I am very interested in both Oberlin and philosophy. The philosophy department in Oberlin seems considerably strong. But I still not quite sure.
Are the profs brilliant? Are the profs able to explain the concepts in understandable yet rigorous ways? Do the profs manage class discussions well?
What are the students like? Are the students dedicated and passionate? Do the students collaborate beyond the classroom?
Oberlin is attractive to me as I love the coop, exco and musical vibe (not to mention merit aid). Any answer would be appreciated! Thank you!
@catusespencil I’m the parent of a current first year, so my info is second-hand, but my son is impressed with both the intellectual caliber of the students and the faculty. He couldn’t fit a philosophy class into his schedule this semester, but he is interested in it as a possible major.
We had interesting conversations with every person we met at drop-off, which made us feel relieved, since we really didn’t know much about the school when our son picked it. (All I knew was that the valedictorian of the HS class ahead of mine in the early 80s had picked it, so I was sure there were some smart kids there!)
There is a strong collaborative spirit at Oberlin–lots of projects are group projects. What my son loves is that there isn’t a lot of cut-throat competition or grade-grubbing, which can make so many college experiences really unpleasant. And yes, the free merit money is nice, too! That came out of the blue and it helped him make his decision.
I first found out about Oberlin because my camp counselor went there.
Some important points:
-The professors are all very bright and some are brilliant. There is not the extreme publish or perish environment, as is the case at large schools with post-graduate programs. They have to do some of it, but the college is interested in fine teaching, and people who enjoy dealing with undergraduates. If a professor does not like to teach or deal with undergraduates, he or she will not be there long. Maybe dave72 can make some comments, since he is a faculty member. I found you could meet with a professor during their office hours and they would explain a concept you might not understand ifthere was time the professor would explain it during or after class.
-The college is an undergraduate institution, not primarily a graduate or research institution where a professor might regard teaching undergraduates as interfering with his or her research or teaching graduate students. There are no GSIs there.
-The students are friendly and helpful. There is very little cutthroat behavior. Some are passionate, and most are dedicated to their studies and activities.
-There are some lecture classes, but most of the classes encourage discussion. And this is good training for life in the workplace, where if you want to achieve a good position, you have to be able to communicate well.
-I was a co-opper for 3 years. That is totally collaborative because the students run the coop house and cook the meals. I worked a few hours a week in the house. It costs less money than being in the regular board system, and it was nice getting to know, and having lunch and dinner with,a smaller group of people in a nice,older house. Other benefits: hot bread from the oven on bread nights, great meals superior to the board system, but there could be bad meals as well.
- Exco is great for learning about even non-academic things, and getting some college credit for it. Generally taught by students.
-The music was fantastic. The concert venues are Finney Chapel and the conservatory, just a block or two away from where you live. Cleveland Orchestra comes once a year. This and the many other activities keep the students occupied at a small college. I was never bored.