18
August
2017
|
07:57 AM
America/New_York

Demand for an Ohio State education is at all-time high as new school year begins

A new school year begins next week on the campus of The Ohio State University. Students, faculty and staff are ready to start Autumn Semester and there is likely no one more excited about the prospect than President Michael V. Drake.

“I’m always excited this time of year for a couple of things. We have welcome week. New students, with the help of their families, are moving in. We have Convocation and the great energy there,” Drake said. “The beginning of the school year is something I always look forward to.”

Drake has reason to be excited. More students than ever are trying to get into Ohio State. The 52,429 applicants for this class are a 6 percent increase from last year’s all-time high of 49,388.

And this incoming class is expected to be among the best and the brightest.

“This new group of students coming in are the most talented we’ve ever had and we’re going to have a wonderful time working with them,” Drake said.

Ohio State’s president often speaks about balancing the goals of access, affordability and excellence. This year, first-year students will be the first to enroll under the Ohio State Tuition Guarantee, which will provide certainty for incoming students and their families about the cost of in-state tuition, general fees, housing and dining for four years.

“We’re very excited about the tuition guarantee program. What it means is that you have tuition when you come in as a freshman and we guarantee it’s going to stay that way for the next four years. That allows for financial planning for families and a level of security. And we think that’s good for us and good for our students,” Drake said.

The president said he is also awaiting the start of the college football season. The Buckeyes start the season Aug. 31 on the road against Indiana. The team is ranked only behind Alabama in the Amway Coaches Poll.

“We’re starting No. 2 so we’ve got a little work to do. I look forward to that. We want to be No. 1 in mid-January and we’re going to work toward that,” Drake said.