Oberlin College

Oberlin College is a private, nonprofit school located in the small town setting of Oberlin, OH, less than an hour from Cleveland.

Founded in 1833, Oberlin College currently enrolls around 2,658 students a year, including 2,647 undergrads. The institution runs on a 4-1-4 (2 long terms separated by a month-long mini-term) academic calendar.

Oberlin College's endowment was valued at $937,000,000 in 2021.

Admissions Facts About Oberlin College

Acceptance rate: 35%

Average GPA: 3.6

Early Decision or Early Action: Yes/No

2022 Regular Decision Deadline: January 15

2022 Regular Decision Notification Date: April 1

What's the acceptance rate at Oberlin College in 2021?

Oberlin College is a very difficult school to get accepted to. Around 35 percent of all applicants to Oberlin College are accepted each year.

Admitted students have an average high school GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale.

In 2021, 1,541 applicants were waitlisted and 149 students were ultimating offered a spot off the waitlist.

Is Oberlin College a good school?

Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Acceptance rate and average GPA are good indicators of how selective an institution is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Retention and graduation rates

Out of the 787 students who started at Oberlin College as first-time freshman, 616 graduate within four years.

Oberlin College's six-year graduation for undergrads is 87 percent. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61 percent for public schools and 67 percent for private.

Job outcomes and student debt

Job placement and student debt statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers. Within six months of graduating, 62 percent of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

In 2020, students graduated with an average of $27,952 in student loans for each student with debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

Based on this information, how does Oberlin College sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So the real question to ask yourself: is Oberlin College a good school for YOU?

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All applicants should hear back from Oberlin College by April 1.

Read on to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics and majors and more. You can also see what others are saying about Oberlin College in the College Confidential forums and get personalized recommendations for more schools that might be a good fit for you.