WE ARE here to answer your questions.
You have lots of questions. We’re here to help. Connect with Otterbein students and talk about their experiences as cardinals or check out a few of the most commonly asked questions below. Don’t see the information you need? Zip an email to uotterb@otterbein.edu.
Chat with a Cardinal
The Chat with a Cardinal service is closed for the summer,
but we'll be back for fall 2021!
Our students are involved with a variety of activities, majors, research, internships, study abroad experiences. We’ve created a way for you to chat with current Otterbein students and ask them questions about their life as a Cardinal. Learn what it’s like to live in the residence halls, where their favorite place to eat is on campus, and what they like to do for fun!
Current students are available to chat LIVE Monday through Friday from 10am EST through 7pm EST, Saturdays from 5pm EST to 7pm EST and Sundays from 12pm EST to 2pm EST.
Check out our Cardinal Chat Team profiles and find a student that matches an academic or extracurricular area of campus that you’d like to chat with. A request will be sent to them and they will reply within 24 hours.
Common Cardinal Questions
01. How am I going to make friends? Will I fit in at Otterbein?
The good news is, most people are feeling the same way – it’s hard to start somewhere new. During First Flight you’ll spend 5 days getting to meet all of the other new Otterbein students.
You can make your Otterbein experience whatever you want it to be! Whether you are looking for people to study with until 2am (studying is not the only 2am activity on campus…) or looking for your new intramural team, you will find your group here at Otterbein.
We know it can be intimidating, but remember, everyone is in the same boat!
“You make friends by getting involved. When I was a first year student, I didn’t know anyone and I was very nervous about fitting in and finding my place. By joining different organizations such as the Otterbein Christian Fellowship (OCF) and the Otterbein Animal Coalition (OAC) I started to meet people and make friends. I also was in the music department so I met people in the bands and choirs that I participated in as well. Those are ways to get involved and make friends, but even if someone is too busy or too shy to do that, everyone wants to make friends, and that can be done in the classroom. By going to class and talking to people there, whether it be over homework or a test, there are plenty of opportunities to mingle with others and make friends; especially if you have many classes with the same people and are already spending a lot of time together.”
Jess Moore, Sociology Major
“You make friends by getting involved. When I was a first year student, I didn’t know anyone and I was very nervous about fitting in and finding my place. By joining different organizations such as the Otterbein Christian Fellowship (OCF) and the Otterbein Animal Coalition (OAC) I started to meet people and make friends. I also was in the music department so I met people in the bands and choirs that I participated in as well. Those are ways to get involved and make friends, but even if someone is too busy or too shy to do that, everyone wants to make friends, and that can be done in the classroom. By going to class and talking to people there, whether it be over homework or a test, there are plenty of opportunities to mingle with others and make friends; especially if you have many classes with the same people and are already spending a lot of time together.”
Jess Moore, Sociology Major
02. Does Otterbein offer support if I’m struggling in a class?
Worried about your grades? Wondering if you are in the right major? Or do you need someone to help with writing a solid research paper? Don’t worry! Otterbein has great resources for you to go to for help, and all of the university resources are available for free. College is a transition and managing your academic success is the most important part!
Study tip #1: keep that GPA up by utilizing these offices and resources:
“During my first semester of sophomore year I had a really tough time with accounting. I was able to go to the Academic Support Center and request a personal tutor to help me on the areas that I needed most. I was able to bring my grade up from a D to a B!”
Liz, Sports Management
“During my first semester of sophomore year I had a really tough time with accounting. I was able to go to the Academic Support Center and request a personal tutor to help me on the areas that I needed most. I was able to bring my grade up from a D to a B!”
Liz, Sports Management
03. What do I do if I get sick while I’m at school?
No one likes to get sick. But if you do, you can visit Otterbein’s Health Center’s Nurse Practitioner or the doctor that is on site several hours every day, Monday through Friday. (FYI: Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions! If it’s more serious—Otterbein will connect you with the care you need.) Additionally, Otterbein is located less than one mile from an Urgent Care and two major hospital facilities.
Otterbein’s Health Center is staffed, in part, with medical professionals from OhioHealth, ensuring you get the best treatment possible.
“The Health Center is free and an available source on campus to get checked out. It is really convenient to the residence halls and they offer a variety of services to students. Also, there is a CVS that’s a 5-minute walk from the school. It’s stocked with all sorts of medicine and makes picking up prescriptions really easy.”
Mariama, Political Science and Pyschology
“The Health Center is free and an available source on campus to get checked out. It is really convenient to the residence halls and they offer a variety of services to students. Also, there is a CVS that’s a 5-minute walk from the school. It’s stocked with all sorts of medicine and makes picking up prescriptions really easy.”
Mariama, Political Science and Pyschology
04. What should I do if I am feeling homesick?
Homesickness is not uncommon at college. However, the key is to get involved and limit returning home. By getting involved on campus, you not only develop new skills, you stay busy and you start to build new friendships. This is one cure for homesickness. Another is staying at school and limiting your returns to home. By doing so, you get used to being on campus and being away from home. Be sure to check out these offices for more information, help and involvement opportunities!
