Scarlet and Gray Exploration Day helps high school students learn about Ohio State

Hundreds of soon-to-be high school seniors filled a ballroom in the Ohio Union on Friday to get a sense of what it’s like to be a Buckeye.

The Ohio State University is holding Scarlet and Gray Exploration Days every Friday for the remainder of the month. The day-long event allows students who are considering attending Ohio State to get a closer look at everything from academics to athletics to housing on the Columbus campus.

President Michael V. Drake joined Brutus and Ohio State cheerleaders to help students and their parents start the day in an energizing way. Drake congratulated the students on their achievement so far and encouraged them to take the next step in their lives.

“College is a wonderful experience. It’s a great chance to learn who you are and learn how to be an active and engaged citizen in the world,” he said. “It’s a great place to meet friends. It’s a great place to discover the world.”

Drake said there are opportunities a university like Ohio State offers that few others can provide. He said the number of majors and minors offered allows students to find an area of study that interests them. More than 1,300 student groups and organizations also offer a platform for student to find something that inspires them.

Students and parents attending the Exploration Days get to visit Smith-Steeb Hall to see what it’s like to live and eat as a student at Ohio State. The tour also includes visits to the university’s Recreation and Physical Activity Center, the Oval and Thompson Library.

Wayland Hinds, admissions counselor, said a common joke in Columbus is that Ohio State is always under construction. He said it shows the university’s commitment to continue to reinvest in where students learn, live and play.

“At the end of it all, we are going to do our best to offer you the best of the best, from our facilities to the kind of technology we offer in the classroom,” he said.

Scarlet and Gray Exploration Days also feature sessions on financial aid, travel abroad opportunities and research and creative inquiry to help students prepare for some of the opportunities available at Ohio State.

Drake concluded his remarks by pointing out the hundreds of thousands of alumni around the world who share a common connection to Ohio State. He said they often remind him how much they enjoy Ohio State and he hopes these students have the same experience.

“We hope to see as many of you as possible in the fall of 2019 and hope you will become wonderful and loyal Buckeyes as well. And when someone asks you about your experience at Ohio State, I know you will say you loved it.”

To learn more about the Scarlet and Gray Exploration Day, go to the website for information or to register: https://campusvisit.osu.edu/