Miami University or Ohio State?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Ohio State University
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<p>I have been accepted to both Miami and Ohio State and they’re giving me about the same amount of money… Now, I applied to Northwestern and Notre Dame, but I am almost certain I’ll be rejected by both those schools so I am planning to attend one of these two schools.</p>

<p>I have been to both campuses and liked both, but I like Miami’s better overall. I did like the location of OSU’s campus but the “feel” wasn’t as spectacular. I am planning to major in economics, but my real goal is to go to a top 14 law school so does anyone know which school looks better for top graduate/law schools?</p>

<p>Also, I know Miami is somewhat considered to be a “snob” school, but I personally like the elitist attitude of their students and I guess you could say I am kind of preppy. What I really liked about Ohio State other than their location was the fact that they have tons of minors you can pair with you majors. If I go to OSU, I can minor in judicial politics (which their website claims is nationally ranked), where if I go to Miami the best they can do is a poly sci minor… I would love any help students, or just anyone could give that would help me to make this decision.</p>

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<p>Miami is competitive with Ohio State for undergraduate business. Economics, however, is not a business major. It’s a social science, and I think if you research the various departments and faculties, Miami is nowhere close to being competitive with Ohio State in the Arts, Sciences and Humanities.</p>

<p>For top law schools, either school is going to look about the same. It’s going to really come down to your gpa, your faculty recommendations and your test scores. Also, several elite law schools will list one or several recent classes based on the numbers of students from each undergraduate college, and I would suggest doing that research. Ohio State does slightly better (even when adjusted for the larger undergraduate classes) than Miami, but it’s not enough to really be statistically relevant. </p>

<p>One thing to consider is that to most people outside the Miami community, the “snob factor” at Miami comes across as more ridiculous than elitist. It’s not Harvard or Chicago or Stanford. It’s not Berkeley or Michigan or UVA. It’s not even the highest ranked nor most selective public university in its own state, so when Miami students and alumni tend to put on these almost comical airs about the place, it comes off as well…ridiculous.</p>

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<p>To be fair, to a lot of people outside of OSU, OSU culture looks ridiculous too. And even to some people inside of it (me included sometimes). Seriously the lantern ran an article the other day comparing OSU to harvard. Seriously.</p>

<p>Every school has its ups and downs. I wouldn’t have wanted to go to Miami because it’s in the middle of nowhere. I visited and it just wasn’t for me. But I could see how people would like it if they are attracted to a more campus-y atmosphere. Miami has that. Osu is just huge.</p>

<p>OSU is better for grad students, I think. they certainly teach enough of the classes. No idea about Miami on that.</p>

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<p>Come on! I would hardly put one article on grade inflation that referenced a similar article regarding grade inflation at Harvard as equivalent to the endlessly comical chest-thumping of Miami people placing Miami as some kind of elite university. Chest thumping that is instilled and fostered by the school administration itself, I might add. I remember that, for a time, their website referred to themselves as the “Cradle of Ohio Governors” despite the school having produced all of two Ohio Governors; the last of whom left office in 1909. They still refer to themselves as the “Honor Campus” of the system despite there NEVER having been any official, semi-official or unofficial designation of the sort conferred on it by the legislature or Board of Regents.</p>

<p>If anything Ohio State people tend to be a little too modest about the school’s academics and alumni achievement. </p>

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<p>I am familiar with Miami and OSU. As far as law school applications go, the names of these schools will neither open doors for you nor shut you out. Law schools care a great deal about your LSAT and grades. Some have a “weakness” for applicants from elite schools–neither OSU nor Miami qualifies as prestigious. If you’re getting a lot of money from both OSU and Miami I assume you’re smart and test well. This will help you in law school admissions.</p>

<p>As far as the actual education at OSU and Miami–probably more or less equal, or a trade-off in certain areas. My general impression is that OSU offers more opportunities, while Miami is more focused on undergraduate education. The undergrads definitely have a “special snowflake” feel about them at Miami. OSU students seem apathetic about academics; Miami students are more serious and benefit from smaller classes. However, Ohio State has the big flagship name that people recognize. (When you go to Miami, you have to clarify for everyone outside the state that it’s the Miami of OHIO …clunk … no one is impressed.) And yeah, Miami students do have that reputation for being clone-like, entitled WASPs. But of course, OSU students have the rep of being football obsessed drunkards. In other words, pick your poison. </p>

