Instead, a larger worry for the region lies in thunderstorms and the occasional tornado they spin up. But are earthquakes a real threat to Columbus and other cities in the region? To answer this question, we have to look at both the historical record, as well as the geology of the state, the Midwest and the East in general.

Ohio actually has a system of seismometers that monitors activity in the state. The Ohio Seismic Network, or OhioSeis, is a somewhat loose collection of volunteer and autonomously-running seismometers that began operations in 1999. (Feel the earth move? You can report it here.) Before that, most activity that occurred within the state was recorded by out-of-state operations. Still, one may question even the need for such a network given that the state only receives about 1 earthquake on average each year, often too small to be felt- typically in the 2.0 range or less. However, there have been damaging earthquakes within the state.

An earthquake on April 9, 1900, near Berea, southwest of Cleveland, caused localized damage.

The strongest earthquake in the state occurred in a 2-part sequence that began on March 2, 1937. At approximately 9:48 AM, the first quake struck near the town of Anna, in Shelby County in the far northern Miami Valley of Western Ohio. There were no seismometers in the state at the time, so the shock was estimated to be in the 5.0 range on the Richter Scale, and also had a Modified Mercalli Scale (MM) rating of V, which translates to “Rather Strong”. Effects listed on the MM scale say:

Felt outside by most… dishes and windows may break and large bells will ring. Vibrations like a train passing close to a house.

The more significant event occurred on March 9, 1937, at 12:45 AM. Again, there is no direct measurement of the size, but estimates range from 5.4 to near 6.0. The MM rating was higher, at up to VII. Called “Very Strong”, a quake with this shaking includes the following:

Difficult to stand, furniture broken… slight to moderate damage in well-built ordinary structures. Considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures. Some chimneys broken. Noticed by people driving in motor vehicles.

Indeed, while the first earthquake did little damage, the second brought with it widespread local damage, particularly to Anna, where almost every chimney was damaged or destroyed, cemeteries had tombstones rotate or fall off or their bases, walls and foundations were cracked, altered water and gas well flows and the local school had so much structural damage that it had to be torn down and rebuilt. The quake was felt in a total of 8 states and parts of Canada. Columbus experienced the movement as MM IV.

Almost 50 years later, on January 31, 1986, a magnitude 5.0 hit northeast of Cleveland in Lake Erie. It was felt over 122,000 square miles, caused damage in some communities along the lakeshore and even included 17 injuries. Ironically, there was some discussion at the time about waste disposal wells being the culprit, much like modern fracking wells are today, but there was no definitive conclusion either way.

Smaller earthquakes have occurred in the state over the years, but none have had damage.
Most geologists and seismologists believe that the likelihood of a quake above 6.0 to be exceedingly low, as Ohio seems to lack major fault systems that could potentially cause such larger quakes. The small system of ancient faults near Anna is thought to be one of the few capable.

Still, Ohio’s earthquake threat is not limited merely to faults or fracking within its own borders. In fact, its greatest threat is well outside of the state, particularly in the infamous New Madrid Seismic Zone of southeast Missouri. The NMSZ was the location of some of the largest earthquakes in US history, particularly east of California.

A long, long time ago, North America tried to split apart due to tectonic plate movement, but the split never quite completed. Instead, the process left a large fault zone under the Mississippi River between Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri. This fault system has become well-known for one of the most extraordinary earthquake sequences in recorded history.

This sequence began on December 16, 1811, when an estimated 7.5-7.9 quake struck far northeastern Arkansas, followed by an estimated 7.4 aftershock just a few hours later. A second large earthquake, measuring 7.3-7.6, hit on January 23, 1812. The 4th and most powerful in the series hit a few weeks later on February 7th. This quake is estimated to be perhaps an 8.0. These quakes, despite the sparsely populated region at the time, were devastating. The land itself was made unrecognizable, with new lakes and ridges created, giant sand blows occurred along the banks of the Mississippi, and the river itself ran backward for a time as the land was heaved upward in areas.

At least 2 more magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes hit during the series on December 17th and February 7th. Thousands of aftershocks occurred for years afterward, and are thought to have occurred all the way into the 20th Century. All of the 6 main earthquakes and many of the aftershocks were felt in Ohio, including damaging a fledgling Cincinnati.

Because of the nature of the East’s bedrock, seismic waves propagate very easily and keep their intensity for long distances, so much so that the sequence shook cities like Boston and Washington D.C. hard enough to ring their church bells and cause general alarm. In fact, just about every state east of the Continental Divide felt at least one of these quakes.

