<p>University of Miami frequently asked questions.</p>
<p>What is the atmosphere/campus like at the University of Miami?</p>
<p>Lots going on on the campus...softball intramurals, quidditch matches, prep for Relay for Life, random guys giving hugs in the bookstore area, one group selling Key Lime pies as a fundraiser, the list goes on. It was a friendly atmosphere with people walking by us, saying hello to our DS and wanting to meet us...I did look carefully for all of the stereotypical stuff that we read about the university...no snobby folks in sight. Diverse groups of people eating together, no ridiculously expensive cars in the parking lots either...lots of t-shirts and shorts and flipflops. Friendly students holding doors open for others, signs about upcoming events, it seemed like a normal campus of hustle and bustle and fun.
The other thing that I noticed was that whether the staff was a student or an older adult working, all were friendly, offered help if needed, and were overall pleasant. DinDune</p>
<p>"You get both, and a little in-between. I find that the down to earth type people tend to gravitate towards Stanford (dorm), and the flashy cars people tend to gravitate towards Hecht (dorm). But there are rich students who have the flashy clothes and cars that are also down to earth. I've only met one of the stereotypical "rich" people in my time here, but that's OK because no one else in my class can stand her. Same as with the drunkenness, you can find it if you look for it, but it if you don't want it, it's easy to avoid." - SVMMom</p>
<p>The campus is so pretty and there is so much going on all the time. We recently visited and the campus atmosphere was wonderful with lots of happy looking students. It looked like a great place to be. crazed</p>
<p>UM is not in a college town atmosphere but is rather in a more metropolitan area with lots of attractions and activities. If you're looking for that college town feel, UM may not fit the bill but if you want a great school in an area with a lot to offer, UM is a great choice. my-3-sons</p>
<p>Along with USC, Miami is one of the most diverse campuses in the US. Of course, the primary "sources" of diversity are Latin & South America and the Caribbean Nations. I would think an international student would find it fairly easy to assimilate into campus. vinceh</p>
<p>If you are looking for a school with an unpretentious, laid-back feel, UM is NOT it, but if you want a school full of spirit and energy with a diverse population, this is it. My son prefers to shop at thrift stores rather than A&F and had no problems finding a great group of friends and fitting in. He was involved in many campus organizations and activities, and loved UM and all its offerings. If I had to describe UM kids with one word, it would be confident. my-3-sons</p>
<p>"Miami has an extremely diverse student body (by one poll, the most diverse in the nation). Kids from almost all 50 state, foreign students, kids on scholarship and financial aid, rich kids that are snobby, rich kids that are great and down to earth, students involved in greek life, lots of different service clubs with kids who are dedicated to causes, music students, marine school students, etc....." SVMMom</p>
<p>"The student body is very diverse, this is true. I hear so many different languages walking to and from class and it's awesome. - Unoriginal</p>
<p>"In a word...diverse. You will find snobs, down-to-earth types, partiers, abstainers, kids who graduated in the very top of their HS class, kids who didn't, many ethnicities, religions, backgrounds. " -notan4me</p>
<p>Don't worry about what everyone else is wearing, be yourself. There are plenty of people here who won't care and you'll find your niche. I'm not fashionable at all and I don't wear anything designer ever (I pretty much shop in Forever 21 and Express) and it's never bothered me, I just don't care about that stuff. And there's a Ross right down US-1 across from the mall MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>What are the people like at UM? Are the stuck-up, or snobby?</p>
<p>"Most Miami students are rich, and most of my friends at UM are wealthier than I am. But just because they're rich doesn't mean they're snobs. I have some friends who are extremely nice and down-to-earth and you would never know they had money except for a nice apartment or a fancy car. I drive around in my 15-year-old car and live in a relatively cheap apartment and I'm not ashamed of it and none of my friends care that my car isn't as nice as theirs. I've met rich snobby brats, yes, but you'll find that at any private school. " - MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>Are there some stuck up, arrogant folks. Absolutely. In fact, I would think that any expensive private school tends to get more of these types of folks. However, there are also many more nice, down to earth types. We met several people during our visit and found them polite, pleasant, and very down to earth. taxguy</p>
<p>I am not a student but I am a mother of a student so maybe I can give you a little insight to the college. We are middle class from NY. My daughter does work at school and when she comes home she works. Um gets a bad reputation that everyone is rich, they are not. D had no problem making friends. There all kinds of people there just like at any other university. Mets#1</p>
<p>yes, there are a ton of rich people here but that doesn't necessarily mean that all of them are stuck up. there definitely are some snobs but i think it would be pretty difficult to find a school where there aren't at least some people like that! and, a majority of the school is on financial aid or received at least a partial scholarship. there's always a lot of fun things to do down here. lylbeachbabee</p>
