<p>So I just found out that I was accepted into the University of Miami, which was my other top choice school. I have come to the ultimate decision that I will either attend Alabama or Miami. I have already visited Alabama and loved it! I will go down to Miami some time in March. I was just wondering if anyone could give their opinions on the situation and share things that they may like or dislike about either school (campus, classes, housing, dining, nightlife, etc…). This thread will probably be posted under both schools.</p>
<p>The two schools are very different. Almost opposites, really. After your visit, you should get a better picture of where you want to be. </p>
<p>I’d imagine Miami has the better location/social life/dining but that’s probably personal preference. There’s also more diversity, but a smaller student body. The campus is very nice, but quite different from Alabama. The cost of attendance is higher, but that might not be a problem. Academically, it really depends on your major.</p>
<p>There’s also more diversity</p>
<p>There are more Hispanics at Miami, but not more African Americans. </p>
<p>2Smart is African American.</p>
<p>UMiami is 8% Black (so about 800 undergrads on campus)</p>
<p>Alabama is 11% Black (so over 2500 undergrads on campus)</p>
<p>Miami is still more diverse according to the statistics. M2ck, you’re just saying that there’s more black people at Alabama, which is true, but Miami is still a lot more diverse.</p>
<p>Miami-
6% Asian/Pacific Islander
9% Black/Non-Hispanic
17% Hispanic
47% White/Non-Hispanic
8% Non-Resident Alien
12% Race/ethnicity unreported</p>
<p>Alabama
1% Asian/Pacific Islander
10% Black/Non-Hispanic
2% Hispanic
85% White/Non-Hispanic</p>
<p>Oh I agree…</p>
<p>But, usually when someone of color is interested in “diversity” they’re interested in schools that have their ethnic group. The same happens when Jewish or Muslim students ask this question. </p>
<p>Because 2Smart is African American, I believe she’d be more interested in knowing how many African Americans there are. She may be interested in knowing that Miami has 6% Asian/Islander students or whatever, but that probably isn’t of much importance to her. She’s interested in rushing for Pan_hellenic, so the number of AA students is of particular importance to her. :)</p>
<p>I’d also take into account that Tuscaloosa itself is 42.73% Black/African American. Miami is 22.3%, many of whom are from the Caribbean (Census Data). At any school, you will be dealing with a lot of people that aren’t students or faculty and come from the local area (dining hall staff, bus drivers, grocery store clerks, etc.). Miami does beat Tuscaloosa in having better weather and more off-campus nightlife, but it really depends on what a person wants to study and do in their free time.</p>
<p>2smart, I graduated from UMiami 30 years ago, so I can’t give you a true picture of how it is today, but the location has not changed, so I can give you insights on that. </p>
<p>I don’t feel comfortable comparing the schools, saying which is better and which isn’t, because I haven’t been on Bama’s campus other than for Capstone, so I don’t want to pass judgment on either its academics or student life.</p>
<p>I’ll post under the Miami forum just some geographical data that you may be interested in, but I will say this. As we’re suffering with 40 degree weather here in New Orleans, I am missing my days at UMiami, where the coldest it ever got was 67 degrees.</p>
<p>Oh…I’d love that 67 degree weather right now, too!! :)</p>
<p>For the record, everything m2ck said about me is true. Diversity is important to me because I currently attend a predominantly black school and I would love to have a more rounded college experience. On the other hand I would like to pledge NPHC so African Americans are slightly higher on my radar. I believe that i am having such a hard time deciding between the two because I have wanted to attend Miami for like the past 2 years. As for Alabama, I have recently gotten more attached since receiving the acceptance letter and visiting the campus. It’s really like I’m stuck in the middle and I feel like I would be happy at either one. </p>
<p>As far as the weather goes I’m stuck in 18 degrees with snow flurries…lol.</p>
<p>2Smart :)</p>
<p>At this point, you may just have to wait and see what FA packages you get from each school. Did you submit your FA info yet?</p>
<p>Let us know how it goes. (fingers crossed!)</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Yes my FAFSA info was available to my schools online as of January 11th so I got it in as early as I possibly could.</p>
<p>Oh good!!!</p>
<p>Does UMiami need CSS?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yep, I figured as much, but I just wanted the stats out there just in case she was talking about diversity as a whole.</p>
<p>Either way, I’m sure you’ll be happy with either of those two, 2Smart. Good luck!</p>
<p>Having grown up in South Florida and still visiting twice a year, I’ll say that you could not pick 2 places that are more different. Once you have visited both campuses, I would think you would have a good idea which campuses has the feel your looking for. As for academics, I’ve got nothing. BTW I’d say that South Florida as a whole is way more diverse than Tuscaloosa. Some say Miami is another state than Florida and others say it’s another country…lol</p>
<p>so i went on their website and checked about the CSS profile to make sure I didn’t need it and they only talk about the FAFSA…so i guess i’m okay</p>
<p>Agree with Navarre. Having grown up in New Orleans and visiting Pensacola, in the Florida panhandle, every year, I can definitely say that Miami was not a typical Florida town and was indeed like its own country. It was very much like New Orleans is to Louisiana. New Orleans is much more cosmopitan than Cajun Country, and Tulane is to New Orleans what UMiami is to Miami.</p>
<p>I was asking if you need to submit CSS Profile for Financial Aid. Some privates require, but perhaps UMiami does not.</p>
<p>list of schools that require css profile:
<a href=“https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv[/url]”>https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv</a></p>
<p>thanx parent56…Miami wasn’t on the list</p>
<p>m2ck:</p>
<p>So today the Miami package came in the mail and they offered me a $16,000 scholarship and Alabama had only offered me $1,500. However, COA for Miami is roughly $55,000 while Alabama is roughly $30,000. So i’m still stuck in the middle. I hate this feeling!!!</p>