The probability of a repeat of 1811-1812 is considered extremely unlikely. In fact, most modern evidence supports that the possibility is even less likely than once considered. Still, a relatively high probability remains of at least a 6.5 magnitude occurring. The NMSZ is still active and produced a quake felt in Ohio as recently as 2011.

It was widely felt in Columbus.

All that said, Ohioans probably have little reason to rush out and buy earthquake insurance. They are still far more likely to be affected by flooding or wind damage many times over than they are at having their property or themselves put in danger from an earthquake even once. The best way to be prepared is to simply have a plan in place for any potential natural disaster. Regardless of the type, having an emergency kit and emergency plan can never hurt.

The post Ohio Seismicity: Could A Relatively ‘Big One’ Strike The Buckeye State? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

“Take a close look at this image: a single tip can reignite a cold case and bring a family closer to reunification with a loved one,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Hope doesn’t have an expiration date – every missing person counts.”

Shaffer has been missing since April 1, 2006. He was last seen at approximately 2 a.m. at a bar near the Ohio State University Campus in the vicinity of N. High Street in Columbus.

Help locate Brian Shaffer, missing since April 1, 2006. Brian was last seen in the vicinity of N. High St. in Columbus. A BCI forensic artist developed the age-progressed image of what Brian may look like now. Submit tips to @ColumbusPolice at 614-645-2358. #MissingPerson pic.twitter.com/HsUb5z1vrb

— Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (@OhioAG) March 29, 2021

On March 31, 2006 classes at OSU ended for spring break. Brian and his father, Randy Shaffer, went out for dinner to celebrate the occasion. His dad noticed that Brian seemed exhausted from cramming for exams and didn’t think that Brian should go out with friends that night, but Randy didn’t say anything to him. At 9 p.m., Brian met his friend, William Florence at the Ugly Tuna Saloona, which was then located on North High Street in the South Campus Gateway complex.

An hour after that, Brian called his girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner, who had gone back home to Toledo before the couple was expected to leave on a trip to Miami. According to Florence, he and Brian went bar-hopping, working their way toward the Arena District.

After midnight, the pair met Meredith Reed in the Short North. They headed back to Ugly Tuna for a last round. While there, Brian separated from Florence and Reed. They repeatedly called him and tried to find him, ultimately waiting outside the bar once it closed at 2 a.m. When he wasn’t among the ground, they assumed that he had gone home without letting them know.

The last time Brian was seen on cameras, he was at the top of the escalator talking with two girls outside of the Ugly Tuna. He appears to say ‘bye’ and turns towards the bar, he then disappears from the camera’s view and has not been seen since.

Brian’s girlfriend and his father both tried to call Brian later that weekend, but he didn’t answer. On Monday morning, he missed the flight to Miami for the planned trip with Waggoner. It was then that he was reported missing to the police.

Shaffer was 27 years old when he went missing and would now be 42. BCI’s forensic criminal artist has constructed an age-progressed image of what Brian may look like now. Investigators hope that the new image may prompt the public to submit tips to law enforcement.

“We would like to thank BCI and their forensic artists who worked tirelessly on the age-progression image of Brian Shaffer,” Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods said. “We would like to find every person from our missing persons cases and believe this is another step in hopes that we can find Mr. Shaffer.”

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-2358.

Shaffer was last seen wearing jeans, a blue or green striped shirt and tennis shoes. A white male, Brian is 6’2” tall, weighed 170 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes.

The post Brian Shaffer Went Missing 15 Years Ago But Authorities Haven’t Given Up Hope appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

• “Columbus annexes its population growth! It’s not real!”
• “It has state government/OSU, so its success relies on the rest of Ohio paying taxes!”
• “Columbus lacks the amenities of a real city!”

They sound familiar, right? Of course, they do, because anyone who has ever lived and worked in the city has heard these claims and more, often from other Ohioans, present or past, that had grown up with the idea that Columbus was a 3rd tier city at best when compared to Cleveland or Cincinnati. Are these critics just speaking out in bitter jealousy against Columbus’ rise, or are there kernels of truth embedded in the criticism? To find out, we have to examine each of these 3 most popular claims in more detail. In this article, we will focus on the first, and by far the most prolific – that Columbus’ growth has largely or entirely been a product of annexation.

