@JessicaO - I think I know how YOU are leaning. What about your son?
Hi @digmedia , yesterday he made his decision. ā¦ Ohio University!
Thanks for the update 
and CONGRATULATIONS to your son!
Thank you @MYOS1634 !
Can you reveal how he made his final decision?
Absolutely. It came down to OUās personalized, collaborative advisory model of teaching and mentoring with a strong focus on personal and interpersonal relationships in a College of Business devoted to Undergraduate teaching. The focus on networking from Day 1 and seeking to apply learned concepts in real world situations (actually doing consulting projects to create analysis and recommendations for local and regional businesses) was very attractive for his learning style. Itās the difference between leaning forward on the edge of your seat vs sitting in lectures trying to flex your legs so the donāt fall asleep and remaining disciplined for a unidirectional transfer of knowledge. Son worked at Center for European Nuclear Research (CERN, home of large Hadron Collider) in Switzerland over the summer, interning for a famous nuclear physicist and writing and testing a writing a manual for use of a network analyzer. In the mornings he had to attend postdoctoral level seminars about upper level physics concepts. Afternoons were spent actually working. Afternoons working, sleeves rolled up, were stimulatingāsitting in lectures not so much. He felt he learns so much better in a hands-on, collaborative environment, and Ohio University offered that, along with a high degree of advisory. Secondly, O.U ticked all the boxes of studying his exact majors of interest, with internships and alumni network in sports mgmt, beautiful nature, chill student body with a lot of low key intramural sports and other fun activities available. Plus the merit aid was phenomenal. Thanks for asking!
Thank you, that will be very useful to many readers!
@JessicaO thanks for your insightful comments here. We have a HS Junior son, and when my husband suggested he look at Ohio University I had no idea what the heck he was referring to! Our son sounds a lot like yours in temperament (social, into sports, gaming, but not a hard core partier), however doesnāt have the academic chops yours does. I think his numbers are OK for getting in. My question: Heās interested in Sports Management as well, and weāve visited some great schools where I was super-impressed at the Internships available. Namely Temple and University of South Carolina. Can you speak to the Sports Management internships at OU? Thanks so much!
Hi @Amser409 I donāt know about South Carolina, but Iāve heard excellent things about Templeās programs. Templeās other advantage is that it has the major media outlets in town to help with getting an internship. That said, I donāt know about the level of support their Career Guidance or even the Sports Mgmt department gives to the students. They appear to be great, I just donāt knowā¦
As for Ohio University, I too had never heard of it, but my husband is from Ohio and had heard it, and even my dad, who is a Yale then UVA Law grade had heard favorable things about it. I just announced the decision on Facebook and was surprised to learn a bunch of esteemed people we know had gone thereāone, an MBA classmate from U of Michigan with my hedge fund running cousin, and another who went on to CMU for her Masters and is the ābest hire I ever madeā according to my husband. I had no idea that such accomplished people had gone there and graduated O.U.
Now, specifically for Sports Mgmt, one thing to note is that O.U. had a very long history in this field and their Sports MBA program is particularly well-regarded. We met the Chair of the Sports Mgmt department, and he was unbelievably dynamic and showed us (parents and admitted students) the various paths through which one enters the sports industry. Paths depend on the studentās interest, aptitudes (whether verbal, quantitative, sales, etc), and they will help the students figure that out, along with an Advisor. It is a competitive field and I think the kids have to express interest early and often into internships, and also be willing to travel to complete them. One kid did an internship with the Dallas Cowboys, and was later hired into the organization. Others have gone to work for the Cleveland sports teamsā organizations. The kid has to hustle, but the professors are connected, the alumni network in the sports field is very strong and active, and the O.U. program is known to people who work in the industry. The Dean of the Business school stressed that it is very competitive and the student has to be really motivated. The other big hook for O.U. is the Scripps School of Communications. There is a fair number of kids studying there who add a Sports Mgmt minor. They are on track to be sports writers or analysts. You have to be willing to work the gritty jobs first, but once youāre in the door, itās what you make of it. The way you get in the door is through connections and references, which O.U. works hard to provide and facilitate.
I hope that helps!
Thanks! I look foward to hearing my son and husbandās review when they visit at the end of June. I appreciate your insight.
Sorry a little late to the partyā¦ but great news! I am currently a freshman at OU and love it. Yes it does have a party culture but any school in the middle of nowhere will (WVU, Miami, Iowa etc) but there is a lot to do!
Where will he be living? If he does not live in the honors dorms, the dorms I would recommend would be any of the new ones (Tanaka, Carr, Luchs) on south, and if he cant get that then you cant go wrong with any of the west green or east green dorms. While some are older than other, West green is a great location and kind of away from everything at the same time and you donāt have to walk the hills to get to main campus
again congrats and good luck!
