When deciding the kind of college you want to attend, the choice isn’t just about academics or location; it’s also about choosing the social ecosystem you want to be a part of. Ohio University pulses with an intense, concentrated energy of a college town. Kent State University offers a diverse and less overwhelming sense of community.
OU and KSU attract very different student bodies, but share similarities in core values toward their students. Despite similar university values, the student bodies could not be more different, bringing unique differences to each campus.
OU’s total enrollment is 30,682 for the 2025 academic year. Similarly, KSU has nearly 33,000 students. Enrollment numbers are similar, but students attend these schools for vastly different reasons. Students will find similar tuition prices when comparing schools, with both universities' in-state tuition being around $13,000 to $14,000.
Many Bobcats attend OU for the traditional college experience, as well as the beauty of Athens, while KSU Golden Flashes strive for a healthy balance between nature, academics and nightlife.
The classic party school reputation of OU is real and evolving, contrasting sharply with KSU’s more balanced social opportunities. The two schools are often compared; however, each shares many similarities but differ greatly.
OU, hidden in the hills, is the picture-perfect college experience. The town is the university. For better or worse, some students rarely leave campus, creating a vibrant social bubble where the action is centralized and hard to avoid. Its long-standing reputation as a top party school is backed up by the heavily populated events such as the Halloween Block Party and fest weekends. As a Bobcat, the fests give us something to look forward to. Weekends when the OU population comes together for a common theme give students an exciting sense of community.
While the intense fest and party scene has reportedly become more tame in recent years due to increased regulation, the ghost of OU’s past still lingers, attracting a certain type of student and making large-scale events a major piece of the culture.
KSU, located in a suburban setting near Akron and Cleveland, presents a much different social landscape. The social scene is less about a defined, all-consuming bar scene and more about variety and accessibility.
When asked about the KSU bar scene, Ardyn Hartranft, a KSU sophomore studying nursing, said, “There is not really anything appealing about it.”
Most of the bars attracting KSU students allow those 18 years and older, bringing in a younger crowd.
Students praise KSU for its strong sense of unity and friendly atmosphere. The social life is often found through on-campus organizations and close friends. Hartranft said she enjoys having a night in at KSU, making puzzles, watching shows and making dinner.
“There’s really a lot of split in the social life at Kent. I feel like it’s kind of where you fall your freshman year,“ Abby Hartke, a KSU sophomore studying early childhood education, said.
This is similar at OU; most people find their niche freshman year and stick to it. However, this can be said for Greek life or clubs because you join as a freshman and find your friends wherever you land. Clubs and Greek life at both colleges seem to be the best way to dive into friendships due to the time commitment.
Similar to Athens, the city of Kent has an abundance of bars and restaurants.
“When I think of Kent, I think of food,“ Hartke said.
She said downtown has various food spots. Hartke also said, “It can get really boring.”
Athens is home to many iconic restaurants, such as Jackie O’s Public House Restaurant on West Union Street, which is unfortunately temporarily closed, and bars like The Overhang, which hosts karaoke nights once a week.
The proximity of OU and KSU to nearby cities, as well as the high commuter population, means students can easily go home for a weekend or seek entertainment beyond the immediate campus environment. This decreases the student population on campus during the weekends.
If you look hard enough, finding similarities between the two is not difficult. The two universities support their students through and through. Both OU and KSU put on well-organized events for students.
“The rec (center) does a good job of putting on events,” Hartranft said.
She even mentioned events like puppy yoga, seasonal yoga and spin classes. OU’s campus gym, Ping Recreation Center, also puts on frequent events and different wellness activities.
Ultimately, the best environment depends on the student. If you crave the classic all-college-town experience where the school is your world, OU provides that geographical isolation, allowing for a tight-knit community with a more intense kind of social bond.
KSU and OU, though often compared, are different. KSU provides a more diverse community, easier access to urban amenities and a social life that focuses on a tight-knit group. Offering a supportive environment where you can find a strong community with the right effort. Neither environment is better nor worse; each is different, attracting different kinds of people and drawing students to opposite ends of Ohio.
Heidi Bartolone is a sophomore studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Heidi about her column? Email her at hb963023@ohio.edu. @heidibartolone