The Story Behind Columbus Annexation

This claim has become something of a cliché over the years due to the frequency it’s been repeated, often as a steady companion to stories about Columbus’ population growth. Most clichés and stereotypes are based on some amount of truth, and the annexation one is no different. Columbus did, in fact, annex a lot of land over the years, but there is a lot more to the story, and what may have once been true is no longer.

In the first half of the 20th Century, Columbus was a small city contained in only about 35 square miles, and it expanded area-wise at a snail’s pace. Between 1910 and 1950, Columbus added less than 20 square miles to its area size, with about 16 of those coming during annexations of the immediate urban core in the 1920s, particularly on the near South, North and West sides. The 1930s and 1940s had virtually no annexation whatsoever. The 1950s, however, were the dawn of a new era in city leadership, and it would have a profound impact on the city into the present day.

Maynard “Jack” Sensenbrenner was a political novice when he earned an upset win in the 1953 mayoral race. It was under his leadership that saw the formal creation of the annexation policy that altered Columbus’ trajectory, but he may get more credit for it than he truly deserves. The policy had origins that long predated him, and was the product of both local and national problems that couldn’t be controlled by any one city leader.

Water Drives Decision Making

The local issue was of an immediate practical nature. Going into the 1953 campaign, Columbus was facing a critical water shortage, which had been steadily growing worse for some time due to fast, post-WWII population growth, combined with a lack of investment in crucial infrastructure by past administrations. These shortages affected neighborhoods around the city, but particularly hard-hit was the Westside and Hilltop, where Sensenbrenner was from and lived.

At the same time, a sea change in city culture was occurring across the country. The suburbs, even before the highway system had become widespread, were rising, and many cities were facing the possibility of being encircled by them. In older cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Boston, their suburban areas had already largely choked off the possibility of expanding their city limits. In Columbus, the suburbs were already growing at a faster percentage rate, and there was growing concern that if it became cut off, the city would face increasingly tough economic hardships by missing out on the expanding suburban tax revenue while potentially seeing the urban core empty out. It was a recipe for economic disaster.

Recognizing the trends for himself, the mayor preceding Sensenbrenner, Robert Oestreicher, had appointed a special assistant in charge of “metropolitan affairs”. It was then that the city decided that it would focus on a sort of Columbus-First campaign, particularly when it came to city services. This meant that it would work to serve its own residents’ interests first before considering those of any outlying areas. This became the framework for Sensenbrenner’s famous annexation policy: Anyone who wanted to connect to the Columbus water system must agree to be annexed into the city itself.

Incidentally, even before it became official under Sensenbrenner, the city was already being accused of strong-arming suburban communities by holding its majority control of the county’s water infrastructure over their heads, something the city of course flatly denied. Still, it was no secret that city leadership nationally was going on the offense in combating the escalating decentralization trends. Many postured that these new suburbs had inherent economic advantages by the fact that cities paid for the bulk of local infrastructure. Suburbanites visited and worked in the cities, but paid most of their taxes to the suburbs they lived in, contributing little to the costs of the infrastructure they freely used. Columbus itself was losing hundreds of thousands of dollars every year maintaining the state office buildings where many suburbanites worked. Meanwhile, cities were also losing tax revenue as businesses moved to the fringes. So it would be of no surprise that there was a combative relationship forming between core and suburb. The logical answer to this was for the city to use its one significant advantage- water- as leverage, especially at a time when shortages had made the commodity ever more valuable.

Columbus First

Sensenbrenner had not explicitly run on annexation during his mayoral campaign, at least not at first. He had focused on things like improving recreational amenities, solving bus transit issues, and of course bettering water infrastructure, all given with the folksy, moral convictions of his Boy Scout past. After an extreme heatwave at the end of August and into September, the water issue only got worse, and so it became an increasing campaign talking point. By October 1st, Sensenbrenner was quoted as saying, “I am bitterly opposed to selling water to any outside community until Columbus’ own needs are met.” By the end of the month, he was being quoted saying that annexation would be a way to solve Columbus’s potential income tax revenue losses to the suburbs. That the two issues would meet seemed inevitable, and meet they did. Within a week of coming into office in January 1954, Sensenbrenner was already upsetting suburban areas with his hardline water-through-annexation position.

