The Ohio State University is one of a handful of comprehensive public universities in the nation. Over 58,000 students are enrolled on the Columbus campus. Of these, about 12,000 are pursuing graduate degrees in over 100 academic areas.

The Columbus campus occupies a 3,200-acre site on the banks of the Olentangy River, three miles from the center of a metropolitan area of over a million people.

Columbus, the state's capital and one of the fastest growing cities in the country, is a dynamic and progressive city, and a major government, education, and research center. Several colleges and universities are located in Columbus. Battelle Memorial Institute, the world's largest not-for-profit research center, and the headquarters of Chemical Abstracts are both located just steps from the campus. Recreational and cultural opportunities abound and interesting restaurants, taverns, and shops are plentiful. The city houses the Columbus Symphony, the Columbus Museum of Art, Ballet Metropolitan, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), and several distinguished theater, dance, and music groups. A planned park system, with more than 110 parks scattered throughout the city, offers facilities for a wide variety of activities including hiking, biking, boating, tennis, and golf. An additional bonus is Columbus' convenient central location that makes it just an hour by plane to New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

Columbus is situated among farmlands and hardwood forests. The northwestern edge of the Appalachian Mountains is about an hour from Columbus, and has a number of state parks and hiking trails. These and other state parks have lakes and rivers for boating and canoeing.

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