When you first tell people that you're applying to Oberlin, you'll get a lot of "Where?" You'll resort to telling everyone that it was the first collegiate institution to offer post-secondary education to both women and black people (in 1839), and it was a stop on the Underground Railroad, as well as the place where aluminum foil was invented. But after you arrive, people everywhere seem to come out of the woodwork: "Oh yeah, my brother went there in '85," or, "Isn't that the cross-dressing school?" Oberlin has a reputation, but it's slightly limited by the fact that the whole college is only 3000 students, and it's in a town that, including those students, has a population of 8000. The fact is, the town probably wouldn't exist without the college, because Lorain County, in which Oberlin is located, is the most depressed county in Ohio, which is not the wealthiest state out there, and so the town and college are extremely intertwined. It's very much a college town, with college buildings surrounding the main town square and sitting on either side of Main Street.

Oberlin is proof of what happens when relatively large portions of a population bitch a lot. Students have made significant changes in recent years, including essentially forcing the resignation of the last president, with whom there were many complaints. The school isn't run by the students by any means, but student input is taken into strong consideration by the administration, and while the bureaucracy of it might take a little while to work through, things do get done, and in general, it's a satisfactory experience. In recent years, cuts have been made in areas of student life (less people can live off-campus now) because Oberlin needs money, and it's disappointing, but not tragic.

Classes at Oberlin are, for the most part, small. In four years at Oberlin, I have had two classes with over 20 people. Most of mine have between 6 and 14. The best classes really are those where the teacher engages with the students, though in classes where this doesn't happen, students tend to engage each other in energetic intellectual debates. Studying is basically Oberlin's sport. Students are in a perfect position to be assholes about their coursework, but instead of being hypercompetitive, they're extremely cooperative in their approaches. There's always some competition, especially in tough majors like music and theater, where a select few move on each year, but at the student level, no one's stepping on each other to get ahead.

I'm a composer, and the major cuts 2/3 of its students within the first two years. The remaining 1/3 is then "in" for good. Classes in my department consist of music theory and history, orchestration, compositional techniques, and private composition lessons with a member of the faculty.

Faculty members readily make themselves available outside of class time. At my orientation tour as a freshman, the guide said, "If you finish your sophomore year without going to your professor's house for dinner, you're taking the wrong classes." And it's true; I've been to no less than three professor's homes for various parties and events. It's certainly possible also to spend time with professors during the day. I've run into some in town and just had conversations on the street, or outside a restaurant. Granted, some professors are more available than others, and usually this depends on whether they live in Oberlin or not.

Oberlin is very politically correct. Not oppressively so (people still appreciate off-color jokes about race and the like), but there is a constant awareness of race and gender relations on campus. Lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and genderqueer students are an accepted part of the Oberlin community, and for those who undergo an identity shift during their years at Oberlin, there are great support systems in place. As far as social interactions with LGBTQ students, the best thing to do is listen first, to pick up on the particular pronoun that person wishes to be identified with, though no one will be offended if you just ask. Likewise, if someone you know changes identity, they won't get offended if you mess up a couple times.

Religious groups on campus are rarely evangelical, and seem to function more like support groups. They are non-exclusive (anyone can come) and are often a really great way to learn about other faiths. In a somewhat symbolic way, the Kosher/Halal Co-op cooks food specific to the religious dietary requirements of both Jews and Muslims. At the dinner, Jews and Muslims sit together, and prayers are said in both Hebrew and Arabic.

There is ALWAYS something going on in Oberlin. More often than not, there are always several conflicting things going on in Oberlin. I'm telling you in advance - you WILL have to make tough decisions. Many students will go on "epic event weekends," where they will go from a 7 PM recital to an 8 PM play to a 10 PM jazz-concert to an 11 PM rock-out in the campus club, before arriving at a party at midnight. The following evening, they'll go from concert to concert between 8 and 10 PM, before winding up at a movie screening. There's just too much going on to give a complete list, and it's honestly hard to keep track of.

Oberlin's theatrical productions in particular are amazing. The dedication and drive of the students in the department really shows in the productions that they create. The Conservatory has great concerts going on all the time.

I met my best friend through my work. I was writing an opera, and needed a librettist. Another friend of mine referred me to her, and we've written three operas together so far. I met another of my close friends because she sang for a few of my songs. Don't be afraid to talk to new people, in whatever capacity, because there really is nothing to lose.

Awkward, socially. Unwashed crunchy hippies. Hipsters. Entitled.

On the plus side: Motivated. Intelligent. Qualified.

It's kind of true, at least as far as the socially awkward and hippies. Of course, now that the college has its new "Fearless" ad campaign, it's attracting a different kind of student - more "mainstream," I suppose, and definitely more hipsters. And while I'm certain that my class feels entitled, it seems like the classes below mine are just more so. That said, there is not a person who doesn't deserve to be at Oberlin, though at times it seems like some dumb themselves down in social situations. Even people who claim "slacker" status are only slackers by Oberlin standards, and would be the hardest workers at some other schools. And woe to the person who tries to get into an argument without knowing what he's talking about, because every student at Oberlin is extremely intelligent, at least as far as their major is concerned.