One of the biggest universities in the nation as well as one of the proudest, The Ohio State University has over 47,000 undergraduate students.

Find them hanging out at the Oval or the student union on OSU's huge, friendly main campus in vibrant downtown Columbus — or on a satellite campus in a nearby city like Marion or Newark. Its student body is predominantly white. Buckeyes flock to its finance, biology and psychology programs.

Even though OSU is no longer the party school it used to be, the social scene remains a big draw. Greek life is prevalent, though it's easy to find alternate house parties or, for the over-21 crowd, bars and clubs.

Most students are happy with their experience at the college, which makes sense because Buckeyes are known for their school spirit. OSU is a huge sports school: Football unites the campus (as does the act of hating rival Michigan), and no one manages to graduate without memorizing the cheers. It certainly helps that the football team has been a mainstay in the NCAA playoffs in recent years.

Notable alumni include artist Roy Lichtenstein and Goosebumps author R.L. Stine, who created an OSU scholarship for English majors devoted to creative writing.