The Maximus Competition has being going on at Ohio State. This as far as I know is a competition for prospective incoming freshmen who have excelled academically and are competing through an essay contest for a full tuition scholarship. They have been coming in massive groups for the past couple of week, families and siblings and students, touring the Honors Residence Halls. We had to beg residents to allow parents to sneak a peek at their messy rooms and find out what dorm life really looks like. Many of these students are picking between Ohio State and Ivy League schools, so naturally they are apprehensive.
But I wish I could tell them they shouldn’t be! My experience at Ohio State has been more than I could have ever asked for. I believe that being a Buckeye is equal if not better than any experience I would have at an Ivy League school. As long as you take advantage of the opportunities and put everything you’ve got into your academics, the rest will fall into place. Ohio State gives you everything you need to succeed, you just have to make it happen. And besides all that we’ve got something that outplays those Ivy League schools; the best school pride in the world.
However, this is not something I can explain to these high school students. It’s something they need to experience for themselves. If Ohio State is the right choice for them, then hopefully they are willing to make it happen.