<p>Again, the schools are so different. My son, from Indiana, was wowed by IU’s aggressive recruitment campaign. They sent the cutest mailings…all highly personalized and flattering about his accomplishments. It was obvious that the IU marketing people had more “flash”. They held football tailgates with free tickets, etc. But that visit to the Miami campus was magical for him. You can easily walk to everything. The kids were friendly, younger (no grad students) and the businesses off campus were less “club and bar” oriented. There isn’t as much traffic, the buses were less crowded. I suspect that my son will grow more comfortable being on his own in a bigger town like B-town or the even bigger Columbus (perhaps by grad school) but taking on the responsibility of college and trying to play a sport seemed daunting enough to him. Oxford just feels perfect.</p>
<p>Kids who can go off to schools the size of OSU and do well are extraordinary, and I admire them. But quite a lot of kids struggle as freshmen. I know. I recruit at huge schools. I recruit at small schools. But resilient kids come out of the process of rebuilding bad freshman experiences, I suppose. Right now I am at MSU. This place is massive. And the kids have been telling me all day how much they struggled their freshman year. The adjustment to a school like Miami is just easier. To my young son, who is already grade accelerated, Miami was “just right”.</p>
<p>Now as for “best and brightest” statement, part of the selection process includes an evaluation of “projected major”. There are schools at OSU with much bigger reputations than similar schools at Miami - engineering being one. It takes a higher GPA to be accepted to OSU for engineering. But Miami also has its standout programs…business and premed for example. A 3.4 doesn’t get you direct admit to either program at Miami, although it might get you into the University Division. I like to think that my son is definitely “best and brightest”. OSU just isn’t the place for him. No matter how flashy their advertising might be.</p>
<p>My Ds was also rejected from OSU Columbus and is not interested in attending their branch campuses. He has reluctantly decided on Miami, since he only applied there, OSU, and Kent. He was in love with OSU. From their bustling campus/city, the school spirit, and all the nights he stayed there with friends where he had “the most fun of his life”. He also has stayed at Miami…a much different reaction unfortunately. He said it seemed stuffy there and a very big lack of diversity compared to his high school. He did think it was pretty though and he is interested in business…thus they have the program for him. I have told him to apply elsewhere but his rejection to OSU has really got him down in the dumps and feeling little confidence in himself. I have told him that Miami is a good school and i am sure he will find a group of people he fits right in with. It just seems like you can go anywhere in Ohio and see/hear all kinds of praise for OSU but Miami seems off the radar…</p>
<p>Again, I’ll repeat…it’s easier to navigate Miami than OSU. I would anticipate more “buzz” about OSU, however. They have AWESOME sports programs at THE Ohio State University and I’m sure there’s a lot more excitement in Columbus than Oxford. There are also a lot MORE OSU alumni “buzzing” about OSU. The school is the largest “real” school in the country. That isn’t going to work well for a lot of kids. Fewer distractions are somehow translating into higher graduation rates at MU, however. Bigger schools all struggle with this.</p>
<p>I definitely agree that Miami has less distractions and probably a better learning environment for kids right out of high school. It just makes me wonder… since only about 5 or 6 years ago, it was Miami that was significantly more selective than OSU…what will happen in the future to the two (arguably) best state schools in Ohio?</p>
<p>I anticipate they will both continue to garner more and more interest as budgets remain tight and families seek good value. These are both very very good schools. Just as in my state, we are fortunate to have BOTH IU and Purdue. They are just very different. In Indiana, though, BOTH our great state U’s are huge…leading my son to gravitate to that wonderful midsized school in Oxford, with a nice merit scholarship, thankfully.</p>
<p>@debrockman… use of the phrase ‘best and brightest’ is in no way meant to imply that Miami is not attracting any of the high achievers - like your son… I know they are. My concern is, as hgoldstein1 states, MU seems to be off the radar. I am afraid that they are resting on their laurels and now trying to play catch up.</p>
