OSU Admissions Update

I spent last Friday morning on OSU's campus to get an update about their admissions process.  With the majority of Kilbourne graduates attending either OSU or Columbus State, I felt this was important information to pass along to all students who might be considering applying to OSU.

My first reminder is that if you would like to attend OSU, you will have the opportunity as a graduate of Worthington Kilbourne High School, but you may be starting on a branch campus.  Admission to main campus continues to become more competitive with every passing year.

In fact, they gave us a review of enrollment data over the last decade and they are receiving about 10,000 more applications now and even though they are now admitting about 2,000 more students than they did 10 years ago, their percentage of students admitted was 72% in 2003 and last year it was 58%.  In the same time period, their average ACT score increased from 25.4 to a 28.1 and the number of students who were in the top 10% of their class rose from 33% to 54%.

So what are they predicting for this year's applicants?  They expect that their number of applications will increase from 28,675 (last year) to 35,475 this year and that the number of students who will enroll will be about the same or slightly less.  Their average ACT score is expected to increase slightly from 28.1 to between 28.4 - 28.5.  The students who are in the top ten percent of their class is expected to climb from 54% to between 57-58% and those in the top 25% of their class is expected to rise to 91-92%.  These are incredible statistics!  OSU is clearly dedicated to raising the academic bar each year and the students applying and being accepted to main campus are achieving at remarkable levels.

Of the students who were admitted last year, 99% exceeded the minimum course requirements in Social Studies, 92% exceeded the minimum requirements in Math, 90% exceeded the minimum requirements in Foreign Language and 88% exceeded the minimum course requirements in Science.  Clearly, a strong high school curriculum with challenging academic classes is very important to them.

If you are planning on applying to main campus, you have an essay to write (on Common App's website) and you will need to provide them with one recommendation letter from someone who knows you well (can be from a teacher or from me).  Their priority deadline to be considered for scholarships as well as the honors and scholars programs is November 1st!  (Yes, less than 2 months away and a month earlier than their scholarship deadlines of the past.)  After the November 1st deadline all applications will be looked at on a rolling basis which means that after they have evaluated and decided on which students they will accept from all of the applicants who apply by November 1st they will then continue to look at each application as it comes in and make a decision and let you know their answer in an ongoing basis until they have filled their class.

OSU stressed that they are not "admitting" a class - they are "building" a class so they will be completing a holistic review of your applications and will be taking into consideration more than just your grades and test scores.  (Although, as their stats show, your grades and test scores are still vitally important as is the case with every college.)

It is important to remember though, that all students have the opportunity to attend a branch campus of OSU once you graduate from WKHS.  The other good news if your plan is to start at a branch is that you do not have to write an essay and get a recommendation letter.  Rather than applying through Common App you will apply from a link on their website at apply.osu.edu.

I have a lot more information and data available if you have additional questions about applying to OSU so don't hesitate to stop by and see me.