<p>I just recently have been admitted into Ole Miss and I cannot decide if it would be a good choice to go there or not. I have lived in Northern California all my life and I love it here, but I am ready to go somewhere else for college. From what I have heard about Ole Miss it sounds like a place I would really enjoy, but do you think it would be too much of a culture shock for someone who grew up in a very, VERY liberal part of the US to suddenly move to Oxford, Mississippi? And would I be alienated for not exactly fitting in with the people in the South? PLEASE HELP!</p>
<p>Dee,</p>
<p>I know it’s expensive to travel, but I would highly recommend a campus visit before you decide on any college.</p>
<p>My D is a junior and as a parent, I absolutely would not feel comfortable with her going to a college that we had never visited before.</p>
<p>Now with that being said, the Ole Miss campus is lovely and so is Oxford. I have visited with my D and a very good friend of hers is a current freshman there. There is a strong Greek presence on campus. There is a strong literary vibe to the little town of Oxford…the main town square and surrounding shops are very quaint.</p>
<p>One thing that is part of Oxford’s charm that some folks may not like is, there’s no shopping mall nearby. You’d have to go to Memphis, about an hour away for big city amenities like that!</p>
<p>If at all possible, I would try to find a way to visit. You really won’t know how it feels to you until you walk on campus, talk to students, go on a tour, and see for yourself.</p>
<p>I would agree with the above post. It is so important to visit the college(s) you are really interested in. I think you will see that Ole Miss is welcoming to various types of students from different places. The freshmen class this year was pretty much 50-50 in state/out of state. So, you will definitely not be the only person from far away. There was even a student admitted to the Honors College and Lott Leadership Institute from Moorpark, California. I hope that you’ll make the investment to come and visit.</p>
<p>I understand your concern. The Old South is definitely a different culture. I grew up in the South and believe the younger generation is more flexible and open minded. Not everyone from the south is part of the stereotype. My D is going to attend Ole Miss this fall. We, too, are from Northern California. Stand by your belief system and you will make the friends who are right for you. I hope you’ll enjoy your time at Ole Miss.</p>
<p>Current Ole Mis student here… surprisingly, I’ve met several students here from California. So it’s definitely been done before. It’s true that we are in the heart of the South, but university towns tend to be little islands of diversity and open-mindedness, and Ole Miss is no exception.</p>
<p>Momfan - glad you have a student who will be attending Ole Miss in the fall. Hope you get registered for Orientation in early March and Hotty Toddy!</p>