<p>I do think the Armstrong Student Center is a step in the right direction. The ‘Res’ (what we used to call it back in the day) hasn’t changed much in decades and a university the caliber of Miami should have a center for student activity that reflects vitality and progress.</p>
<p>Its all about personal preference, saying osu attracts the best and the brightest is not really a fair statement. As a current senior in high school, I live in ohio, have a 31 ACT (32 super) over a 4.0 gpa, etc. and i would never attend osu. The lack of personal attention and enormous size is hinders my attraction. I could be considered a bright individual (top 3% in the country based solely on scores although that does not really mean anything) but I am in no way attracted to osu. Miami and their honors program and business honors program are a huge attraction though. Miami isnt my first choice, as honestly there are better schools outside of ohio, but if i were to attend a school in ohio it would be miami, without a doubt.</p>
<p>I am wondering, if the “best and brightest” now just apply to OSU as a feather in their cap with no intention of attendance? All i know is that they’ve taken a candidate sure to attend who will not “weather the Newark year” to gain admittance to Columbus when he’s got other offers on the table.</p>
<p>Coming from MU and loving it…all the walking was a bonus through the lovely campus and surrounding area (much smaller back in the day!), I really did not feel OSU too big too navigate…was afraid it would be, but I figured my way around very easily…cracked up at dd who thought a 20 min walk “too far” when we were touring with son at OSU and wanted to go to ice rink from union…she would have taken the bus…so it’s all relative! </p>
<p>MSU is huge, we hated our tour and visit there this summer…talk about big/hard to navigate! other than main area, tour guide did lots of waving over with “there’s the xyz area, see that building”.</p>
<p>When dd applied to MU two years ago there was a separate scholarship application, which she wouldn’t fill out because she didn’t really want to go there or need the attention from receiving a scholarship she wouldn’t take. She wanted a big school with lots of school spirit and to be cream of the crop rather than one of many competitive smarties experience she had in high school.</p>
<p>I would say she has gotten tons of personal attention at OSU, especially from her advisors, and like any univ, you have to approach your profs to get noticed. I didn’t get personal attention from anyone when I was at MU, because I didn’t seek it…never met my advisor in person, scheduled/paid all on my own…but never felt lost.</p>
<p>25 years ago, you went to OSU if you couldn’t get in or afford anywhere else and Miami was where smart kids went, not all rich…but most very smart. Friend who is recruiter for Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati says he still looks more highly at MU grads and they are just starting to consider OSU honors candidates.</p>
<p>From what I see in our city (IS), kids from good publics prefer OSU, kids from privates prefer Miami and Dayton. My D. went to private school and there are lots of kids that we know from very good publics and privates because of D’s past involvement in club sport that draw kids from whole city.<br>
As far as quality of applicants, I am only familiar with Honors college. Four years ago Miami was accepting only 200 into Honors and 500 into Scholars. Very good number who were accepted to Honors four years ago were valedictorians from private and public HS’s with resonable ACT (primarily 32+). I do not know about Scholars.<br>
In regard to rigor of classes - they are very very challenging and some of those valedictorians did not survive on their chosen track (I am familiar only with pre-med), they fell out right after first semester, not surviving very first Bio class. I am talking about kids who had “5” on their AP Bio exams in HS. Those who did survive that weed out killer of Bio, continue being greatly challenged in all science classes with increased level of difficulty.<br>
As part of D’s Med. School interivew process, she was sitting thru lecture at Medical School during one of her interview visits. She said that she was very happy to realize that it was easy for her to understand material, yes, she felt very comfi during this lecture at top 20 Med. School.
