Ohio University

College guides written by students for students.Ohio University Students Tell It Like It IsThings I Wish I Knew Before Coming to OU:1. It rains a lot in Athens (more than one umbrella is helpful).2.The fests are so much better than Halloween.3.The first year is the most important, so make sure your GPA is good (no matter how hard you work your other years, if you did badly the first year, it's hard to get your GPA up).There's so much more you need to know about OU before you decide if it's the right place for you, and who could be better to ask than the students? Buy the College Prowler guidebook and feel like an insider before you ever set foot on campus!"Nestled in the rolling hills of Athens, Ohio, deep in Appalachian country, Ohio University might not sound that appealing to those who are considering Big Ten schools or universities based in bustling cities. But to the surprise of many, the campus has a lot to offer, both academically and socially. OU is nationally-recognized for its academics and caters to students from all over the world. The campus is gorgeous, epitomizing the quintessential college atmosphere with its brick streets and buildings and inviting greens shaded by giant Sycamores. For many students, it is the winning combination of these two attributes that makes them want to head to Athens for four (or more) years."Jessica Cyr, authorBut how can you be sure Athens is the right place for you? The College Prowler guidebook is filled with hundreds of quotes from students on everything from campus dining to nightlife to the local atmosphere . . . 5 Fun Facts about Athens:1. Athens is notoriously haunted; from the spooky Ridges, which used to be an insane asylum, to the five cemeteries that form a pentagram around the city. Athens was even voted the 13th most haunted place in the world by the British Society for Psychic Research. Athens was also featured on FOX's Scariest Places on Earth TV special.2.There are tons of unique, fun festivals in Athens County throughout the year, including Parade of the Hills, the Ohio Paw Paw Festival, the Bead International Festival, and the Jambalaya Jam.3. The new 17,000-square foot Athens Skatepark was designed by award-winning Grindline Skateparks and partially funded by the Tony Hawk Foundation. It was even featured on the MTV show, Viva La Bam, when broken in by the show's star Bam Margera during a 2004 episode.4. Athens is a paradise for hikers, bird watchers, and nature lovers. The city is surrounded by several state parks (Burr Oak, Lake Hope, Lake Snowden, and Wayne National Forest), making it easy to take a weekend hiking, backpacking, or camping retreat.5. Thousands of partiers head to the small town every Halloween to partake in what has been called the "Mardi Gras of the Midwest."College Prowler's guidebook to OU will give you the inside scoop on what life at the University is really like.Find out if OU truly has something for you, straight from the students' mouths.Visiting campus isn't enough.Read our Ohio University guide and discover what it feels like to be on campus for 4 years.Discover if Ohio University is Right For You.