<p>OSU people modest about their school? Really?</p>

<p>In Ohio, Miami used to be the obvious choice for academic-minded people, while OSU was a big community college for people who couldn’t get their crap together. Back in the day, Miami was one of the original public Ivies. This is where Miami got the “smart people school” reputation–it isn’t just some fiction, contrary to what people here are implying. When I was applying to college, the smart kids wanted to go to Miami, hands down, and Miami was higher ranked. OSU was a safety school… However, in the past few years OSU has done a good job of wooing students away from Miami, effectively squashing Miami’s old reputation and destroying their place in the rankings. Basically, OSU has remade itself as the new Miami.</p>

<p>As far as acceptance rates go, both schools are about the same. According to a google search, OSU is accepting about 64% of applicants, and Miami is accepting 67%. So, contrary to what some are saying here, there’s hardly a huge difference in selectivity. Or, put another way: two thirds of people who apply to either school will get in. Interesting, however, is the fact that far more people graduate from Miami within four years. So keep that in mind.</p>

<p>I don’t know about the idea that OSU is automatically better than Miami for arts and sciences. It is true that OSU has a national reputation for these fields, but that’s because of graduate programs. OSU also has more “super star” professors, obviously … but that doesn’t do you any good if you don’t have access to those professors. Moreover, super star profs aren’t recruited because of their teaching abilities but because of their publishing records. When these professors teach (a big if), they typically teach small graduate-level seminars or large lecture classes. The majority of teaching at OSU is done by 1) graduate students, 2) lecturers, 3) part-timers. But of course, this is true for any major R1 university these days. To find a truly undergraduate-centered education, you have to go the liberal arts college route.</p>

<p>tl;dr, it’s all a toss-up. You’re not choosing between Michigan and Michigan State, or UC Berkeley vs. Riverside, where there’s a clear winner. </p>

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<p>^^I was never aware of Miami’s incoming freshman class had ACT composite (middle 50%) of 27-31 with 48% acceptance rate as in the case with Ohio State’s last incoming class. For 2014, TOSU’s acceptance rate drops down to 42% with an expected average ACT score of 29. </p>

<p><a href=“http://enrollmentplanning.osu.edu/report.pdf”>http://enrollmentplanning.osu.edu/report.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Please show me the data to support your claim? As a tOSU graduate, I beg to differ!! </p>

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<p>I just wanted to say… Yeah you tell him Sparkeye! As an out-of-state senior, go buckeyes!</p>

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<p><a href=“Department of Higher Education”>Department of Higher Education;

<p>At Miami, 81% of undergrad course hours are taught by full-time faculty. At OSU, the number is 44%. (!)</p>

<p>But like I said, it’s a trade-off. OSU has a more recognizable name and celebrity academics (always good if you can get a letter of rec from one of them for grad school); Miami pays more attention to its undergraduates. </p>

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And I suppose all of the tOSU “regional” campuses are better than the main campus as they all have higher % based on the link provided? </p>

<p>The bottom line is this: Miami lacks diversity and access to cutting edge technologies, renowned faculties, state-of-the-art facilities, in addition to international brand name recognition as mentioned above in comparison to tOSU. Not to mention, the city of Columbus provides ample resources to the students (Short North Arts District, Easton Town Center, Downtown Area District…, etc.), which rural Oxford simply could not. These are some of the reasons why Ohio State has been able to recruit top-notch students from across the states if not the world. Last but not least, tOSU endowment now stands at over $3.1 billion, whereas Miami is at around $534 million. </p>

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<p>First-Year Experiences</p>

<p>Orientation can go only so far in making freshmen feel connected. Many schools, such as those below, now build into the curriculum first-year seminars or other programs that bring small groups of students together with faculty or staff on a regular basis.</p>

<p>In spring 2013 we invited college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools to nominate up to 10 institutions with stellar examples of first-year experiences. Colleges and universities that were mentioned most often are listed here, in alphabetical order.</p>

<p><a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/first-year-experience-programs”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/first-year-experience-programs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Go Bucks!! :)</p>