I have no doubt that UG teaching at Miami is at very high level.</p>
<p>Obviously OSU is harder to get into freshman year-but that is mostly due to the fact that they have fantastic sports teams which in turn affords them lots of money which results in state of the art facilities. All of this combined with the appeal of Columbus and a great instate price tag attracts top students. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your situation, after freshman year any graduate from an Ohio high school who maintains a ridiculously low GPA at a branch is admitted into columbus. Miami on the other hand may not be getting as many tip top students, but they are admitting above average students, and the average intelligence of the student body doesn’t fall drastically after freshman year. Also, I have heard that Miami does a great job of helping students with job placement after graduation, something much easier to do with 15,000 students than with 65,000. These schools are very different, yet they do attract a lot of the same students, because they are both great schools. Instead of worrying about Miami losing the race to admit the “best and brightest”’ we should be happy to live in a state that offers such great choices. Any student admitted to either of these schools should be proud, there are no slackers getting admitted to either school.</p>
<p>Miami is a great school. And IMHO many programs equal or surpass Ohio State. Miami should focus and promote these programs to prospective students. I think the outdoor campaign is a good step in this direction. The Farmer school is a world class program/facility.</p>
<p>However, many of my Miami out-of-state friends and those stuck in a 70s and 80s time warp REFUSE to believe that OSU has or could EVER surpass Miami as the #1 destination of “smart kids” in Ohio. The days of smugly flashing the Miami mini diploma are gone (remember that!). </p>
<p>Miami simply can’t compete with OSU in all programs. It doesn’t have the resources or support.</p>
<p>I applied to both these schools. I was accepted to OSU and will receive my MU decision tomorrow. Right now I’m leaning towards OSU, but I plan on visiting some college campuses and comparing them once I have all my decisions.</p>
<p>^You should refrain from listenning to others. These are very different schools. I encourage to make desicion yourself based on your visits. These schools attract different personalities. Keep in mind, person who went to one of them, did not go to another, so nobody can compare, except for those who happened to transfer from one to another.</p>
<p>@ajdata. I’m not sure that’s any different than Miami. Miami’s branch campuses are open admission and transfer gpa to Oxford is no more stringent than it is from one of Ohio State’s branches to Columbus. Also, total undergrad enrollment on the Columbus campus is less than 2/3 (38,000) what you claim.</p>
<p>I agree with Miamidap that the universities are very different, and a certain portion of students might hate one and love the other. I still believe that there still is a core group of top Ohio students who do consider both universities, and for them, it is a zero sum recruiting game. Clearly, the administration feels similarly or those banner ads wouldn’t exist.</p>
<p>I also have a hard time believing that, with their $2 billion endowment, Ohio State is having a tough time competing with Miami for financial aid. What I fear is happening is that the admissions gap has led Ohio State to not really worry about getting the 28 or 29 kid who Miami really wants. I’d be very interested when ACT scores start climbing into the 31-34 range how competing merit aid offers compare.</p>
<p>Well, as far as $$ of endowment, D. Miami Merit package was far larger than Merit package from OSU (we do not qualify for need based). Her Miami package has covered her full tuition and in some years part of R & B. Her OSU Merit package was significantly lower. In response to "I’d be very interested when ACT scores start climbing into the 31-34 range how competing merit aid offers compare. ", D’s ACT was 33, she graduated #1 in her class. However, her Merit package was NOT the reason why she went to Miami. She was accepted to selective program at Miami (10 spots for incoming freshmen) while OSU similar program had more stringent requirements that prevented D. from applying to this program (although she has applied to OSU and participated in Honors competition).</p>
<p>Realize, it depends on the major as well. If you’re in-state and want to do something business related you definitely can’t go wrong with Miami. The Farmer school is nationally ranked, (6th best public business school 16th best period.) And if a in-state student doesn’t see the value, don’t worry, as many out of staters do!</p>
<p>And FYI a lot of schools are ranked based off their grad/ research facilities. Miami is bar none a great choice for UNDERGRADS. The problem with US news rankings are that they don’t look into whats best for you, as an undergrad. Miami is ranked # 2 in undergrad teaching. I really don’t see how you can compare a big school like O-state where chances are as a freshman you are getting taught by some TA instead of a professor that wants to teach you.</p>