Upset as they may have been, many began to grudgingly agree to Sensenbrenner and Columbus’ terms. Annexation went from just half a square mile in the 1940s to almost 50 square miles being added in the 1950s alone, the vast majority of it occurring after 1953. This rapid expansion of Columbus’ city limits continued through the 1970s, long after Sensenbrenner had left office, and the total area of the city almost quintupled by 1980. During that same period, about 190,000 people were added. The naysayers would have us believe that all of this growth occurred because of annexation, and in this instance, they may, in fact, be correct. As mentioned above, urban cores of cities were beginning to depopulate in the 1950s, a trend that accelerated over the next few decades. Columbus was no exception. Within its 1950 city boundaries, Columbus lost hundreds of thousands of people, and without annexation, its overall population would’ve dropped just like we saw in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and other Great Lakes cities. Instead, Columbus was able to continue to show population growth through the darkest days of urban flight and avoided the long-lasting stigma of a city in decline. Furthermore, it was able to maintain its tax revenues and keep the city from falling into financial insolvency.

The Story Changes

Yet here is where the naysayers get it wrong. While it is true that Columbus has benefitted greatly from its mid-century annexation frenzy, its more recent growth has little relation to it. After 1980, annexation rates collapsed, but population growth did not. The city had reached a level where its tax base was secure, and its size and relative economic fortunes compared to the rest of the region became an attractive magnet for new transplants. Today the city is one of the nation’s fastest-growing, beating even Austin last year in total growth, and yet this decade it has annexed virtually no land. Growth-through-annexation WAS true but is no longer and has not been for some time.

Columbus’ modern booming growth stands as a testament to both a practical response to real problems and the forward-thinking to recognize early on that cities were faced with great change. So if anything, when someone accuses Columbus of having grown from annexation, we should all simply say, “So what? It worked.”

Here’s to you, Jack.

The post Was Columbus Built Through Annexation? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

If you’re a full-time student at Ohio State’s main campus, and you don’t have any classes scheduled before noon, you are eligible to try out. A GPA of 3.0 is strongly encouraged.

The walk-on tryouts will take place on Wednesday, January 17 at 6:15 p.m at the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex. Registration for the tryouts will be on January 10 at 11 a.m.

Prospective Buckeyes will be asked to perform the following drills:

Do you think you have what it takes to take the field as a Buckeye? Go and show them what you’ve got. Urban wants you!

The post Are You Good Enough To Play Football For The Ohio State University? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

According to a study of the recently released US Census Community Survey data by Cleveland.com, 6 of the Top 10 most educated cities in the state are here in Central Ohio.

These highly educated areas also tend to be the most high-income areas in the state. Around the state, 26.7% of adults over the age of 25 have at least a bachelor’s degree. In the Top 10, 70% of adults over 25 have at least a bachelor’s degree.

New Albany comes in second place for the most highly educated, with 77% of adults holding degrees. They also have the highest median family income in the state with $214,850. The city ranked in the top ten for highest median home values and lowest poverty rates.

Slots 3-8 in the higher education category went to several Central Ohio cities, including:

Dublin, Upper Arlington, Powell, and Grandview Heights also ranked in the Top 10 for highest median home values. The correlation between higher education and higher median income is expected, but higher education can also lead to better health and higher levels of civic engagement.

Well done, Central Ohio!

The post 6 Of The Top 10 Most Educated Cities In Ohio Are In Central Ohio appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

Columbus has fierce competition in this category (Upper Arlington, Dublin, Powell, Grandview, Bexley … hmm), but in the end, it probably had to be New Albany.

Here’s what they had to say about Les Wexner’s playground:

Columbus: New Albany, Ohio

Population: 7,724
Exciting and pompous fact: Sample names of subdivisions: The Preserve, The Reserve, The Woods at the Preserve, and, of course, Upper Brandon

Because old Albany is just a boring, at-best middle-class state capital in New York, New Albany shines with a Jack Nicklaus-built golf course for its country club, and, of course, the national headquarters for Abercrombie & Fitch, who’ve clothed the children of upper-middle-class suburbs for at least a generation. Even the apartments in New Albany Park just look like four different stately mansions glued together.

New Albany has apartments? Whaaaaaaat?

As of 2015, the estimated household income in New Albany is over $200k, according to online sources that I just Googled, and the median home price was $510,225.

Would you have picked New Albany or one of our other blessed suburbs?

The post What’s The Most Obnoxiously Rich Suburb Of Columbus? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

But according to Twitter user @Alex_but_online, those aren’t the only things we’re guilty of.