<p>In regards to being snobby, Ill be honest. There is definitely that crowd. A lot of superficial people from the northeast attend UM. They are definitely the minority, but they stand out, so you notice them more. However, there is definitely a yappy high maintenance sorority crowd at UF (all schools have something of the sort). I do wish that UM was a bit less superficial (prob my biggest complaint), but Ive made great genuine friends Im very happy with that. banana321</p>
<p>The students at UM are more apathetic than stuck up, but they do act a bit conceited. Not all students are like this, but a majority that you run into are. It's a very individualistic and materialistic culture. AGAIN- not everyone is like this, but you have to search for those who aren't. CMCane2010</p>
<p>[in regard to really rude people] You see what you look for. I've never seen that here, but I don't look for it, because that's not the kind of person I am. UM is incredibly diverse and you can find people who will fit in to any category. That is obviously the type of person the person who messaged you likes to be around, otherwise they wouldn't know that that kind of stuff exists. If you don't like to be around that kind of stuff, you will find your social groups elsewhere. rankinr</p>
<p>Many kids are wealthy, full-pay students, this is also true. Many can be snobby and many aren't. I've seen Bentleys and Maseratis on campus so money here is prevalent. That said, I've met many cool people, both of the richer and less richer variety. At first I wasn't too fond of the student body but I've come really to like them." Unoriginal</p>
<p>"as a transfer and starting over freshman (cuz i'm in teh music school) I already am taken aback by the snottiness of the people here. It's UNBELIEVABLE how superficial it is. Now, having said this, there are nice people who are superficial, but most are just vapid and drinking whores (or whores in general.)" jeremybeach</p>
<p>What I can tell you is this: yes, there are snobs. There are apathetic spoiled kids. There are people who flaunt their (parents) money all over the place and drive their Bentleys, Porches, and Benzs the entire half block from their dorm room to their class room buildings, then drive around for an hour and complain there is nowhere to park.</p>
<p>Then there's (mostly) everyone else. Keep in mind, not every student from a wealthy family is going to be obnoxious. Often times, even rich people have far worse character flaws than having money. And don't forget, the average Joe can be rude or worse. No matter where you end up, there's going to be people you aren't going to like.</p>
<p>But will these people add to your college experience? Absolutely. Are they all lost causes? Not even close. Eventually, it wears off. In the cases when it doesn't, it's just laughable. The good thing is that you'll learn how to deal with these types of people (who you will encounter again and again in life, because they are everywhere). Maybe you're one of them and haven't realized it until you're surrounded by them. Who knows? That's the point of college - you experience and you learn. And that goes for every school. But you won't know until you try. " - stillearning</p>
<p>When it comes to money, not everyone is loaded. Yes there are those rich kids, but what I've found from my group of friends is that money is a complete non-issue. My view of this may be slightly scewed since I am currently living on a scholarship floor, so most of my friends in the dorms are on scholarships like me. However, even those people I've met outside of my dorm don't seem snobbish in the least. If you are a down-to-earth person, you will be drawn to other down-to-earth people, of whom there are plenty. UM is fairly generous with scholarship money in comparison to other private universities, so if you are not overly wealthy don't let the price tag or the fear of not fitting in with the wealthy kids turn you away. I do not come from a financially rich background I can honestly say that I have not once felt out of place at UM." - ilak1551</p>
<p>"The snobby reputation: don't worry about it one bit. I was kinda worried about it coming here, and it exists, but it's so tiny, it's not a worry one bit. You'll find people that are cool and down to earth so fast. - It's just a stupid thing people always bring up, but really, it's not even worth mentioning. You'll find that at any private university." - JJ227</p>
<p>"I think people assume that UM is snobby because they expect only kids that want to go clubbing attend. Basically, since Miami is admittedly a glitzy, flashy city, people assume that very superficial kids will be here. That is not true, in fact, most kids applied to really competitive schools but got rejected and came to Miami because of the strong academics and fun atmosphere. OF COURSE there will be the few that hang out of limos screaming "YEAH MIAMI" on their first visit to South Beach, but that is not the norm. "- november1991</p>
<p>"Sure, you do have snobby rich kids (what private college doesn't?), but if you don't want to associate with them, it's easy to find other, down-to-earth friends. That said, it's really important to go to a bunch of the free activities they have during orientation, because you meet SO many people. I met some of my really, really good friends in Miami at a s'more BBQ organized by Rho Rho Rho (marine science honor society) on the first day of classes. One of them is very wealthy (Darien, CT anyone?), but she's totally cool and down to earth. What you have to remember is, while some people may come from rich families, they're soon on their own money-wise, a poor college student just like the rest of us." - bijou3owl</p>
