Why Oberlin College?

Congratulations! You’re in.

We're so excited to welcome you to your new home! Learn more about what sets Oberlin apart and explore what it means to be an Obie.

Why We Chose Oberlin

We walked around campus and asked students why they chose Oberlin. Here’s what they had to say.

Why Nihal Chose Oberlin

“People are really caring about each other and people really want to build as supportive and collaborative of an environment as possible.”

Why Nikki Chose Oberlin

“One of the reasons why I chose to go to Oberlin was the plethora of opportunities…”

Why Abby Chose Oberlin

“To be in a supportive community that is very collaborative and other really makes me feel like I can thrive not only academically but also in the future as a professional and every day personally is something amazing.”

Why will you choose Oberlin?

You’ll probably come up with your own reasons without our help. But if you’d like some inspiration, here are a few ideas.

Winter Term

Where you pick the project and Oberlin gives you the entire month of January to pursue it.

Music Opportunities

You don't have to be enrolled in the Conservatory to take advantage of our incredible music resources—including 500+ performances a year.

Paid Internships

Oberlin offers the programming and resources throughout your time at Oberlin to help launch your career.

Research Opportunities

No matter where your interests lie, work directly with a faculty mentor to pursue research projects as early as your first year.

Carbon Neutral by 2025

From campus-wide energy conservation challenges to a full campus conversion to geothermal energy, the Oberlin community is committed to sustainability.

Study Away

Explore the world! 80% of students travel off-campus for study, service, or internships.

Individual Attention

Learn from top-ranked professors who will know your name and support you in pursuing your passions.

A Welcoming Community

The best thing about Oberlin? The people! Live and learn with peers who will support your passions and introduce you to new ones.

The Student Experience

By now you’ve probably read a few posts by Oberlin’s bloggers. Here’s their take on what makes Oberlin such a special place.

Power, Politics, and Pastries

My take on the first-year seminar.

Chloe Martin ’27
Durham, North Carolina

Chloe Martin

My "Why Oberlin" Story

Why Oberlin stood out to me and why I'm glad I'm here.

Ricarda Hill ’24
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ricarda Hill

Two Days in the Life of an Oberlin Student

What is a day at college like? Ultimately, it’s what you make of it.

Naci Konar-Steenberg '26
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Naci Konar-Steenberg

Explore Our Areas of Study

Choose from 40+ academic majors and more than a dozen interdisciplinary minors and integrative concentrations. Dive into your interests and discover new ones as you select from more than 1,500 classes each year.

Dive Into the Oberlin Experience

Engaged Liberal Arts: Connected Learning at Oberlin

Undergraduate Research

Music Opportunities at Oberlin

Obie Pride

Get some digital swag to celebrate your admission to Oberlin!

Download GIFs, add social media lenses and filters, and hear playlists put together for you by a number of Obies—including President Ambar.

Oberlin pennant with animated motion.

After Oberlin

What lies ahead for Oberlin graduates? They’ve risen to the challenge of rigorous academics, they’ve pursued their passions and taken advantage of real-world experience, and now they’re ready to forge their own paths.

Finding the Sweet Spot Between Medicine and Research

Christopher Ayoub ’15 got his first taste of research in the biology labs of Oberlin. His work with an Oberlin professor led directly to his first job as a research technician at Baylor College of Medicine. Today, the anthropology and biology double major continues to follow both interests while pursuing a PhD and MD. 

Christopher Ayoub

The Transition From Student Senate to Washington, D.C.

When he was growing up, Machmud Makhmudov ’15 noticed how communities from different parts of the world created lives that struggled, grew, and thrived alongside one another. That insight served him well as a policy advisor for the presidential campaign and stands to be an impression in his new role with the incoming Biden Administration.

Machmud Makhmudov

Persistence, Practice, and Determination

After graduating from Oberlin’s Double Degree Program with majors in jazz bass performance and Africana Studies, Caylen Bryant ’17 went on to perfect her own sound and head a music program handed down to her by author and musician James McBride ’79.

Caylen Bryant

Internships

In recent years, Oberlin students have worked with BBC America, Columbia Pictures, Environmental Defense Fund, IBM, Japan Airlines, National Science Foundation, NPR, Project on Middle East Democracy, Texas Legal Services, U.S. Congress, and the World Bank.

Graduate School

92% of new Oberlin grads who applied to graduate school received two or more acceptances; 81% are at their top choice. Popular grad schools include Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Rice, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, and Yale.

Employment

First employers of recent graduates include national leaders in health care, finance, science, tech, and the arts, including Facebook, Google, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, MSNBC, the National Institutes of Health, Netflix, NPR, the Smithsonian Institution, Spotify, and Teach For America.

Ready to enroll?

Please take a moment to confirm your enrollment and review the checklist of next steps. We can’t wait to see you on campus!

Looking down at the audience and stage from the balcony of Finney chapel.