Well, Alex, now that you mention it, I do say “ope”. And now that I’ve realized it, I can’t help but notice everyone around me doing it as well.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who can’t be identified as a Midwesterner by this quirky habit, let me explain.

“Ope”, which rhymes with “soap”, is a combination of oops and sorry. I find myself saying it when I accidentally bump into someone in the grocery store, or when I drop something at work.

Alex and I aren’t the only ones, either.

One Twitter user even went as far as to provide proof.

We may never know what causes Ohioans to “ope”. But At least we’ll always be able to find one another in a crowd. We’ll be the ones saying “Ope, Excuse me” as we bump into each other.

The post Do You Say “Ope”? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

Just when we were all losing our minds about not getting Chipotle’s queso, they drop this little nugget of information on us. And you can stop freaking out about the queso, because it may hit stores nationwide as soon as September.

Now back to the drive-thru. Today.com reported that it will be called a “vehicular pickup window” instead of a drive-thru, but all that matters is that you can eat your guac on the road.

According to Business Insider, Chipotle CMO Mark Crumpacker mentioned some changes that would be coming to the company in a recent call with investors. “We need to evolve the Chipotle experience,” said Crumpacker.

And luckily for us, that evolution involves a drive-thru in Ohio. There isn’t any word on the specific location, but with Columbus’ history of a test market, it’s likely that it will end up somewhere in Central Ohio.

The public has been clamoring for a Chiptole Drive-Thru for years now.

Can Chipotle get a damn drive thru already

— Sloppy Toppy (@alek_nicol) July 26, 2017

WHY ISNT THERE A DRIVE THRU CHIPOTLE

— makena (@makenakate_) July 21, 2017

If subway can have a drive thru then so can chipotle

— Chloe (@chloeee_eliza) July 18, 2017

If @chipotle had a drive thru I would have no reason to eat anywhere else

— molly egan (@16fluffykitties) July 11, 2017

Why can't #chipotle have a drive thru….let's be real it's 2017. Live in the now @ChipotleTweets

— Kyle ??? (@gruntstyleUSMC) July 10, 2017

Looks like they’ve decided to give the people what they want.

via GIPHY

What location in Ohio should get the Drive-thru? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter!

The post Chipotle Is Testing A Drive-Thru In Ohio… But Where? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

Whether you’re looking for a big school like Ohio State or a small liberal arts school like Oberlin, you’re sure to find something in-state that matches many of your needs.

There are basic factors colleges and universities consider when it comes to admissions: GPA, the rigor of your high school record, and test scores. Schools like to see that you’ve challenged yourself — getting As in all your classes is impressive, but they also look for whether or not you had the initiative to take some honors or AP classes.

Schools also prefer students who show they have other interests, which is why extracurriculars matter. You don’t have to be the captain of everything, or even try everything. But showing you’re passionate about something, whether its the school paper or volunteering for a cause you care about, also speaks to your qualifications.

Some schools, like Denison University and Kenyon College, also care about your recommendation letters and application essays, because it gives them more insight into who you are, how you would fare, and what you would contribute. Denison, for example, even does on-campus interviews.

It all seems very stressful, I know. I’ve been there. But do your best, and don’t drive yourself crazy.

Get the lowdown on well-known schools in Ohio, according to the most recent available data from the National Center for Education Statistics, COLLEGEdata, and the schools’ individual websites:

Public Colleges and Universities

Ohio State University — Main

General

Setting: Large City
Admission Difficulty:  Very Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average HS GPA: N/A
Number of Applicants: 40,240
Freshman Class Size: 7,000
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 62%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 95%

Retention Rate: 94%
Undergrads: 45,289
Student/Faculty Ratio: 19 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 59%
6-Year Grad Rate: 83%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 27-31
SAT Critical Reading: 560-670
SAT Math: 610-720
SAT Writing: 560-660

Kent State University

General

Setting: Large Suburb
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average HS GPA: 3.36
Number of Applicants: 15,772
Freshman Class Size: 4,335
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 14%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 39%

Retention Rate: 81%
Undergrads: 23,607
Student/Faculty Ratio: 21 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 32%
6-Year Grad Rate: 56%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 21-25
SAT Critical Reading: 480-580
SAT Math: 470-580
SAT Writing: 460-560

Miami University — Oxford

General

Setting: Rural
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average HS GPA: 3.76
Number of Applicants: 27,454
Freshman Class Size: 4,002
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 36%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 68%

