<p>Hi! I got accepted to Oberlin, but i'm still wavering if i should actually go or not. Does anyone know how strong the sciences department is there? Especially areas like biology and neuroscience. I also want to get an idea of what oberlin is known for , for graduate school, and its reputation in the professional world.</p>
<p>second of all, what is the surrounding area and students like? I'm from a west coast city, so i'm worried i'll end up in a small town, homogeneous, conservative area where i won't get any experience. </p>
<p>any input welcomed! thanks</p>
<p>I believe that Oberlin is the top LAC as far as having people go on to get PhDs. It’s certainly not a conservative school, and the school dominates the small town that it’s in. Read the student blogs on the school web site and you’ll get a feel for the place.</p>
<p>Their sciences are fantastic. They recently (about 6-8) years ago invested millions in their sciences and the facilities and teaching staff are top notch. My DS was also accepted there and intends to study in the sciences (bio) and pre-med.</p>
<p>The college is located in a small town and that dominates the area. But, it’s near Cleveland and has many opportunities to volunteer and intern near by. The college is known for its liberal traits (wasn’t it the first college to admit women in 1865-ish?).</p>
<p>lucylulu,</p>
<p>Don’t worry about being from the West Coast. Judging by the wild applause during the Dean of Admissions’ “call and response” minute in Finney Chapel last fall during orientation week, California is probably the state with the second largest contingent of Oberlin students these days, after New York. There seemed to be a ton of folks from the West Coast last fall. We even met a freshman from Hawaii. He and his family happened to check into the Marriott in North Olmsted at the same time we did.</p>
<p>If you research the history of the Oberlin community, which is inextricably linked with the college, you will discover the community is anything but “homogeneous and conservative.” It’s the opposite.</p>
<p>Just to add to the previous comments–our neuroscience department is fantastic! We offered the first undergraduate neuroscience program in the country, and all of our neuroscience professors have actual neuroscience degrees (as opposed to biology, etc). And you get to do research! (I know this firsthand because I was a research subject for one of my neuroscience-major roommate’s projects when I was a student)</p>
<p>Also, as Plainsman mentioned, Oberlin is pretty much the opposite of a “homogeneous, conservative area.”</p>
<p>What about math and/or physics? Does the whole “Oberlin has a good sciences program” extend to those?</p>
<p>Heck yeah, hard sciences.</p>
<p>Basic facts:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>They’re super-hard. Professors are understanding, but coursework is very difficult. In the end, both majors want to prepare students for grad school. It’s really easy to go to grad school after Oberlin, and we’ve got great placement rates.</p></li>
<li><p>There’s a kickin description of what the major is actually like here:
[Oberlin</a> Blogs | Blog Entry: “God Rest Ye Merry Ellipses…”](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/learning/college_courses/god_rest_ye_mer.shtml]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/learning/college_courses/god_rest_ye_mer.shtml)</p></li>
<li><p>Or this:
[Oberlin</a> Blogs | Blog Entry: “All These Things That I Have Done”](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/life_culture/all_these_thing.shtml]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/life_culture/all_these_thing.shtml)</p></li>
<li><p>Professors are hilarious. Chris Martin is an amazing astrophysicist, Dan Styer is a great professor and a silly guy, who says things like “I have a magical cure for all diseases. It’s hot sulfuric acid!” … in class. Dan Stinebring takes students to Puerto Rico for Winter Term pulsar research. There’s a lot of taking class material and actually applying it.</p></li>
<li><p>I think what’s great is that while my math/physics friends are really busy, they still have lives. Outside of problem sets, they play music, go dancing, hike, organize radio shows, and make time for friends.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I can comfirm, secondhand, that the math major is very challenging.</p>
<p>Hi i’m in the same situation now, considering to go to oberlin or carleton
what I have heard about science at Oberlin is that it is one of the strongest programs, well, except for music of course. unfortunately i’m not a science person</p>
<p>i’ve visited just a few weeks ago, they have a network with caltech and the new science building is just fantastic.</p>