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<p>Sparkeye, I’m an alum and therefore as big a fan as anyone else. But I’m not going to sit here and trash Miami just because I went to OSU. Both schools have benefits and drawbacks. I don’t think less of someone automatically because they went to Miami. The education there is still pretty good, very student-centered. And regarding diversity–OSU isn’t exactly raining diversity either. And huh, Miami doesn’t have access to technology? </p>

<p>I’m sure anyone from Miami could sit here and point to various blurbs about the school’s programs, or their 4-year graduation rate, which dwarfs OSU’s. Funny–despite the fact that OSU is taking the best and brightest, it’s not graduating them within four years. Why is that?</p>

<p>What was it that someone said about chest-thumping?</p>

<p>If the OP wants to go to Miami, then so what? </p>

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<p>^^ With all due respect, “adjunctified,” I was/am not “trashing” Miami in anyway! But merely points out the difference! Please do not spin my words! You maybe an alum of tOSU, but you are certainly not informed imho. If you have been around CC as long as I have, perhaps you would have noticed that tOSU’s four and six-year graduation are both on the rise drastically as of late; however, with 3 x the student population compared to Miami, it takes time. I have absolutely no beef if OP wants to go to Miami! More power to him/her imho. Miami is also a great academic institution, business school in particular. Nonetheless, there is really no match in terms of what Columbus campus has to offer in comparison to Oxford. From the top of my head, for instances, the renowned Ohio Supercomputer Center, Battelle Memorial Institute and ACCAD are all located on campus. The opportunities are endless, especially when OP’s planning on attending the law school, the advantage of capital location allows him/her an easy access to obtain clerkship or simply shadow under a senator in the nearby downtown Columbus.</p>

<p><a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;

<p>Best of Luck!</p>

<p>P.S. When I mentioned “diversity,” I also meant socioeconomic diversity between the two schools.</p>

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<p>Adjunctified, one thing about Miami’s slightly better graduation rates that you don’t mention is that Ohio State–despite being more selective–has a much higher degree of socio-economic diversity than does Miami of Ohio. Ohio State’s percentages of first generation college students, Pell Grant recipients and students from families with incomes under 100K are much higher than the overall average for other selective to very selective public universities. Miami of Ohio, on the other hand, not only has percentages in those catagories much lower than the average for the same peer group of public universities but even has percentages lower than that of similarly selective private universities.</p>

<p>I would argue that whatever advantage Miami has in four year graduation rates is much more a function of having an overwhelmingly homogeneous student body of white, upper middle class children of college graduate parents than it has to do with anything actually happening once those students arrive in Oxford.</p>

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<p>I’m not seeing any info for OSU students receiving a record large number of Pell Grants. Neither OSU nor Miami is ranked by USNWR for “socioeconomic diversity.” According to the stats there, 43% of Miami students receive need-based financial aid. The number at OSU is 52%. About 19% of Miami students are first-generation. At OSU, the number I found is 20%. Again, hardly a huge gulf between these two schools. Lots of misinformation on these boards. Both OSU and Miami are public institutions with a duty to educate Ohio citizens. </p>

<p>Besides, it shouldn’t matter. A university should do a better job of graduating its students in four years regardless of its socioeconomic make-up. Perpetuating myths about certain people’s ability to succeed in college doesn’t seem particularly productive. If you’re getting these cream-of-the-crop students every year–who are attending your university full time–you should be able to graduate them, period. Provide them with on-campus jobs so they don’t have to work off campus. Make classes smaller and more available. Hire more full-time faculty (like Miami). ----Those are the prevalent issues I saw at Ohio State that caused people to fall behind. Not issues with poor students who had to take time off to work, or who didn’t have white, homogeneous, upper middle-class parents to model good behavior. </p>

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<p>I’m not surprised that only 44% of classes at OSU are taught by professors. The place is overrun with TAs. It makes you wonder what they are doing at OSU with the huge endowment they have, 3.1 billion according to Sparkeye.</p>

<p>Having said that, I would rather by a buckeye than … whatever they are at Miami. (That’s kinda the point–no one knows.)</p>

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<p>Ohio State Will Add 500 Faculty Members in 3 Fields</p>

<p>Read more: <a href=“Ohio State Will Add 500 Faculty Members in 3 Fields”>Ohio State Will Add 500 Faculty Members in 3 Fields;
Inside Higher Ed</p>

