<p>Thanks, FLVADAD- I had no idea how IS worked at COW. We will definitely add it to our list to visit in October. It sounds like a school my son would like.</p>
<p>Thank you for the UToledo info. My child is applying to the bs/md program. She has to be invited for an on campus interview so she would see the campus then. We were just wondering about the school. There seems to be a lot of great things offered there. Are the students happy?</p>
<p>Again, I can't speak for the main campus students - but personally I like the energy I feel on the health science campus - the md school - the opportunities for students seems to be rapidly growing. A brand new orthopedic building. Groundbreaking on a new pharm building soon. Lots of research opportunities. </p>
<p>Don't know where you are from (in state, bigger/smaller city) but while Toledo is not glamorous, it is an easy city to live in. Our current chairman of our department recently left NYC to come back here where he went to school (UT) and start a family. Two new couples in my neighborhood are residents from out of state who are thrilled to continue their medical training here and have their families fit into the city/neighborhood easily.</p>
<p>Of course, a visit is always the best way for you to get a feel. Be sure you visit both main campus and health science campus when you do. They are about a 10 minute drive from each other....</p>
<p>UT is not on a par with Ohio State, according to USNews & WR rankings. Not even close. Although, I'm sure UT is a fine school. </p>
<p>Anyway, I'm surprised more haven't mentioned Oberlin. We visited with our D. It was a seven hour drive from our home in Pennsylvania. Our D is biracial. She loved it. My wife and I loved the little town and how it seems to be integrated into the campus. It's close enough to the big city (Cleveland) that you could get there within an hour but far enough to be away from all the urban ills like high rates of criminality and violence. </p>
<p>Only 10 percent of "Obies" are from Ohio. A high number are from California and New York.</p>
<p>I mentioned Oberlin in #21, and I agree with you completely Plainsman. I believe it was America's first truly co-educational college and also, among the first to enroll African American students.</p>
<p>I have a son who recently graduated from COW. I don't think he was especially thrilled with the prospect of completing his IS but I think the experience was truly rewarding. And it's not such a bad thing since all your peers are doing it at the same time. You have many friends to commiserate with. </p>
<p>Also, the swim team is good and the kids are great. They spend a lot of time together.</p>
<p>Oberlin is a great school and very respected, however, the culture is not for everyone and it is pretty difficult to get into (I believe).</p>
<p>I think Kenyon is one of best schools in terms of quiet environment. My sons love Kenyon and enjoy life there.</p>
<p>Kitkat, what do you mean "the culture is not for everyone" (at Oberlin)? Please explain. All I know if from the one visit. How would you describe the culture?</p>
<p>Oreo45,
My D. has been accepted to bs/md in 2007, but has chosen to attend similar program at Miami U (Oxford, OH). She had a choice of 3 programs. She was awarded full tuition academic scholarship at U of Toledo. The main reason that she decided not to attend there is Toledo is her hometown, most kids do not want to stay at home after HS. Big attraction of Toledo program - no MCAT. Also, there are 2 defferent programs : Bioeng/MD, Bio/MD - but they are allowed to apply to only one. D. is very happy at Miami where she is also on full tuition academic schoalrship. However, there is requirement of MCAT=27. I would advise to apply to both.</p>
<p>Ohio has a number of schools offering bs/md programs. And the U of Cinci offers auto admittance to their med schools if certain programs and criteria are met. So there are a number of private and public options this way, much more than most stats (really any state I know ) offers. John Carroll and Xavier are two private schools that were in on the program. Things may have change since then so do check it out.</p>
<p>A close friend has her girls at U Toledo and they like it just fine. It is not considered in the same tiers as Miami of Ohio, U of Cincy, Ohio State, Ohio University, but from what I understand, it is the right school for some kids. Lots of new facilities, I am told. It is making a transition from being a commuter school to one with wider appeal throughout the state. </p>
<p>Oberlin is a whole different story. It has a lot of kids from outside of Ohio, and though it does have a superb pre med program, it has more of an artsy atmosphere, likely from its conservatory. It is in the same category as schools like VAssar, Sarah Lawrence, Bard here on the east coast. Kenyon is probably more like the Dickinson, Gettysburg, Colgate type schools back east. I have heard many good things about the Ohio colleges. There is much there for every type. Friends with kids who went to Wooster and Wittenburg think they did quite well there and had good experiences. Many of my kids' teachers at a private prep school were from Denison, Kenyon and those two schools were heavily recommended. There are always kids from here who apply to Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin and Case Western in Ohio. Not so much the other schools, however. They tend to be more locally known.</p>
<p>John Carroll and Xavier are not in a program any more as far as I know. I agree. U of Toledo is just fine with the great advantage of no MCAT. I wanted my D. to go there, but she did not want to stay in her hometown. She was also accepted to NEOUCOM - this one is very selective for OOS, that is why I did not mention it before. She was rejected from Case's PPSP before interview. There is BS/MD at Ohio State that requires to be National Finalist, D. could not apply there. These are the BS/MD's that I know in Ohio.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse: Please explain the difference between Oberlin/Vassar/Sarah Lawrence/Bard and Dickinson/Gettysburg/Colgate "type schools." My D has had tours and interviews with admissions at both Oberlin and Dickinson.</p>
<p>The former is more artsy, more "village", more Goth types, free spirits. The latter more preppy, jocks. I am stereo typing, trying to get the mood of these schools. More openly gay folks at the former, more of the arts, more pot over alcohol, more of the long haired guys and earrings. </p>
<p>There are many kids who are equally comfortable at either school, but there are those who are more in one camp than the other. My one son had more interest curriculum wise with the former schools, but like the environment and atmosphere of the latter. Sports is a bigger deal with the latter. Many of the former all female schools fit more in the former category, and those schools tend to attract more females than males. Less likely to have business type majors. </p>
<p>Friends of our have a daughter who also applied to both Oberlin and Dickinson. They were second and third choices till the very end, when she decided for Dickinson. More eligible guys was the reason, but it was a close call for her with Oberlin leading right till the very last. F&M was first choice ED but turned her down. Dickinson was a better match academically for her, with Oberlin being a reach. </p>
<p>Did you D have a preference between the two schools? Did she feel that they were different "types"? I see the differnces, but have liked schools in both categories. Both Wesleyan and Skidmore are in Category 1 and are favorites of mine. Also like Williams and Amherst, and they fall in the second category.</p>
<p>As the other posters said, Oberlin is definitely more artsy, more liberal, kids a little more in tune with what they are thinking and feeling. It is a great school - don't get me wrong. My guys are both the business type majors - and of course I have one who is swimming in college - and they did not feel that they fit in there. NOT A BAD THING - just not for them :)</p>
<p>Two that I know from S's class went to Oberllin this year. Two went to Kenyon. The jock went to Kenyon, but otherwise, the stereotypes do not ride out. THe other three could fit in at either school. Three males and a female. Kenyon was first choice for one, third for the other with Middlebury and Tufts the first and second choices. The ones at Oberlin picked Swarthmore and Wesleyan respectively as their first choices. All close friends and classmates of S so I knew their choices well. I heard their talk and descriptions of the schools quite a bit and their impressions.</p>