<p>We are in the process of finalizing our college decision. My daughter has been accepted at both schools with the option of joining their honors programs. I am not sure it is necessary and want to make sure she has an experience in college that is not all studying without any downtime to socilaize and be an active member on campus. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Dayton had offered her a nice merit based 4 yr scholarship that will bring the cost of tuition down to our instate school (Univ of IL) we have not heard from Maimi - I believe they will let us know in March. We know that she did not receive their Honors Scholarship - I am not sure what other Merit ones will be available. Most likely we will not be in the running for need based financial ones. With two in college maybe...waiting on FAFSA results.</p>
<p>We visited both schools (UD snd MU) on the same day and it was a bit rushed so we did not get a feel for the surrounding Oxford commuinty. Both campus seemed to have a lot to offer and I can see her attending either. Didn't realize Dayton was a Catholic university until we arrived which a a bit of a bonus for me since we are Catholic. They did not push any religion during the Dayton tour which was good since my daughter had been shying away from the religious schools. Having only attended public schools - she seems a bit intimidated by the schools that really push their religion. Dayton focused more on their community service and overall service projects as their goal.</p>
<p>My questions to those of you in the know....
From what i am reading/hearing - Miami seems to have a rep as being preppy, snobby, ivy league-ish either you fit in or you dont....I did not see that on our tour. I saw a bunch of kids running around in their sweats and pony tails. not in their Burberry's and penny loafers. The campus was beautiful and the students seemed like any I had seen on our visits to other schools. What was I missing?</p>
<p>To futher confuse us...
A teacher at her school questioned her selection of Miami as a top choice - telling her she wasn't Jewish or rich so why would she go there? That was a surprise to me? As stated above we are not choosing a school based on religious demographics so we really didn't research affiliations....Is Miami considered a Jewish majority school? We didn't discuss an faith based topics on our tour. Do only well-off students attend this school? Will the middle class kids stand out? </p>
<p>Education Major....we live in IL and the majority of education degrees earned in our state for Primary Ed would be K-8 - To my knowledge Miami offers only a Pre-K thru 3 degree and then jumps into Middle School options with concentration on certain teaching subjects. Has anyone out there attended UD or Miami that lived in IL and came back to teach here?</p>
<p>sorry its so long....she told me last night that Miami has moved up to one and Dayton is second. I want to make sure she will be happy and is making the right choice.</p>
<p>See my reply in the “Acceptance” thread following your and OHKID’s post. All this writing about Miami has made me once again realize how much I like the place!</p>
<p>Just a few comments from me:</p>
<p>There is a reason you didn’t know Dayton was Catholic until you visited. They aren’t very strong in that area.</p>
<p>Dayton is well below Miami in my opinion. They are a HUGE party school and it is my understanding that it takes away from many good students’ studies (something like 10% of my high school’s graduating class goes to Dayton).</p>
<p>Miami does have its reputation for being preppy for a reason. However, it does not, as you observed, permeate the entire school. Go Greek along with 1/3 of the school and it becomes glaringly more obvious (trust me!).</p>
<p>As for being a Jewish school. That is news to me! I have met two Jews since I have been here. Far more Catholics. A lot of people, including myself, went to Catholic high schools.</p>
<p>As for the Honors Program, I hate it with a passion that burns stronger than the sun. I have something to post on that subject and will in a second.</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I am a current freshman in the Honors Program (aka Hell on Earth) double majoring in mathematics and economics.</p>
<p>To be honest with you, I could write page after page after page about why I dislike the Honors Program, but I’ll just bullet the major themes of my pure unadulterated hatred for it.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Misrepresentation. The program is advertised in a way that really tells you nothing about it or the requirements involved. One major selling point of theirs is that Honors students don’t have to follow the Miami Plan. This is true, however, the “Honors Experiences” basically require an even MORE extensive version of the Miami Plan. The lack of set Gen Ed. courses was perhaps my biggest reason for going to Miami. Well, to say the least, I was duped. Then there are the brilliant “cluster” courses you have as a Freshman (they will never call you a Freshman, it’s not PC). I had to take a two courses in subjects I HATE, yet I was forced to take them. They probably haven’t told you anything about those. Because one of the classes my GPA is only a 3.7. They also tell you nothing about the completely unnecessary, nonsensical reflective writing that makes up the portfolio you need to complete. Had I known the BS I would have to put up with in the Honors Program I would never have gone to Miami.</p></li>
<li><p>The students. There are admittedly some impressive people involved in the program, but the majority of Honors students are your mid to lower level high school honors kids. FEW people here have impressed me. I came from a highly competitive private school and there were kids who were not in honors courses there that would compete strongly with these kids. Yet, these kids are arrogant as ****.</p></li>
<li><p>The dorms/people in them. You can’t find a less lively bunch of students than in Tappan or Emerson. I challenge anyone to have a good time here. My goals for college were to study hard Sunday through Thursday and party hard on Friday and Saturday then go to church to atone for my sins on Sunday . <that’s a=“” little=“” sarcasm=“” at=“” the=“” end=“” there.=“” however,=“” i=“” do=“” go=“” to=“” church=“” every=“” sunday=“”></that’s></p></li>
<li><p>The people in charge of the program. Your typical heads-up-their-own-asses-academics.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>- I’m an athlete. Athletics here are basically nonexistent.</h2>
<p>I wrote this awhile back and I have found some really smart people through my fraternity, but for the most part these kids are not your brilliant students. Also I have met some cooler people in the program which have improved my time in the dorm, but the majority are still not my people. The rest stands.</p>
<p>D. is junior (in senior standing) at Miami in Honors. Loves school, Honors, campus, everything. Academically, classes are very tough. Pre-med advisory board is amazing including one-on-one, review of whole Med. school application package (including essays), lots of one-on-one and mock interview. Honors has been very helpful with priority registration (extremely important for her juggling very challenging major and 2 minors), lots of opportunities coming specifically from Honors (just received grant from Honors for her Med. Research Lab internship - very good point on her Med. School resume), lots of Merit Scholarships.</p>
<p>cbcollege,</p>
<p>I sent you a private message.</p>