The Ohio State University (OSU) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Ohio. The university was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the largest university in the United States. Ohio State is currently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the best public university in Ohio, among the top 60 universities in the United States, and among the top 20 public universities in the United States. Ohio State has been officially designated as the flagship institution of the state's public system of higher education by the newly centralized University System of Ohio.

History

main: History of The Ohio State University The Ohio State University was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university in accordance with the Morrill Act of 1862 under the name of the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. The school was originally situated within a farming community located on the northern edge of Columbus. While some interests in the state had hoped that the new university would focus on matriculating students of various agricultural and mechanical disciplines, Governor Rutherford B. Hayes foresaw a more classic, comprehensive university and manipulated both the university's location and its initial board of trustees towards that end. Later that year, the university welcomed its first class of twenty-four students. In 1878, and in light of its expanded focus, the college permanently changed its name to the now-familiar "The Ohio State University" (with the article "The" as part of its official name).

Ohio State began accepting graduate students in the 1880s, and, in 1891, the school saw the founding of its law school. It would later acquire colleges of medicine, dentistry, commerce and journalism in subsequent years.

Although development had been hindered in the 1870s by hostility from the state's agricultural interests and competition for resources from Miami University and Ohio University, both issues were eventually resolved. In 1906, Ohio State's status as the state's flagship campus was written into law by the Ohio legislature through the Eagleson Bill. In 1916, Ohio State was elected into membership in the Association of American Universities.

Rankings and recognition

U.S. News & World Report's widely read rankings of undergraduate colleges in America currently places Ohio State as the 19th best public university and 56th overall ranked university in America as well as the highest ranked public university in Ohio. Ohio State ranked 14th in US News' New "Up and Coming" colleges section. The list includes the top colleges in the nation "that are making improvements in academics, faculty, students, campus life, diversity, and facilities. These schools are worth watching because they are making promising and innovative changes." China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University placed Ohio State as the 61st ranked university in the world in their 2007 Academic Ranking of World Universities.