Otterbein University and Columbus State Community College are longtime partners in providing affordable options for students seeking a college education in central Ohio. Through our Dual Admission Program (DAP) and 2+2 Pathway, students can earn associate and bachelor’s degrees for less than half the cost of a public university education.  

“The DAP degree plans are a great option for students who are confident that Otterbein is their ultimate goal once they earn their associate degree from Columbus State,” said DAP Coordinator Amanda Talbot. “Students within the cohort are provided a four-year academic plan and can rely on a cohesive and engaging advising experience throughout their time in the program.” 

Our 36 traditional 2+2 Pathway Programs guarantee Columbus State students admission to Otterbein if they meet certain academic requirements. But our unique Dual Admission Program offers additional benefits to students who commit to both schools at the start of their college journey. 

In the DAP, students are admitted to both Otterbein and Columbus State simultaneously and are immediately eligible for the benefits of both campuses. From day one of the program, Dual Admission participants receive joint advising from Columbus State and Otterbein representatives, and have access to events, programs, and facilities on both campuses. Since DAP students are already admitted, there is no transfer application to complete. They just work with their academic advisor to schedule their Otterbein courses once they have earned their Associate degree. 

Most importantly, DAP is an affordable option. Students in this program not only pay Columbus State’s lower tuition for two years — they also earn a significant Otterbein scholarship once they earn their associate degree. Students save even more by living at home and not incurring room and board costs. 

“The savings on tuition alone were enough to get me interested, but as I learned more about Otterbein’s smaller class sizes and how professors know you personally, it solidified that this was the right choice,” said Eduard Pfau ’22. 

Pfau, now a business administration and management major, credits his successful transition from Columbus State to Otterbein to Assistant Director of Admission Mary Mosca and her team. He said they helped him through everything from finding building locations to applying for financial aid and registering for classes. 

“We make transferring to Otterbein as smooth as possible,” said Mosca. “Students are given an admission counselor who specializes in the transfer process and assists the student every step of the way – think of it as each student having their own personal concierge.” 

Nicole Teeples ’22 also enrolled at Otterbein through DAP. The health communication major felt supported right away as she was making the change to Otterbein’s campus. 

“Transferring schools can be very overwhelming,” she said, “but at Otterbein, I always had support from everyone. From the admission team who have provided some of the biggest help, down to my peers with great advice, I’ve never felt alone.” 

With more than 60 majors available for Columbus State associate degree holders to pursue at Otterbein, there is a pathway for any students looking to reach their academic and career goals at Otterbein.  

After his two years at Columbus State, Eric Terranova ’22 was ready to find a major that would best fit his passions. Already an avid YouTube content creator with his channel showcasing baseball videos he filmed and edited himself, he was interested in both computer science and communication. 

“I would love to get a job involving video editing. I took a newswriting class to learn about the process of covering and writing news stories to further broaden my marketability to employers,” Terranova said. He is now a computer science major with a minor in journalism and media communication. 

Pfau says the DAP is a great solution for central Ohio students looking for affordability, flexibility, and academic excellence in a broad range of majors. 

“It was important for me to hold a full-time job, have a full-time course load, and still save money. The DAP Program with Otterbein ensured that was a possibility for me,” Pfau said.