The Feb. 1 deadline for high school seniors to get their applications into Ohio State is quickly approaching. With a target number of about 7,000 freshmen for the 2013 class, the 23,000 students from across the country that have applied thus far are awaiting to hear whether they have been accepted.
“Ohio State is in very high demand because of all of the things we have available at the university,” said Vern Granger, associate vice president of enrollment services and director of admissions. “In our office during the review process, we have to make some very, very tough decisions because we receive applications from so many strong and qualified students and that’s where the holistic review process takes shape.”  
The holistic review process takes all aspects of a student’s high school life into consideration: grades, test scores, high school curriculum, extracurricular activities and more.
“We’re looking for your well-rounded student. Students that are going to come to the university and make contributions to the institution,” Granger said.
For some early applicants, the wait is over.
“I was really nervous. That’s why I applied so early. I psyched myself out over it,” said Katiri Snyder, a high school senior at Steubenville Catholic Central High School from Richmond, Ohio. “I checked the website religiously every day. I was so relieved (when I was accepted) because Ohio State was definitely my first choice.”
Others had similar reactions.
“I was so excited because it was my first acceptance that I got. I jumped up and down and texted and called all of my friends and family,” said Mitch Kochanek, a Medina High School senior from Medina, Ohio.
Snyder and Kochanek, who plan on studying biology and hospital administration, respectively, agreed that OSU’s size was appealing when making their application decisions.
“I like that it’s a really big university because you’re never going to be at a loss for things to do,” Snyder said.
Kochanek agreed.
“I really like the size. I really like Columbus,” Kochanek said. “I like the prestige. It’s a good school, and of course, it’s the Buckeyes.”
The application process has changed this year with OSU’s adoption of the Common Application. The Common Application can be used to apply at several of the 488 universities that accept it. A handful of other Ohio and Big Ten schools use it, including Miami (Ohio), Northwestern University and the University of Michigan.
Schools that switch to the Common Application usually see an increase in applications, and therefore, it is also a good marketing tool for universities, Granger said. This is the case with OSU as more students have applied than had applied at the same point last year, however Granger couldn’t provide specific numbers.  
Students also like the changes OSU has made to the application process.
“(The Common Application is) so easy to send it to multiple schools, and they walk you through it step by step. You get so many choices for an essay because it’s not school specific, so you get six choices, which made it easier,” Kochanek said.
Granger said the change is a positive one that has streamlined the process of applying for Honors, Scholars and the Morrill Scholars programs-that were all separate applications before the switch to the Common Application.
As the caliber of students applying to OSU increases each year, Granger said the best advice he has for students is to not be modest when filling out their applications.
“You(r) parents always teach you to be modest, and it’s a very admirable trait, but the college application process is the one time where you really need to throw that out the window, because that is the opportunity where you need to let our office know all of the things that would make you a great candidate,” he said.
Attending OSU is a lifelong dream for some students, which is why Granger said the admissions staff takes its job very seriously.
“Ohio State has a very important role in the state, in that we are really responsible for preparing the next generation of leaders for the state, and for that matter, the nation and the world,” he said.