't say a complete 180 from high school, but I've definitely changed a lot. College (not just Ohio State) is meant for this, but I think Ohio State does a great job of fostering growth, especially during your freshman year. </p>
<p>The absolute best of luck to your daughter during her freshman year!</p>
<p>SportsMama, I know exactly how you are feeling! My daughter will also be an incoming freshman in the Engineering program at OSU. Like your daughter, she too is shy until she gets to know people. She is also in the honors program. Haven't heard which dorm she gets yet. I bet our girls are sure to meet each other! Is your daughter going to the Women in Engineering summer camp by any chance?</p>
<p>dmp, it's great to hear you know the feeling! I remember when my daughter received the info about the WIE summer camp. That was at the point that she was pretty sure she was going to VT. I saved it, anyway, but we have not yet discussed anything more about OSU. I think I will ask her about it this weekend. </p>
<p>My daughter has not put in for a dorm yet because they said they don't send that info until the $100 deposit is received. We didn't send that until May 1. She is hoping to live in the WIE dorm. I'm hoping they still have room by the time she gets to request a dorm.</p>
<p>That makes it rather clear that the "reputation" that you're clinging to has much more to do with the 60s and 70s than today or even the recent past.</p>
<p>It's no secret that Jim Rhodes had a grudge against Ohio State (he flunked out his freshman year) and for that reason, along with a general populist, anti-intellectual outlook, forced the university to maintain open admissions. Those policies were officially undone in 1987 when his appointees to their board went into the minority. Ohio State couldn't undo the damage that Rhodes did overnight, but I think it's pretty clear that today his policies are but a distant memory and Ohio State's historic role as the state's flagship university has been pretty solidly restored.</p>
<p>The 2006 freshman class comparison between Ohio State and Miami make that pretty clear, and that gap is only widening with the 2007 classes.</p>
<p>Thought I would chime in here even though your daughter has made her choice. Yes, OSU is a hugh university. But remember that big universities are made of many smaller pieces. Actually OSU's College of Engineering is about 20%smaller than VT's Engineering College and OSU's Ind/Sys Engineering Dept is about the same size anthough that includes those weird Welding Eng students.</p>
<p>What most people fail to understand is how intimate some department at large universities can be. I was a Civil Eng major at OSU in the late 60's and there were about 35 in my CE class, smaller than many LAC departments. I knew everyone in my class and we were on a first name basis with many of the professors as well. We had fac/student b-ball games and had pregame picnics prior to every home football game on the Hitchcock Hall "patio". </p>
<p>While universities have a reputation for large large lectures and class sections taught by TA's, that is rare in engineering departments and limited to lab sections. In OSU's Ind/Sys Eng Department Spring semester 33% of undergrad class sections had ten or fewer students and 70% had less than 25 students. This does not count the 16 independent study/undergrad research enrollments. Less than 10% of the class sections had more than 40 students enrolled.</p>
<p>Rest assured that your daughter will receive a top notch engineering education at OSU. I know I did.</p>
<p>The following link is evidence that there is still great sense of comradery and spirit in the Civil Eng department. Hopefully the same is found in the IE dept too.</p>