So you’ve completed your application to Ohio State and have been offered admission.

Now you’re hearing about this Learning Community option that you can be a part of. You may be thinking “why another essay to complete and form to fill out?” or “what is the likelihood I’ll get into a Learning Community?”

The answers may be simpler than you think.

Why another essay to complete and form to fill out? Because we want students in our Learning Communities who want to participate in a Learning Community. Period.

Your effort on your application and thought you put into your essays are the best way we can tell that. Your test scores and high school GPA don’t tell us that you’re going to come to events or invest time in getting to know other students in your community.

In fact, most of our programs don’t even look at that, so if you’re resting on the fact that you are a great student, don’t. We care much more that you are going to be involved in your program and make the most of this opportunity, so take a few minutes to tell us why you want to be in one. We’re listening.

Have you got one of these in the mail?

What is the likelihood I’ll get into a Learning Community? Pretty good. (If you follow the process)

Notice, I didn’t answer the likelihood you’ll get into your #1 Learning Community choice. Why is that? Some of our programs need to be selective in nature either because they are a part of a program with specific academic requirements (Business Honors, Global Business and Women in Engineering) or because there are a limited number of spaces in the communities due to staff or building capacities (Engineering House and SUSTAINS).

We’ll always consider you for your top choice first, but if you’re open to multiple options, tell us. That way we can find a home for you somewhere in our LCs.

Our staff REALLY wants you to be able to join an LC, so we’re not spending too much time making a competitive process here. If we do need to screen out folks for any reason, we use a rubric for your essays. Again, not your academic numbers, but the effort you put into your materials and what you tell us about why you want to participate.

Then it’s just making sure you: 1) Complete your housing contract by the deadline (May 29 this year) and are willing to live where the program is located (check out http://housing.osu.edu/learning-communities/ if you’re not sure where it is)

If you have the time and energy to put into an application, we definitely have room for you somewhere in one of our programs! We know Learning Communities can really help you get connected here at OSU (see previous blogs from some of our amazing LC students), so it’s really up to you to tell us what you are looking for.

Make sure we hear from you! Complete your application at www.go.osu.edu/learningcommunities