OSU's variety and wide university culture may be amazing for many but surely there are still many who have mixed feelings about their time spent there. There are many good things to say about their programs, faculty and all the resources and facilities readily available. However you may find their obsession with football and Greek-life inspired groups frustrating and tiring.

However, Ohio State University is still a decent public university with campuses in Columbus, Ohio with regional campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Wooster and Newark. If you are a party loving person who loves alcohol parties and all other sorts of things that happen with it, you will totally enjoy the campus life. However if you want a quiet environment with a lot of focus on education, you may not enjoy the campus life to the fullest.

It is ranked well and thus still a good choice even now–

• QS World University Rankings (2021) - #108
• THE World University Rankings (2021) - #80
• US News Best National Universities Ranking (2021) - #53

Now let’s look at the various aspects of the university on which you should base your decision –

Coursework – The best things about the university are its professors who are top notch. The course curriculum is also designed very well and the various facilities that are required for the coursework are excellent as well. This is good for the graduate programs. However the undergraduates and intro graduate programs have ineffective pedagogy.

Teaching Experience – The faculty interaction will be limited because the labs and lecture halls are huge along with a large number of students. You will be taught by Teacher Assistants (TA) and even professors who will just read out the notes and you will find the lectures difficult to comprehend. You will read for exams and then quickly forget them as you move on.

Campus or University culture – Sports is a big part of the campus culture, especially its football team. Thus there can be frequent inconveniences, especially during weekend matches when you may have your cars being towed away from the parking lot to accommodate alums’ vehicles.

So finally to conclude, the teaching experience may be somewhat similar at other universities as well. However, if you want to have a rich education and you are not a huge fan of the party culture, you may very well stay away from the school and apply for some other liberal arts colleges.

Syracuse was once a thriving city and Syracuse University was once considered a “party school”. Things have dialed down in the recent decades and though it may not be the “mad party” school, it still hosts many fraternity and sorority parties. This being a private university, charges a higher fee which translates to a uniformity, both in terms of behavior and looks, among the students attending the school. The “political correctness” being enforced today across universities, has also taken a toll on this university.

The most happening places in Syracuse happen to be Walnut Avenue and Euclid Avenue. Walnut Avenue is known for its greek life while Euclid Avenue is known for house parties. Various sporting clubs, student organizations and sometimes students themselves organize house parties which may or may not be your taste.

The loads of classes are dependent on the major you are doing. The iSchool expects lots of co-op projects in the labs which take a significant chunk of your time. The Whitman School of Business will involve a lot many individual tasks, group tasks, meetings etc. The Newhouse School of Communication students work almost single handedly in the Armory Square building. They do lots of TV, radio work and sometimes work for straight 24 hours to meet deadlines.

In terms of sports, basketball is the most widely played and followed sport here. The Carrier Dome is the mecca for basketball lovers. The Chuck’s Café, Faegan’s Pub, Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar are some other places to hang out with friends.

And finally talking about the weather, the winter is torturous. It receives the amount of snowfall which is higher than the national average. Along with the winter, it is the chilly winds which sometimes can take a toll on your health.

So all in all, the university is full of character and you will enjoy every bit of your life here.

The best part about the University of Oklahoma is that the fees are not exorbitant and it has a great reputation. It ranks at #133 in National Universities according to US News. The upper division classes are small which will help you build valuable relationships with your professor. In my sister’s experience with Biochemistry, the department is a close knit circle and you will also learn to develop connections and network. 

Location:

The institute is located in Norman, Oklahoma which is a free-thinking town with affordable housing and you will have a large campus to explore. It is littered with gyms, libraries and fine arts spaces with really good architecture. The college also has an active football scene and in my opinion, you will definitely end up at a game or two.

Classes:

Depending on the course you choose, your course classes may have 500+ students to small classes with just 30 students in a class. The faculty is also quite approachable and genuinely cares for students and their academics.

Placements:

On an average, their graduates make about USD 70,929 per year so you can expect to make an amount closer to this. OhioHealth and JP Morgan and Chase are some of the popular companies that hire students. 

You can expect to have a good career after graduating from the program and have a great college life as well. Just research a little about the program you want to go to and give it a shot!

Syracuse University is a good school with brilliant professors. Several of the academic programs of the university are ranked as the best in the nation. Some of the most opted for courses of Syracuse University are Public Communications, Information Science, Physics, Entrepreneurship, Political Science, Communication, Business, Management, etc. 

The advantages of joining Syracuse University are as follows.

• Syracuse University ranking - 59 in National Universities by US News 2022, 351-400 by THE World University Ranking (2022). 
• It has a beautiful campus at the heart of New York State. 
• The university has a global footprint and more than 150 years of legacy. 
• It has more than a quarter-million alumni across 160 countries and a student crowd from all US states and 123 countries. So, the opportunities to network are endless.
• The professors are from all over the world with different experiences and qualifications. You will get to learn from some of the smartest people in the world. 
• Syracuse University graduates earn an average salary of around $71,470. 

The cons of joining the university are as below.

• Being a private university, it charges high course fees. The tuition fee is approximately around $74,486. The tuition fee along with the living expenses in New York can be a financial burden. 
• By attending Syracuse University, you will be forever leveled as ‘Orangeman’. 

Overall, it is a great university. Other than academics, SU offers an enjoyable social life. There are great sports teams, clubs, fraternities, and sororities that you can join.