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Ohio State
Source: ohio_state.md
Ohio State
Admissions Overview
Acceptance rate (overall): ~53% (Class of 2029: 49%; Class of 2028: 60.6%)
Acceptance rate (EA): 60.4% (Class of 2029)
Total applicants: 72,829 (Class of 2028)
Class size: 9,530 (record first-year class, 2024-25)
Yield rate: 22%
Early Action deadline: November 1 (non-binding)
Academic Profile (Middle 50%)
SAT: 1280-1430
ACT: 26-32
Average GPA: 3.76
Top 10% of class: 64%
Top 25% of class: 96%
Testing policy: Test-optional through 2025-26; test-required starting 2026
Demographics
Group
Percentage
White
58%
Asian
10%
Black
8%
Hispanic
6%
International
~10% (~6,000 students)
Multiracial
5%
Women
52%
Net Cost by Income
Income Range
Net Price
$0-30,000
$8,194
$30,001-48,000
$10,037
$48,001-75,000
$13,982
$75,001-110,000
$21,364
Over $110,000
$24,348
Athletics
36 varsity sports (most in Big Ten)
1,118 student-athletes (581 men, 537 women)
Athlete percentage: ~1.8% of undergraduate enrollment
Note: Reducing roster sizes by ~150 while adding 91 scholarships under new NCAA rules (2025-26)
Key Notes
Largest campus enrollment in Big Ten history
Strong in engineering, business, medicine, and STEM
Columbus is a major metropolitan area (job market advantage)
In-state tuition: $13,244; out-of-state: $40,022
Community Insights (Reddit/Forums)
Admissions Strategy
EA (Nov 1) is recommended: EA acceptance rate was 60% for Class of 2029 vs lower RD rate. Honors and Scholars consideration requires EA application.
Getting more selective: Overall rate dropped from 61% (Class of 2028) to ~49% (Class of 2029). Record enrollment and applicant growth are tightening admissions.
Honors vs Scholars distinction matters: Honors is primarily curricular (18+ honors credit hours, thesis/capstone). Scholars is co-curricular (themed living-learning communities with limited spots constrained by housing). Scholars is first-year only; Honors can be joined later.
Holistic review for Honors: Goes beyond GPA/test scores to consider "future promise and potential." Decisions come rolling from mid-January through April.
Test-optional through 2025-26, then test-required starting 2026. This transition is notable for incoming cycles.
Campus Culture & Fit
Columbus is the biggest differentiator — a major metro area providing internship, job, and social opportunities that smaller college towns can't match.
Ohio State football is the center of campus culture. Game days are "a religion" per student forum posts.
Very large campus (~44K undergrads) with the most varsity sports (36) in the Big Ten. 1,100+ student-athletes.
Greek life is prominent. Social scene is robust with Big Ten party culture.
Students describe a "something for everyone" campus but note it can feel overwhelming without proactive effort to find community.
Financial Aid Reputation
In-state tuition ($13,244) is competitive. OOS tuition ($40,022) is on the higher side for a public flagship.
Net cost for low-income students ($8,194 for <$30K) is moderate — not as generous as Purdue or UIUC.
Buckeye Affordability Grant and other institutional aid help, but forum consensus is that OSU's aid is "decent but not exceptional."
Simulation-Relevant Takeaways
Model EA advantage (~60% EA vs lower RD rate) and trending-down overall selectivity (~49-53%).
Yield (22%) is moderate, reflecting competition from other Big Ten schools and in-state alternative (Miami of Ohio, Cincinnati).
Large class size (~9,500) and record applicant pools make OSU a volume play in the simulation.