“Being from out of state I get home sick. Everyone does though, and it’s ok ! I like to talk to my family and they love hearing about my life at college, so I realize I am where I should be. Also just getting involved in a program or club (will help) to get your mind off of it.”
Becca, Actuarial Science
“Being from out of state I get home sick. Everyone does though, and it’s ok ! I like to talk to my family and they love hearing about my life at college, so I realize I am where I should be. Also just getting involved in a program or club (will help) to get your mind off of it.”
Becca, Actuarial Science
05. Is it possible to work while I’m a student at Otterbein?
There are multiple options for on-campus jobs at Otterbein. On-campus jobs are managed by people who care about working with your class schedule and availability, your academics always come first at Otterbein. Also, due to Otterbein’s awesome location, Easton, Polaris, Uptown Westerville and the Columbus area are full of different places to look for jobs! Be sure to check out our offices and resources for help, especially the Center for Career and Professional Development.
“From experience—it is possible to get a job on campus. I currently work as a Cardinal Caller for the Admission Office and as a Biology Teaching Assistant for the Science Department. I landed these jobs by asking around campus. Just about all departments hire students for work study and some departments even hire non-work study students. Most departments are hiring at the beginning of each semester so I recommend asking about opportunities earlier as opposed to later.”
Katilin, Math and Earth Science
“From experience—it is possible to get a job on campus. I currently work as a Cardinal Caller for the Admission Office and as a Biology Teaching Assistant for the Science Department. I landed these jobs by asking around campus. Just about all departments hire students for work study and some departments even hire non-work study students. Most departments are hiring at the beginning of each semester so I recommend asking about opportunities earlier as opposed to later.”
Katilin, Math and Earth Science
06. I’ve heard about the infamous Freshman 15. How do I avoid gaining weight and staying healthy when I come to college?
It’s the myth of beginning college: the “Freshman 15”. There are ways to put this myth to an end! What’s important is that you know all of your options for ways to feel great and stay healthy. You can take advantage of our workout facilities and classes (access them at no charge with your Cardinal I.D.) and enjoy our healthy meal options in all dining locations too.
“When I came to college, I knew that there would be an unlimited amount of food—and that not all of it would always be good for me. I also knew I was going to be overwhelmed with homework and emotions. However, during my freshman year, I found running. Running has changed my life dramatically. I found that the areas of Westerville and Columbus were great areas to run and spend time outside. The Clements Recreation Center provided me with all the strength training I needed. Since my freshman year, I have lost over fifty pounds and also ran three half-marathons, two 10k races, five 5k races, and a marathon. I am happy to call myself a marathon runner and happy to call Otterbein the birth of my running career.”
Braeden, Computer Science
“When I came to college, I knew that there would be an unlimited amount of food—and that not all of it would always be good for me. I also knew I was going to be overwhelmed with homework and emotions. However, during my freshman year, I found running. Running has changed my life dramatically. I found that the areas of Westerville and Columbus were great areas to run and spend time outside. The Clements Recreation Center provided me with all the strength training I needed. Since my freshman year, I have lost over fifty pounds and also ran three half-marathons, two 10k races, five 5k races, and a marathon. I am happy to call myself a marathon runner and happy to call Otterbein the birth of my running career.”
Braeden, Computer Science
07. My family and I are worried about tuition increasing while I’m a student. How does Otterbein handle tuition increases?
Otterbein is committed to affordability. One of the ways we live that is through our commitment to Tuition Transparency. Otterbein will tell you the cost of undergraduate tuition each year you’re here, before you start! No surprise hikes and no gimmicks. Learn more below in our fun video.
08. What if I don’t know what I want to study?
That’s OK, lots of your peers are in your position. In fact, nationally over 12-15% of first- year students are undeclared, while almost 50% of students will change their majors at least once. Our liberal arts education will give you a great understanding across several fields in your first year allowing you to explore several disciplines. From here you can make a more informed choice on what you want to study, while still graduating in four years.
Our Peer Mentors, Advisors and the Student Success Center are great places to get advice, while you are deciding what path to take, while the Center for Career and Professional Development has several tests which can help you decide on a career path.
09. How safe is your campus?
One of the great benefits of Otterbein is our location and community. Westerville is one of the safest towns in America and our campus is known for its safety and friendliness.
The Otterbein Police Department (OPD) operates 24/7 and are very present on campus with regular patrols. They also provide several services from security escorts to fixing flat tires.
On top of this OPD offers free self-defense classes . Otterbein’s Police Department are some of the most caring and friendliest people on campus, so say hi and return their waves if you see them!
10. Who can I talk to if I’m stressed, having a tough time or need a friendly ear?
“Our Otterbein University Counseling Center is designed to provide a supportive, therapeutic relationship and comfortable space for students to talk privately about whatever is causing them distress. Our counselors help students enhance their emotional wellness, develop skills to make healthy choices, and to manage stressors that impact academic progress.
The Counseling Center works to positively affect not only the health of individual students, but also the culture of campus wellness through outreach, advocacy, and healthy relationships with the Otterbein community.
We offer students short-term individual counseling, couple’s counseling, crisis management, educational workshops, and referrals for appropriate specialized services in our broader Columbus community. We also offer consultation for students, staff and parents.”
Dr. Kathy Ryan,
Director of Counseling Services