<p>But for Ohio State</p>

<p><a href=“Invest in Ohio State | The Ohio State University”>Invest in Ohio State | The Ohio State University;

<p>Placing students first
Awarding more grants, scholarships, and other financial aid; offering more study abroad opportunities; and building better places for students to live and learn.
Goal: $500 million</p>

<p>Elevating faculty and the academic enterprise
Attracting and retaining veteran faculty, as well as rising stars.
Goal: $600 million</p>

<p>Creating modern learning environments
Becoming a model for innovative campus design that encourages learning and teamwork.
Goal: $400 million</p>

<p>Emboldening the research agenda
Using a wider range of opportunities; rethinking traditional approaches and taking risks; collaborating with industries and across disciplines.
Goal: $500 million</p>

<p>Driving high-impact innovation
Moving discoveries into the marketplace to spur economic growth.
Goal: $500 million</p>

<p>*Last I check, Miami costs at least $3,000 more than tOSU on tuition alone both for in and out-of-state students, no?</p>

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<p>Yes, but most kids I know who choose Miami do it at least partly because of the large guaranteed scholarships. </p>

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<p>Paying for School</p>

<p>At Ohio State University–Columbus, 52.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $8,795.</p>

<p>Paying for college doesn’t have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
In-state tuition and fees $10,037 (2013-14)
Out-of-state tuition and fees $25,757 (2013-14)
Room and board $10,370 (2013-14)
Financial aid statistics (Click the detail link)
Details:<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ohio-state-university-columbus-6883”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ohio-state-university-columbus-6883&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Paying for School</p>

<p>At Miami University–Oxford, 42.9 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $7,588.</p>

<p>Paying for college doesn’t have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
In-state tuition and fees $13,799 (2013-14)
Out-of-state tuition and fees $29,589 (2013-14)
Room and board $10,900 (2013-14)
Financial aid statistics (Click the detail link)
Details:<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/miami-university-oxford-7104”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/miami-university-oxford-7104&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Further Reading: </p>

<p>Student body lacking in economic diversity</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.miamistudent.net/news/student-body-lacking-in-economic-diversity-1.3031611#.UusZmLQVxJJ”>http://www.miamistudent.net/news/student-body-lacking-in-economic-diversity-1.3031611#.UusZmLQVxJJ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Huge Increase in Black Male Graduation Rates at Ohio State University</p>

<p><a href=“Huge Increase in Black Male Graduation Rates at Ohio State University : The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education”>http://www.jbhe.com/2013/11/huge-increase-in-black-male-graduation-rates-at-ohio-state-university/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>In fact, tOSU is neck-and-neck if not scoring higher than Miami in terms of 6-year graduation rate and first year retention %. TOSU’s 4-year graduation rate has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 3 years alone to roughly 65% last year from 48%. Hopefully, the newly elected President Drake could replicate his past success at UCI to tOSU, in which he was able to increase the school’s graduation by nearly 20%, and application by 90% during his tenure. </p>

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<p>Everyone I know who attended Miami said that the school was extremely generous with scholarships. Anecdotal evidence, perhaps, but I thought I’d offer it. </p>

<p>Both OSU and Miami seriously lack diversity–racial especially. Miami is very white, but OSU is only slightly less white. And racial diversity at OSU has actually dropped in the last few years. <a href=“Some Columbus youth don’t see Ohio State as option – The Lantern”>http://thelantern.com/2012/09/some-columbus-youth-dont-see-ohio-state-as-option/&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p><a href=“Letter to the editor: Lack of diversity at Ohio State doesn’t teach right lessons – The Lantern”>http://thelantern.com/2012/12/letter-to-the-editor-lack-of-diversity-at-ohio-state-doesnt-teach-right-lessons/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Sparkeye, you’re beefing so hard with Miami that it makes you look like yet another insecure OSU alum.</p>

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<p>I wonder what the figure is for merit grants - the guaranteed scholarships. For a 1400/32 and a 3.7 you can get half to full tuition, in-state or out. </p>

<p>I know OSU offers some too but none are guaranteed for stats as far as I can tell.</p>

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<p>Six years! That doesn’t help anyone. Two more years of paying tuition … the fact that OSU is 3k cheaper doesn’t matter if it takes you six years.</p>