OSU Round 2: Reflections of a Seasoned Buckeye
I went to The Ohio State University and majored in economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Now that I am back to pursue a Specialized Masters in Finance (SMF) at the Fisher College of Business, I have been struck by how different life as an undergrad and as a graduate student is, and further, as an OSU alumnus, how different general campus and Fisher’s campus are.
First, OSU is an enormous school, but you would never know it from being on Fisher’s campus. Many prospective students may think navigating OSU entails a steep learning curve. On the contrary, Fisher’s campus comprises five academic buildings (Gerlach, Schoenbaum, Pfahl, Mason, and Fisher) and a hotel (The Blackwell). All graduate courses are taught on the second and third floors of Gerlach Hall. The Office of Career Management, a vital resource for graduate students (especially those in one-year programs), is on the first floor of Gerlach. I would consider academic courses and the career search to be the two most important and time-consuming affairs at Fisher, and those two activities were given priority in designing a graduate education at Fisher.
Second and related to my first point, the ease of transition to Fisher is remarkable. Many students are assigned lockers, which are scattered throughout the building, in which students can keep books and other things for school. If you are trying to save money, there are five refrigerators and two microwaves, so packing a lunch is a no-brainer. For computer labs (like for the Bloomberg terminals), you can take a stroll across the Fisher courtyard or, when the weather is bad, take the underground tunnels to Schoenbaum Hall. Most of my classes are scheduled fifteen minutes apart, so classes are densely scheduled and allow me to meet with my group for class projects or go to office hours with professors in the afternoon. There are many study spaces available, including rooms for independent and group study.
Third, when you do want (or need) to venture off the Fisher campus, most places are only ten minutes or less away. For example, you can get your workout in at either Jesse Owens North, which is directly north of Gerlach Hall, or at the crown jewel of OSU’s rec facilities, the RPAC. For studying, you can choose between eleven floors, two reading rooms, and countless reading nooks at the massive Thompson Library. And if you just need to get off campus, the Columbus’ public transportation system, COTA, will take you just about anywhere you need to go in a reasonable amount of time.
All in all, I think that Fisher puts the tools to be successful at your fingertips—you just need to grab it.