Retention Rate: 90%
Undergrads: 16,387
Student/Faculty Ratio: 15 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 65%
6-Year Grad Rate: 80%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 26-30
SAT Critical Reading: 550-650
SAT Math: 590-690

Ohio University — Athens

General

Setting: Rural
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average HS GPA: 3.46
Number of Applicants: 21,000
Freshman Class Size: 4,332
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 16%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 43%

Retention Rate: 79%
Undergrads: 23, 513
Student/Faculty Ratio: 18 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 48%
6-Year Grad Rate: 66%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 22-26
SAT Critical Reading: 490-600
SAT Math: 500-610
SAT Writing: 470-590

University of Cincinnati

General

Setting: Large City
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average HS GPA: 3.48
Number of Applicants: 15,286
Freshman Class Size: 6,900
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 21%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 47%

Retention Rate: 88%
Undergrads: 25,009
Student/Faculty Ratio: 18 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 28%
6-Year Grad Rate: 65%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 23-28
SAT Critical Reading: 510-630
SAT Math: 530-660
SAT Writing: 490-620

Bowling Green State University

General

Setting: Small Town
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average HS GPA: 3.31
Number of Applicants: 14,632
Freshman Class Size: 3,542
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 12%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 36%

Retention Rate: 78%
Undergrads: 16,908
Student/Faculty Ratio: 20 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 34%
6-Year Grad Rate: 56%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 19-24
SAT Critical Reading:  450-570
SAT Math: 450-580

Wright State University

General

Setting: Large Suburban
Admission Difficulty: Minimally Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average HS GPA: 3.26
Number of Applicants: 5,560
Freshman Class Size: 2,401
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 17%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 37%

Retention Rate: 67%
Undergrads: 12,722
Student/Faculty Ratio: 22 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 21%
6-Year Grad Rate: 40%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 19-25
SAT Critical Reading:  460-600
SAT Math: 450-600
SAT Writing: 430-570

University of Akron

General

Setting: Midsize City
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult 
Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average HS GPA: 3.16
Number of Applicants: 15,166
Freshman Class Size: 3,971
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 16%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 38%

Retention Rate: 74%
Undergrads: 19,093
Student/Faculty Ratio: 19 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 13%
6-Year Grad Rate: 40%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 19-26
SAT Critical Reading:  440-580
SAT Math: 450-610

Private Colleges and Universities

University of Dayton

General

Setting: Midsize City
Admission Difficulty: Moderatley Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average HS GPA: 3.64
Number of Applicants: 16,968
Freshman Class Size: 2,165
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 25%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 58%

Retention Rate: 91%
Undergrads: 8,665
Student/Faculty Ratio: 16 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 62%
6-Year Grad Rate: 79%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 24-29
SAT Critical Reading: 510-620
SAT Math: 520-630
SAT Writing: 520-610

Denison University

General

Setting: Small Suburban
Admission Difficulty: Very Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average HS GPA:  3.60
Number of Applicants: 6,110
Freshman Class Size: 645
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: N/A
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 82%

Retention Rate: 87%
Undergrads: 2,254
Student/Faculty Ratio: 10 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 77%
6-Year Grad Rate: 80%

Submitting ACT and/or SAT scores is optional.

Kenyon College

General

Setting: Rural
Admission Difficulty: Most Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 26%
Average HS GPA: 3.9
Number of Applicants: 6,644
Freshman Class Size: 487
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 61%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 84%

Retention Rate: 93%
Undergrads: 1,711
Student/Faculty Ratio: 10 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 84%
6-Year Grad Rate: 87%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 28-32
SAT Critical Reading: 630-730
SAT Math: 610-690
SAT Writing: 620-720

Case Western Reserve University

General

Setting: Large City
Admission Difficulty: Very Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average HS GPA: N/A
Number of Applicants: 22,807
Freshman Class Size: 1,231
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 71%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 91%

Retention Rate: 94%
Undergrads: 5,121
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 63%
6-Year Grad Rate: 81%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 30-33
SAT Critical Reading: 620-720
SAT Math: 680-770
SAT Writing: 620-720

Oberlin College

General

Setting: Rural
Admission Difficulty: Very Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average HS GPA: 3.59
Number of Applicants: 7,815
Freshman Class Size: 736
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 61%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 85%

Retention Rate: 92%
Undergrads: 2,912
Student/Faculty Ratio: 9 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 76%
6-Year Grad Rate: 88%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 29-32
SAT Critical Reading: 640-740
SAT Math: 620-720
SAT Writing: 630-730

