During high school, I was obsessed with searching, visiting and looking up the best colleges in the state of Ohio. I applied to over eight schools, visited seven and ended up on every schools website at one point or another. When it came down to picking a school, it ended up being between Cleveland State University, Mount Union and Ohio University. The "big decision" wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. As great as the other schools are, Cleveland State has so many components that make it, in my opinion, one of the best schools in the state of Ohio.
Being at Cleveland State for a year has made me fall in love with higher education, the college experience, and of course, the city of Cleveland! Over this past year, however, I have noticed the way some people look down CSU for stereotypical reasons. Because of this, I've come up with a list of six of the biggest CSU stereotypes, and why I think they're completely false!
1. "It's easy to get into, so that means it's not hard."
Personally, it doesn't matter to me what the acceptance rate of a school is. I also don't think it should be something to brag about. Don't get me wrong, if an individual gets into a school with a low acceptance rate, that's awesome for them! However, I worked really hard in high school, and just because the college I ended up at was not hard to get in to, doesn't mean it's any less of a college!
2. "There is no campus life."
Completely false! Our campus life is the city of Cleveland! The main Starbucks is in the middle of Playhouse Square, which is the biggest theater district outside of New York. We're within walking distance of Tower City, 50 plus restaurants and bars, and all three of Cleveland's main sports teams! The university also has club sports, Greek Life, and clubs! There's something for everyone!
3. "Getting a job in the city is hard."
They're not hard to find! On campus jobs are endless! Two of my friends are tour guides, another works at the bookstore, and I video stream all of Cleveland State sporting events on ESPN3. There are a lot of local restaurants and venues that enjoy hiring college students, too.
4. "Everyone commutes, so it's impossible to make friends."
Going to a school where the majority of students do not live on campus can have its challenges. However, over 2,000 CSU students do live in the dorms! Not only that, but meeting people in class, sports, clubs, or even just walking around campus is always possible! I met the best friend I've ever had at Cleveland State, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
5. "Living in Downtown Cleveland is too dangerous."
This stereotype"is half true and half false. Living in the heart of any city can become a dangerous situation quickly. CLE is home to over 390,000 people. Cleveland State is very aware that dangerous situation happen around and on campus. To keep students save, the school has a 24 hours police escort service, a security guard at every dorm entrance, and an inner link, that connects almost every building on campus together, so students do not have to walk outside. Along with all of the precautions CSU takes, walking with a friend, having your cell phone ready to call someone, and walking with a purpose will almost guarantee safety. Download the "Viking Shield App" for updates about what's going on all over campus.
6. "You're not getting a 'real' college experience."
Are you joking? My college experience is enhanced because it's connected with the city of Cleveland! Dorms are still an option, Greek life is available, the dining hall is, well, probably just as good as every other college (pretty bad), and I've made the best of friends. The connections that you can make at CSU are endless. We're the school that businesses in Cleveland go to when they need interns, volunteers, and employees. If anything, our college experience in enhanced.