<p>You see what you look for. And this applies to everything. If you're looking for and expecting to find snobs, you're going to see nothing but snobs. If you're trying to find nice people, all of the sudden, everyone will be nice. So, I encourage you to try to look at the good side of people, because so far, every person whom I have befriended here has a very strong good side. - rankinr</p>
<p>What do people do for fun?</p>
<p>There are many things to do there. Movies on the green , patio jams every week. Midnight breakfasts are always good. Just recently they had Sports Feast. Its when all the dorms compete against each other in all different kinds of games. DD told me she had a great time. Don't forget the Frost music school puts on performances. You can also go to all the games baseball, football, basketball etc.. They also have the wellness center that not only can you exercise but they run other classes. If you would like to see what students do visit Hurricane online (Its a newspaper online)on the UM site. Mets#1</p>
<p>greek life will get you really involved in so many different ways around campus and you'll be well-known. but, if you're not into that, it's not a big deal because greek life isn't HUGE here. there are sooo many clubs and student organizations that i'm sure you'll find something you like. and if you don't (which is probably impossible) you can start something of your own. the classes/academics are really good here... i feel like i've learned so much this year and that's something that i never really felt in high school. lylbeachbabee</p>
<p>[On Partying] Not what my S has experienced, quite the opposite (he does not stay in the dorm 24/7 either). Reviews are sometimes written to sell magazines...I look at the #1 Playboy thing as a point of humor more than anything else.
- BaghDAD</p>
<p>Go by Hecht/Stanford RC at the begining of the year...mostly girls who can get in the clubs at 18 getting into the taxis...as the guys age or can make the "connections" to club, they will, but again the laid back analogy fits the majority, with significant numbers of rich, snobby kids, clubbers, geeks and others. BaghDAD</p>
<p>There are always house parties on the weekends, tons of restaurants around, a mall, movie theater and bowling alley within walking distance. During the day you've got the beach, but if you don't have a car, there's the pool on campus. There's also the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables that I never got to go to cause it was closed for renovations my junior and senior years but I think it's reopened now and that's supposed to be really nice. Of course there are lots of sporting events, both school and pro, and there are often conventions and festivals and things like that going on in Miami Beach. Seriously there is so much to do off-campus, you will not be bored. MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>Is UM a party school? (/where should I go to party?)</p>
<p>nightlife is good as well but i'm sure you've heard about that. students who like to go out will typically go out thurs-sat (minimally) while still making time for studying. we go to coconut grove (where there are a ton of bar/club type places), south beach, and house (frat) parties (which are usually only on fri and sat)... - lylbeachbabee</p>
<p>Well, it is different than other schools. Generally, at schools in college towns, partying is centered around house parties, there are a lot of 18+ places, and a lot of crappy college bars that don't ID. Bars in cities tend to be a lot more strict. MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>As far as going out, house parties are free, the bars in the Grove (the more college partying area that you're looking for) are all free to get into. The bars can be pricey, but we got around that by drinking at home beforehand, and last year it became a big thing to go to Friday's before the Grove since they had happy hour with $2 drinks. MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>From what I understand, yes, kids go to clubs and such on South Beach, but right in Coral Gables, there is a nice bar scene on Coconut Grove. The frats also throw parties and stuff, so the social scene is diverse enough to fit your needs. Unoriginal</p>
<p>As far as reputation and other students thinking negatively about it, the same thing happened to me when I was in HS. Teachers and some friends told me I was "better" than UM and I should go to Penn State or American (my 2 other top choices) and UM actually ranks much higher than both in the USNWR rankings. UM has come so far in the past 20 years and is no longer Suntan U. We party hard, but we work hard too because you have to to do well here. I can't speak for every area of study, but I know in the journalism industry, UM is highly regarded. MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>I always went to the Grove when I went out, but you need an ID to get into the bars. A lot of people do go to South Beach, but if you're like me and it's not your thing, there are plenty of other things to do. MiamiCane2010</p>
