Does the university really hold up to the ranking it has(public ivy)? I mean, from the student reviews of the university, I get a sense that it is a party school, only favorable for an affluent people, and educationally passive students. Is this true?
Also, I have received a negative response regarding the social life at the university; like unfriendliness, and hardcore stereotypes. Besides, drinking, and all, how exciting is the normal life around there?
As a Miami alum, I’ll do my best to address the stereotypes you’ve listed. Party school rep - yes, this reputation is somewhat warranted, but not entirely. To a degree, all colleges are party schools; and your college experience is entirely of your making. I would summarize Miami U as a work hard/play hard environment. Students are VERY social and involved - and I’m not referring to partying. As a result, very shy people or those severely lacking in self confidence may find Miami U intimidating. Note this link to the Miami web site which discusses the 450 clubs and activities outside of the greek system or club sports: http://miamioh.edu/news/top-stories/2015/04/clubs.html I did not feel pressure to party simply to fit in, given there are so many other things to do. Academics are absolutely taken seriously - and this is where the ‘public ivy’ reputation is warranted to a degree. Not every major or program Miami U offers is highly ranked, but many are, including business (all), zoology (including pre-med), poly sci (pre-law), education (all), manufacturing and paper science engineering, music, architecture, and gerontology - and these are just off the top of my head. Miami’s strong reputation for undergraduate education focus (vs. grad school primary focus of many schools) is warranted. The academic environment is competitive, but not cut throat. My academic experience was far from passive, and I would say that most of my friends felt the same way. The advising/tutoring and research opportunities are there - but it’s up to the student to take advantage of them. While there is an elitest contingent of students, I did not find it to be the norm. I suppose the unfriendliness is tied to the perceived elitism. Many students are affluent, but certainly not everyone. The population of the state of Ohio is 87% caucasian. Miami U is actually more ethnically diverse than this percentage, but not by a dramatic amount.
I would strongly recommend you visit the campus if you can, as that is the best way to determine if Miami U (or any school) is the right fit for you. Best of luck in your decision.
You should download the app YikYak to see what everyday students at Miami say about the social life/academics/etc… of their school, it’s very amusing sometimes.
@LoveandHonor Thank you. What about racism? I am an international student, and I hear Miami students being culturally disparaging.
I did not witness overt racism during my four years. That said, there is certainly cultural ignorance, as many students came from white, homogenous suburbs and simply haven’t been exposed to various cultures. I did have a number of multi-cultural friends, and there are many campus organizations dedicated to international and multi-cultural students - along with cultural exchange. An unusually high percentage of Miami U students do travel abroad - which usually results in a broader mindset. Also, the university administration has little tolerance for racism (which is good!). Based upon history, if there is proof a student has committed an act perceived as racist, the administration will not hesitate to kick the student out. The Miami U administration has publicly stated their intent to continue to grow the percentage of both international and domestic multi-cultural students. Significant strides have been made over the past handful of years, but obviously this is a work in progress. Finally, a positive aspect of Miami U is that a high percentage of US students come from other states (at least one third of the student body). While this may not seem relevant to an international student, there are definitely cultural differences in various parts of the US, and as someone raised my entire childhood in Ohio, I found some of these cultural differences striking. On my floor alone in my first year on-campus dorm, I recall that there were students from New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, Missouri, and Colorado (and a few other states also). There were students of African-American, Hispanic, and Thai descent, among others. Finally, a positive change I noticed over the course of the last handful of years has been the gradually increasing willingness of both the student body and administration to discuss racism and cultural issues publicly. Once again, there is clearly a need for continued improvement.
Thank you @LoveandHonor … I am planning to start with an undecided major. But, particularly, how is the science, and engineering program at the university? I am expecting an education that will prepare to compete for the top universities in the world for my master’s. I am aware that the academic performances rely on me.
prepare me to*
Given that I was in the business school, I can’t go into great detail on all the sciences and engineering. However, the pre-med program (typically linked to a zoology major) is exceptional, and medical school placement overall along with placement in top med schools is well above the national average. A number of the engineering programs, such as manufacturing and paper science are very highly regarded.
My daughter is a current double major in biology and English lit (premed co major). She has not has a single “passive” class yet. Her classes are rigorous and require a lot of studying. Lots of opportunities to do research and get published. My daughter’s freshman research was published this year as a sophomore.