College of Wooster

General

Setting:  Small Town
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average HS GPA: 3.70
Number of Applicants: 5,748
Freshman Class Size: 569
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 46%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 70%

Retention Rate:  88%
Undergrads:  2,050
Student/Faculty Ratio:  12 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 77%
6-Year Grad Rate: 82%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite:  25-30
SAT Critical Reading:  540-670
SAT Math:  560-680
SAT Writing: 540-650

Xavier University

General

Setting: Large City
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average HS GPA: 3.52 (weighted)
Number of Applicants: 10,661
Freshman Class Size: 1,135
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 23%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 53%

Retention Rate: 83%
Undergrads: 4,548
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 66%
6-Year Grad Rate: 74%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite:  22-27
SAT Critical Reading:  490-590
SAT Math:  490-590
SAT Writing: 480-590

Ohio Northern University

General

Setting: Rural
Admission Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average HS GPA: 3.60 (weighted)
Number of Applicants: 3,108
Freshman Class Size: 598
HS Class Rank Top Tenth: 32%
HS Class Rank Top Quarter: 60%

Retention Rate: 86%
Undergrads: 2,401
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11 to 1
4-Year Grad Rate: 50%
6-Year Grad Rate: 66%

Test Scores (25th – 75th Percentile)

ACT Composite: 23-28
SAT Critical Reading: 480-600
SAT Math: 530-640
SAT Writing: 508-590

The post How Hard Is It To Get Into These Well-Known Ohio Schools? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.

Criticism of the mass kill was abundant. A sampling:

So if dogs at the shelter were exposed between Aug 9-19, well….a mass kill is like closing the barn door after the horse is gone, isn’t it? There should have been an immediate announcement from FCDS that dogs adopted from the shelter between Aug 9-31 may have been exposed to distemper, so their families could be on the alert for signs.

The public held a protest at the facility on Tuesday, Sept 13. The protest centered around the fact that FCDS, knowing they had a case of distemper, still did not notify the public for 5 more days. During that time, they held an adoption event and hundreds, if not thousands of people came and went from the facility. Distemper is extremely contagious. A person can transfer the disease via their clothing/shoes to any dogs they come in contact with …

[…]

As to the statement that 49 of the dogs killed were not tested because it was “impractical”…well, the rescue community is not called a “community” for nothing. All the facility needed to do was reach out. The community would have found the money to test, because that would have been 2,000 times preferable to killing.

Elsewhere in the statement, Wilbers said “The 52 dogs that were euthanized had either shown “severe clinical signs” of distemper or were determined to not be suitable for quarantine.” But I’m not buying that. If that were the case, it would be unconscionable for the shelter to hold an adoption event, knowing that they had a bunch of sick dogs…wouldn’t it? Two other dogs showed signs (and it’s since been verified that they were positive for distemper). The others: those dogs‘not suitable’ for quarantine (whatever that means) could have been tested.

And let’s not forget…it’s standard procedure for a vet to vaccinate a dog against distemper…meaning that those dogs who were killed who happened to be lost pets…the chances that they were vaccinated is pretty damn high.

This criticism is key, because it causes one to wonder if the relationship between the rescue community and the Frankin County Dog Shelter is a healthy one.

On Tuesday a senior Great Dane mix was found in the near east side area and was taken in by Franklin County Dog Shelter. The dog was posted in a local Facebook group, which led to a person reaching out on behalf of a Great Danes rescue group, offering to rescue the dog, even if the dog turned out to need hospice care. You can read the resulting situation in the screencap below:

This comes just days after it was reported that the shelter is bursting at the seams with dogs, well over capacity.

I’ve heard so many stories over the years of difficult adoptions, rude employees, and arbitrary rules that sometimes seem made up on the spot. 196 of the 854 Facebook reviews are one star, and many of the 5 star reviews seem to be more about defending the dogs than the shelter (an example: I know you will read some horrible reviews about the time this dog shelter chose to put down 80+ dogs due to the fear of distemper. However, please do not let those reviews discourage you from adopting a wonderful dog from this shelter. The dogs there need our love, and their lives are depending on us.)

At this point, with all available evidence, I have a hard time imagining that I would ever surrender a found dog to this shelter in good conscience.

The post What Is Going On At The Franklin County Dog Shelter? appeared first on Columbus Navigator.