Thanks for chiming in OhioMan! Itās good to hear happy things from a current freshman. If you donāt mind my asking: are you in the honors college? I know that my son will not be, but will be doing the LLC for Communications and living in the communications dorm.
And what is your major (if you know it already)? Iād love to hear any tips re: classes or scheduling.
Good luck with finals!
Treudley Hall 218ārooming with 2 unknown dudesā¦ Letās hope for the best!!
So glad youāre son decided to attend Ohio! I have 2 OOS daughterās there, one Scripps J-school, D2 biochem and a student/athlete. They could not be happier. (And the younger was absolutely NOT going to go to school where her sister went-until she visited and met the coach. Both have found their hOUme. (Bobcat lingo) one daughter was accepted to UVa-( the ultimate here in my region), and while UVA is a great school, she would not have the broadcasting experience, internships, etc. at UVA she is getting through Scripps. D2 loves the hands on, smaller class sizes for the hard sciences, even though itās a larger school. Loves her team and the professors willing to work with the athletes in a demanding program. She did not get that impression of her other possible schools: App State, Chris Newport, Towson. All in all, both daughters could not be happier with their choice. And they have each other when they need an outfit to borrow or a shoulder to cry on. And Iām comforted knowing theyāre together since 500+ miles from home.
@bobcatparent So funny to see your response here! Iām sitting at the Super 8 in Athens on Friday night of Parentsā Weekend. Drove 8 hours to get here, car broke down in West Virginia, finally got hereā¦ and son is having the TIME OF HIS LIFE (!) He politely asked if we would mind having an early dinner (4:30pm) so he could go out with his friends tonight.
He is studying well (the rigorous high school prepared him well, I must say), does a lot of group studying with people in his LC or other classesāwhich he said helps him a lot because he hears different perspectives and can integrate them for a more nuanced understanding of concepts.
I have never seen him so confident, relaxed and happy. He said that āitās funny because it really is starting to feel like home. Well this IS my home now.ā
He goes out with lots of new friends, plays sports, goes to parties, has a 7:30am class daily and is doing well academically. I am so, so, so happy he chose O.U. and I love the communications by the university. They have a great and very authentic brand voice. I am so happy for hum that I almost donāt mind sitting in this questionable hotel on a Friday night!! So glad your daughters love it too. Itās really a jewel, a great community.
Hi @JessicaO. I found this thread and your comments very useful in learning about OU. Can you share any updates on your son?
Hi @STEM2017
He is still feeling very happy and comfortable at OU. Heās made many friends and has actually taken the lead in organizing IM leagues for a couple of sports and has joined a special interest student organization for which he has to prepare case studies and (to my eye) will be a great networking medium and interesting conversation starter for prospective employers. Roommate situation is good. He knew someone with an incompatible roommate who had a hassle-free switch. I can see his confidence continuing to emerge.
Iāve also got FERPA access, so Iāve actually seen copies of some of the writing heās submitted and the teachersā written feedback, and I thought it was interesting to see a more mature viewpoint than I would have expected from the 18 year old who left home in August. His access to professors seems EXCELLENT. The school definitely has a smaller feel than its actual size, in the best way. The Business School continues to impress me. This probably goes without saying, but you get out what you put in. His roommate (by random assignment) is also on merit scholarships and is very, very motivated. He has spoken of other students who are far less focused.
Heās told me that people are very, very friendly. Seniors talk to freshmen in the cafeteria, itās very easy to get a pick up game at Ping (Student Sports Center), and itās very inclusive generally. Ironically he got stuck at Detroit airport coming back from Xmas break and ran into an OU senior there, and they almost rented a car to drive back to Athens together rather than risk missing the last GO Bus in Columbus! They ended up getting on the flight at the end but have struck up an acquaintanceship since. He got an informational interview over the break from someone at a major league sports franchise who was an O.U. MBA/MSA. If you are willing to put in the legwork, I think itās a school that offers numerous networking and professional development opportunities. They support the students, but they will not do the work for the students.
The College of Business LC was outstanding and was how he made some good friends. The LC leader was excellent, smart and approachable. The Executive in Residence is very accomplished, a mentoring presence and a true class act.
Based on my sonās experience, I would recommend that incoming students consider consulting ratemyprofessor.com to help find best classes during registration. Our son had an excellent professor he found through that site who was not utilized because her class was so early in the morning.
All in all, itās been a great choice for him, and one that we are happy to see him thriving in. I asked him if he ever thought about transferring, and he replied, āNever.ā