Correction appended.
Every student at Ohio University has one basic thing in common: they chose to attend OU. While it seems simple, those choices unite the student body, and each student has their own unique, complex reason for coming to Athens.
According to a 2021 Gallup poll of U.S. adults, higher education is most often pursued to help one get ahead in the world. Of the poll’s top five responses for why students go to college, the first four were related to finding a better job post-graduation. The fifth was to appease familial or societal pressure.
Kyle Craig, a sophomore studying accounting, reflected the national trends and said he chose to attend college because of the future opportunities it would provide him.
“I was hoping to pursue a higher education primarily so I could make more money, but I also found I just enjoy being here networking, finding lots of people,” Craig said. “I just find (for) the job I would enjoy, I would rather be stable, and college would provide that for me.”
Essa Alanirr, a senior studying mechanical engineering and mathematics, is pursuing his second degree at OU. He said he associates attending college with success, which led him to pursue his own degree.
“I connect college, a good degree, with good life in the end,” Alanirr said. “If I (want) to have a good life, good position in a company, etc., I have to go to college.”
Maleha Bethley, a senior studying biological sciences pre-professional, also came to college for the possibilities it provided, especially since others in her family have not always been offered the same opportunity.
“I decided to pursue a higher education because that was something that’s not an opportunity that's always been given to people of my color or my family,” Bethley said. “I'm a first-generational college student, and so I was really excited to break a generational curse.”
OU students each choose to pursue a higher education for their own reasons, but they all ended up at OU. The Gallup poll also asked students how they chose which school to attend. The top answer was proximity to home, with 53% of students citing that as their reason for attending. This answer reflects trends seen at OU, as according to CollegeSimply, 86% of students are in-state or from Ohio originally.
The second and third most common reasons for selecting a school had to do with the price of college, with 42% of students selecting their school because of its cost and 22% selecting a school because of the financial aid package offered. This concern is reflected in OU’s OHIO Guarantee, which ensures no increase in tuition each year of a four-year degree program from OU.
Beyond national trends, OU has its own selling factors that appeal to students. Bethley said her choice to attend OU was mostly because of its natural beauty.
“I really fell in love with the nature of OU,” Bethley said. “When I shadowed here, it was very welcoming, very nice scenery, and I'm in love with nature so that was a selling factor for me.”
Angel Menkhaus, a freshman studying games and animation, also felt OU was home because of its scenery.
“I really like the amount of freedom that I have, and the school here is really pretty,” Menkhaus said. “I know some other colleges in the area, I looked at them and I was like, ‘This place is ugly,’ but I went here, and it's really pretty here.”
While Athens’ beauty was the deciding factor, Mankhaus’ older sister, who attended OU, was a huge factor as well. After watching her succeed in and out of college with a degree from OU, Menkhaus thought it may be a good place to attend.
Logan Matherne, a senior studying management information systems and data analytics, also decided to keep it in the family by attending OU.
“Both my parents actually went to OU, and my brother goes here as well, so I kind of just followed in their footsteps,” Matherne said.
While the atmosphere, scenery and family ties appear to be the most common driving factors in OU attendance, even the smallest difference can bring a student to OU. Craig said the university learning communities were the biggest draw for him.
“I really like that aspect of networking early on and having people that can help you through,” Craig said. “Even though I didn’t quite get that because of COVID, it was still a huge selling point for me.”
OU students look to the opportunities attending college can provide and decide to study in Athens. No matter the reason – academics, nature, family or more – these choices make up today’s student body.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated the incorrect spelling of Angel Menkhaus’ name. This article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
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