For the twelfth consecutive year, the incoming freshman class has continued the tradition of slow and steady progress in the realm of academia. During the past decade, Ohio State has continued to improve its recruitment of outstanding high school seniors.
According to a report prepared by Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience, academic statistics have increased from last year and have been steadily improving over the past decade. In the report, academics stand out but a couple of non-academic statistics stand out including a large increase in nonresident students and the 91.5 percent first-year retention rate.
Although grades may be an important factor in recruitment, test scores might be just as important in determining what students will be accepted to the university.
"I think that standardized tests have been around long enough that teachers have been able to adequately prepare the students," said Maddie Leuby, a freshman in psychology. "The scores better be going up. It's their job."
OSU is returning more of the same names, making more money and acquiring bigger brains.
"Friends from other colleges always try to knock on OSU's admission requirements, but in class I feel it's an elevated learning environment," said Lauren Dotolo, a freshman in special education. "I am confident in our abilities as a class to handle the challenges that college and the world will present to us."
Teachers might be preparing their students to be better test takers, but the empirical evidence is clear: OSU is slowly becoming more selective with its student body.
With 80 percent of first-year students graduating from high school in the top 25 percent of their class, OSU is sending a strong message to people everywhere: They are determined in moving toward the goal of being the nation's top public school.
"Ohio State is on its way to the world-class status envisioned by our Academic Plan... We can all take satisfaction and pride in our progress," Karen A. Holbrook said in a 2006 Academic Plan update.
The key toward the goal of world-class status is keeping world-class students, and OSU is doing a great job. The bonds that students create in their first year have a lasting impact throughout their college careers and are keeping them coming back for more.
When Leuby was questioned on whether she was coming back for her sophomore year, the general response of this bright-minded class was clear.
"Hell yeah," Leuby said.
Bradley Lusenhop can be reached at lusenhop.4@osu.edu.
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