<p>I am a junior in high school from New York and I am really interested in this college and I wanted to know a few things...</p>
<ol>
<li>What is the criteria like for admissions?</li>
<li>Do you need a lot of volunteer hours?</li>
<li>Is a 3.7 GPA unweighted, good enough?</li>
<li>What is campus like?</li>
<li>Where is the closest beach? </li>
<li>Is it a diverse community?</li>
<li>How is the swim program?</li>
<li>Is it big on school spirit?</li>
<li>What is something that makes the school unique?</li>
</ol>
<p>A lot of your questions can be answered just by spending time on the university’s website, which is full of more information than it may seem like. You should really explore it website, looking at various aspects of the institution… and this is true for any school you may consider. </p>
<p>1.What is the criteria like for admissions?
There is no set cookie-cutter criteria, however UM is not like the public schools in Florida, such as UF, FSU, and UCF. Those schools are relatively easy to get into for the average Florida student (OOS is a different story), but such is not the case with Miami. Firstly because UM is a much smaller school than those with an undergraduate student body of only about 9,500. It’s also mildly selective and a lot of just average students don’t get in. Check out some of the freshman class statistics on their website to get a better picture: [Freshman</a> Applicants | Undergraduate Admission | University of Miami](<a href=“http://www.miami.edu/admission/index.php/undergraduate_admission/apply/freshman/]Freshman”>Undergraduate Admission | University of Miami)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you need a lot of volunteer hours?
Community service is just one of many things that make for a well-rounded applicant to any school. UM has no specific requirement for community service or volunteering hours, but most high schools do and so most applicants probably have some hours from those requirements (such as Florida’s Bright Futures program requirements).</p></li>
<li><p>Is a 3.7 GPA unweighted, good enough?
It’s a good GPA, but as described in #1, there’s no cookie-cutter stat threshold.</p></li>
<li><p>What is campus like?
The campus is beautiful, it’s not too big, and is really nice. This is something you have to see for yourself to get your own impression, but to most people it’s a very nice campus. </p></li>
<li><p>Where is the closest beach?
South beach is one of the cornerstones of Miami, it’s a huge tourist attraction and one of the first things people across the country (perhaps the globe, I don’t know) think of when thinking of Miami. It may not be the closest but it’s definitely a loved destination, and I believe approximations seem to be around 25-35 minutes away from campus, depending on how you get there. </p></li>
<li><p>Is it a diverse community?
One of UM’s BEST, key features is its diversity. Much like the city of Miami itself, I’ve read that walking through campus on a regular day you can observe a multitude of ethnicities, languages, and cultures throughout the campus. See their website for more details: [Diversity</a> at UM | University of Miami](<a href=“http://www.miami.edu/index.php/about_us/diversity_at_um/]Diversity”>http://www.miami.edu/index.php/about_us/diversity_at_um/)</p></li>
<li><p>How is the swim program?
Not sure.</p></li>
<li><p>Is it big on school spirit?
Miami spirit is so prevalent, it’s truly amazing. “The U” is a nationally recognized symbol and Miami fans/students/alumni are more than just proud to tout the U. I actually just shared my experience with observing great UM spirit while at Disney World, here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-miami-florida/1307777-i-already-love-being-cane.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-miami-florida/1307777-i-already-love-being-cane.html</a></p></li>
<li><p>What is something that makes the school unique?
The school as a whole is extremely unique. It’s diverse, it’s fun, it’s strong academically, and is one of the most up-and-coming universities in the nation.</p></li>
</ol>