Why Oberlin College?
Congratulations! You’re in.
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.”
More Reasons To 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.
Small-Town Charm
With restaurants, shops, a “Big Parade,” and a kitten shelter, our little town has a lot going for it.
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
My "Why Oberlin" Story
Why Oberlin stood out to me and why I'm glad I'm here.
Ricarda Hill ’24
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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
Explore Our Areas of Study
Choose from more than 70 academic majors, interdisciplinary minors, and integrative concentrations. Dive into your interests and discover new ones as you select from more than 1,500 classes each year.
Faculty Voices: Research and Mentorship
Three faculty members discuss the important role of students in their research.
Gaybe Moore, Biology
“I have the great honor of being able to mentor my research students, and we’re really developing a relationship that I see as potentially being life-long collaborators.”
Adam Eck, Computer Science
“Students get to see that research is not just a thought exercise—it’s very hands-on, very collaborative. They work closely together with one another and not just me.”
Alicia Smith-Tran, Sociology
“Students from a winter term project [and I] collected data... and ended up getting to publish it in an American Sociological Association publication, which was really cool.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