<p>My son's experience - there was a good deal of partying at UM. Thursday night Coconut Grove is popular and most of the kids he met partied at S. Beach. He went totally not into the clubbing scene, but got into it because that's where the social scene was. People kept inviting him to South Beach parties so he started going. It was that or house/frat parties. He was disapointed that kids just didn't hang out or go to the movies, concerts, etc. It was all partying Thursday-Sat. He ended up deciding to transfer to a school with a more down to earth population and a low key scene. He is happy to have had the UM experience but glad it's not his entire undergrad experience. LilyMoon</p>
<p>It's really a case by case basis with how hard people party. There is a very small population with gives the rest of the school a very bad name. Those are probably the sociology majors with a 2.1 GPA. They could also be people who do nothing but study and party. I'm in engineering, and I know some people with 3.5+ that do nothing but study and party. On the other side, they aren't in clubs, don't do research, have a job on campus, etc.- blarger</p>
<p>In short, Miami parties no more or less than your average college. If you want to party you can certainly find one either near campus or in Miami or The Grove. Conversely, if you want to study you'll find plenty of like-minded students and you should have no fear of being alone. The stereotype of Miami as a party school is perpetuated by rankings from such academic stalwarts as Playboy Magazine, (who knew anyone actually read the articles?), disgruntled transferees with an ax to grind or jealous students from up North hoping that it's true. - vinceh</p>
<p>Are the classes hard?</p>
<p>They are all very knowledgable and one does learn well and interact in interesting discussions with them given the small class sizes at UM. At every college though you have tough professors and more lenient professors when it comes to grading and for that I suggest you use this website: ratemyprofessors.c0m to guide yourself to picking the right ones. acarta07</p>
<p>ABOUT TEACHERS: (I'm a freshman)
I have had 2 really bad teachers (as in shouldnt be teaching b/c they were too easy and were terrible at teaching)
I've had 3 average-to above average teachers
2 really, really good teachers. One was amazing at explaining everything. Genuinely nice, and showed us his research and stuff in geography and all his world travels.
The other one he tells you to call him on his cell phone all the time to discuss your papers for religion. he is a genius and he really pushes you to think outside the box.</p>
<p>Finally I've had one teacher who is probably the best teacher I've ever had. Great lecturer, never boring, writes pages worth of comments on our essays. yes i said pages. He's hilarious, a pure genius and genuinely great guy.</p>
<p>So IN SUMMARY...I've had a mix of teacher. some bad some good. Ratemyprofessors.com has not really let me down yet (My two bad teachers I had to take) Wneckid99</p>
<p>I rail against Peer Assesments and rankings, but just looking at the unvarnished stats, the school is a consensus top 20% university; if you don't work, you will be gone. My S got into every place he applied to, name schools with significant scholarship money. In the end, UMs solid academics, campus feel and faculty/staff attention, coupled with the your just not a number or Be happy we admitted you feel from others places made UM the right choice. BaghDAD</p>
<p>Remember that most of the kids at UM, whether they fit the stereotype or not, are very bright and do take academics seriously (2/3 graduated in the top 10% of their hs class). The ones that are there for the glitz and beach don't last more than a semester or two. It is no longer Suntan U as it was once called. That said, it is a work hard, play hard school. my-3-sons</p>
<p>As far as difficulty, if you ask him he'll tell you that the science classes are easy, but the English classes are more difficult than he'd have dreamed. You know, I've got to believe that it's all in the opinion of the student. Most classes that you enjoy will be easier than those you don't. Obviously...he hates literature. LOL Yes he studies...alot....but does that mean he doesn't have fun. Nope! No Way.....he's done everything from attending the World Series to South Beach to Fantasy Fest at Key West. And I don't believe being from New York will hurt you one bit......Lots of Northeasterners down there.......Good luck! -1tcm</p>
<p>I've never heard of anyone getting their scholarship removed, so that really shouldn't be an issue. and I went to pretty difficult high school, ranked #3 in the nations by that newsweek annual ranking thing. The work load for me was quite similar, but I took basically all APs and IB classes my last 2 years. the comm school is generally regarded as pretty easy. Obviously the pre-med track and tough majors require good time management and lots or work, but its definitely do-able. and the business school just got significantly harder (that's what I'm in). I got a 3.8 last semester, and I work 20 hours a week at a part time job. I just have to stay up some nights, rarely go out on thursdays like a lot of kids do, and manage my time well. But I definitely have a social life and a decent amount of free time. but most kids definitely regard college as decently harder than high school Banana321</p>
<p>It seriously depends where you went to highschool, and how challenging your classes were (which is very subjective).... I personally took a ton of dual enrollment (college classes) during highschool so I was use to college level classes. Some of my friends were completely shocked by the amount of work, and others think college is easier than highschool......... soooo you'll pretty much just have to find that one out for yourself - ladyconfused</p>