Why OU?
Every Sooner has a unique story about how they were compelled to become a part of the Sooner family. Through our work with prospective students, we have begun to track trends across the country that attribute why certain students will decide to attend OU. Many of these reasons are based on the differing needs, values, and goals of students from different parts of the world. In addition to the reasons outlined on this page, your own personal ‘Sooner story’ can be a powerful tool to connect with future students.
Why Oklahoma Students Choose OU
- Cost and Location
- Student Life
- “True College Feel”
- Born and Bred
- Save money for grad school
- Tradition of Excellence- in the classroom and on the field
- Prestige- the flagship institution, tier 1 research university
- Proximity- close to home and their community
- Value- price, financial aid, and scholarships
- Connections- staff, alumni, and current students
- Diversity- encouraged and embraced
- Outreach- programs, community built
- Proximity – Students can go home whenever they want, but far enough away to feel independent.
- Traveling Abroad –Study Abroad program offers so many scholarships students choose to stay close to home to dive into that opportunity.
- Value- the OU degree for any student who plans to stay and work within the state of Oklahoma.
- Public institution with private school advantages (residential colleges, small classroom opportunities, etc.)
- Prestige - brand recognition and value of the OU degree
- Legacy - family connections to the university
- Proximity - easy to get home but most students will choose to live on campus
- Academics - flagship school, tier 1 research institution
- Football - tradition of excellence in our athletics
- Value- price and return on investment
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Scholarships- incoming freshman as well as current student awards available
- Study abroad opportunities
- Location- only about 2 hours away from the Tulsa area
- Community- campus culture
- Academic excellence
- Legacy connections- family and friends attending
- Personal attention received
- Prestige- In-State Flagship institution
- Experience- opportunities for growth, international exploration, mentorship, experiential learning
- Sooner Family- community is important, just like back home
- Proximity- Far enough to be on your own, but close enough for visits home
- Development- mentors, advisors, faculty that will take a personal interest in your future
- Opportunities- PLC and PCS. Student Life. Study Abroad
- Cost- work study program, value of degree, scholarships
- Football- Sooner born and Sooner bred
- Health Science Center- complete undergrad and post graduate programs at the same university
- Sooner Experience- campus culture, community in Norman, traditional college town
- Legacy- alumni in family, football fanatics, and value the OU brand and being in Oklahoma
- Proximity- real college experience away from home without leaving the state
- Opportunity- eager to get involved and make a name for themselves on campus
- Academic program– degree is valued, tier 1 research institute with nationally ranked programs
- Feels like home- beautiful campus, perfect fit
Why Out-of-State Students Choose OU
- Cost Effective- similar pricing to in state options with scholarships available
- No impacted programs- Sooners graduate in 4 years
- College town atmosphere
- Specific academic programs- meteorology, petroleum engineering, entrepreneurship, and performing arts
- Easy airport access with direct flights
- Big football school with small classes
- Independence- leaving home with the ability to find yourself in a safe environment
- Sooner Family-community full of pride and traditions. Being part of something bigger than yourself
- The total package- excellence in the classroom and on the field
- Campus- beautiful and vibrant campus life, ranking in the top 25. Helps to immediately feel like home
- Size- OU is big, yet small. Half the size of UT or A&M with all the benefits of a Division 1 research university. Small classes and personalized attention..
- Affordable- bottom of the big 12 in terms of cost. Great return on your investment.
- Academics- top ranked programs and an honors programs that rivals what you'll find at selective private colleges
- Graduation rates- four year degree programs with ability to change major
- Proximity- close enough to drive but still gives you that out-of-state experience
- Cost- out-of-state tuition at OU is close to or in some cases lower than in-state tuition at U of Illinois
- Accessibility- easier to get into than U of I or Northwestern.
- Warm weather
- Athletic programs
- Top/unique majors- meteorology, musical theatre, dance, Arabic, etc.
- Southern hospitality- people are friendly and welcoming)
- Greek Life and Student Life opportunities
- Distance- it’s far enough away from home but not so far that they can’t go home for the weekend
- Top programs- Meteorology, Engineering, Business, Fine Arts
- Campus- college town atmosphere, traditional campus ranking in top 25 most beautiful campuses
- Legacy students- family or friend connections to the university
- Student organizations/Greek Life
- Proximity- distance from home can be closer than in state while still providing independence
- Size- big name with smaller class sizes and personalization not available at big name Texas schools
- Sooner Family- community on and around campus
- Campus- traditional walking campus
- Study abroad opportunities
- Value- scholarships available and return on investment
- Familiarity- legacy students, friends and family attending
- Do not have to declare major when applying
- Familiarity- family connections, legacies to the university. College town with big football
- Academic Excellence- meteorology, petroleum engineering, aerospace engineering, dance
- Cost- low out of state tuition, competitive with SEC options. Scholarship opportunities. Return on investment
- Accessibility- easy airport access or driving distance
Why National Merit Scholars Choose OU
- The Honors College – can receive a private-type education in a public school setting
- Flexible/numerous education abroad opportunities
- OU’s competitive NM scholarship
- The community that is built among our Merit Scholar group, i.e., specialized housing, the NM First Year Experience Program, etc.
- Having an office solely devoted to the success of NMS once they arrive to campus, which is available to them until they graduate
Why Transfer Students Choose OU
- Academic programs- top ranked programs, high quality education, tier 1 research institute, flagship school
- Dream school
- Sooner Family- being part of something bigger than yourself. Support available on campus
- Tradition- pride in being a Sooner
- Campus- beautiful campus in college town atmosphere with strong sense of community
What OU Grads are Saying About OU
“I am proud to have chosen the University of Oklahoma (OU). My classes prepared me to be competitive in technical knowledge, extracurricular programs strengthened my leadership skills, study abroad programs provided the opportunity to experience the world, and community service projects reinforced the importance of generosity. The technical societies were an amazing opportunity to apply classwork to hands on learning while simultaneously creating networks and developing relationships with classmates. OU leadership programs like the Dean’s Leadership Council and Williams Student Leadership Retreat helped develop my innovation, integrity, and passion. One vital element to developing cultural cognizance is seeing the world from abroad. OU has multiple opportunities to build cultural awareness and tour the world with programs like studying abroad in Clermont-Ferrand, France. OU also symbolizes is the importance of community service. Activities like Sooner Engineering Education and Development Center and Big Event reach out to communities in Oklahoma, strengthen relationships, and display the generosity of the OU student body.”
-Jesse Berdis (Class of 2011), Engineering Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
“My undergraduate degree gave me a chance to explore and find out more about my passions as I explored liberal arts. Scholarships and student loans helped me to enjoy my collegiate experience without fear of having to halt my education due to unaffordability. College truly is an investment, and OU offers far beyond what other institutions at similar costs can give. While at the university, I learned invaluable lessons in leadership and established who I wanted to be as I entered my career. I was able to travel, establish a network, and learn what my options were as a professional. I was supported and cared for in ways that I didn’t even know were possible.”
-Tatianna Cannon (Class of 2008), Managing Director, Development and Public Affairs, Teach for America
“OU was the ideal launchpad for us because we learned how to lead. We got to lead startups, sororities, microeconomics classes, and more, which still gives us confidence in our current jobs at Google and LInkedIn. And we learned how to travel by studying abroad across Europe and China. This was possible thanks to OU’s carefully designed immersion and scholarships.”
-Josh Woodward (Class of 2006), Product Manager at Google; and Kate Woodward (Class of 2007), Senior Marketing Manager at LInkedIn
