Most students from Athens County who attend Ohio University choose the school for different reasons than many of the other students from across the country.
About 40 students from this year's Athens High School senior class of 223 are coming to OU next year, which is a similar number to previous years, the school's guidance counselor Thurlin Maynard said.
In Fall Quarter 2004's OU freshman class, 213 of the 4,064 students were from Athens County, which includes Alexander, Athens, Federal Hocking, Nelsonville-York and Trimble high schools.
Though students from other parts of the country come to OU for its academic reputation, local high schoolers seem to focus on OU's other ranking.
It's the top five party school in the nation
so I didn't expect I'd get a good education said Ryan VanDyke, Alexander High School graduate and an OU freshman pre-pharmacy major.
It's surprisingly better than I thought it would be he added.
Bailey Miles, an OU freshman biology major, graduated from Athens High School in 2004. He believes about a third of his class ended up going to school here.
Going to OU isn't necessarily a bad thing
Miles said.
Some Athens High School seniors have negative opinions of OU that are not formed because of the party-school image.
So many people go -all kinds of students
not just the best. It's no big deal to go to OU
Athens High School senior Josh Richardson said.
Athens County high school students go through the same application process as other students applying to OU, but Miles said he thinks OU reduces standards in some situations.
It's by no means difficult to get in (to OU) if you're from the area
Miles said.
The problem with the way local students view OU might be caused by their experiences before they attend.
I didn't do post-secondary
so my involvement with the university was limited in high school. I went to Halloween parties
though
Miles said.
About 40 Athens seniors took post-secondary classes at OU, but a lot are going to other colleges, Maynard said. Those who took post-secondary classes and decided to continue their education at OU still have to complete the formal application process.
Another advantage for many local students is receiving a higher education at a reduced price. For example, Miles' parents both are employed by OU, so he gets a tuition cut.
It was definitely an incentive to come here
he said.
