Hi!! I’m a prospective student at U of M. What are the freshmen dorms like? Are they close to classes? Are there singles? Quality of bathrooms? Food (cafe options)? How easy is it to take the metro to the city? What do people do on friday nights? Is there enough to do on campus?
If you could answer any of these questions, I would really appreciate it 
Thanks in advance for your time!!
I believe there are two main freshmen dorms and they are side by side. Older buildings, but everyone lives there so fun! The rest of your questions are good ones. Anyone have answers???
Hey guys ! I’m a current student. Dorms are absolutely disgusting. I moved out within a week. Thankfully I live near by. Now I just commute. They are pretty close to classes. The campus isn’t that big to begin with so it’s a nice walk. I’m a native to miami and metro isn’t the best. People typically drive or take Uber’s. But the metro rail (our train service) is alright. Gets gross at night. There is always something going on !! If you have any other questions I will try my best to answer !!
My D is a freshman. The freshman dorms ARE old and not pretty. A family friend who went there in the late 80’s recently visited my daughter. She couldn’t believe that the rooms are exactly the same and that not even the tile in the bathroom (communal down the hall) has changed. Almost all of the rooms are double-occupancy and they are actually pretty spacious. The dorms are located in the heart of the campus and all the other freshmen (except kids living off campus with family) are there.
Housing is going to change a lot in the coming years as the new housing by Lake Osceola opens up in fall 2019. Currently, a lot of sophomore students move off campus to nearby apartments, but not all. I’ve heard that sophomore housing isn’t quite the experience that it is freshman year.
My daughter is happy with the cafeteria food. It’s better than she saw at some other universities when we did the whole college visit thing. Anyhow, from what my daughter tells me and also from what I’ve read on the unofficial facebook parents page, it’s the vegetarians who struggle the most with the cafeteria food. There is also another building on campus that houses a bunch of chain restaurants. Lots of kids have food delivered or go out, too.
My daughter does go off campus to restaurants and to clubs, but she always takes an Uber. The Metro can be iffy depending on the time of day and where you are going. Remember, the []_[] is very centrally-located and Miami has a lot (maybe too much, LOL!) to offer. I think it’s probably similar to other universities that are located in urban locations when it comes to heading off campus.
Almost forgot but wanted to add that my daughter loves the ugly hurricane shutters. Best blackout curtains ever!
Wow, thanks a bunch for your help @sdteak!!! Thank you for the elaborate response :))
What is the name of the facebook group? What does your daughter think of the safety/security of the school? (Does she feel safe at night?) Also, what is the crime/drug seen like? (I’ve heard rumours but there is always fake stereotypes about schools going around).
The facebook group for parents is called Cool Parents Group.
My daughter has had no issues with safety/security on campus. Based on visits we made to other universities, it’s more of the same blue lights, late night escorts, etc. One should always be aware of their surroundings. That being said, the campus is in the middle of a major metropolitan area. Things CAN happen anywhere. Be smart.
Yes, there are drugs, but the same can be said for almost every college campus. If you don’t like it, don’t participate. There are lots of kids who choose not to do it.
I haven’t heard of crime being much of an issue on campus. I’ve visited small liberal arts colleges where students can leave their belongings for days and no one touches them, but I wouldn’t recommend that at Miami or most places, for that matter. There are just too many people and too many chances for that to end badly.
Ok, thank you!!!
I have a couple more questions. In terms of people, how would you describe the general population’s personality? What do students like to do on weekends? Is not drinking a problem (in terms of finding friends)?
Are there kitchens on some of the dorm floors? I know a lot of colleges have one big kitchen per floor, or something of the sort, so students can cook their own fresh meals.
Internship opportunities? How well is the school connected with other companies (for jobs)?
Miami culture-- what’s it like? Have been to Miami a couple of times but not for longer than a week.
Thanks again for your time – this is really helpful 
@sdteak sorry forgot to tag
@sdteak - Son feels the same way about those shutters, unless his alarm didn’t go off and he wakes thinking it’s still night time.
@human354 D1 is a freshman this year so my knowledge is limited, but hopefully some other parents will chime in. There are kids of all different stripes at the _. It might take some time for you to find the group where you feel comfortable, but it usually happens. It’s an urban campus so the options of what you might want to do on the weekends are virtually unlimited. Some kids party all the time, some once in a while, and some never. Some kids do drugs (not difficult to find in Miami) and others never touch the stuff.
Some of the floors of the sophomore dorms do have kitchens, but there are no kitchens in the freshman dorms. The UV housing does have kitchens.
My daughter tends to eat pretty healthy and doesn’t have any major complaints about the meal plan. She also has money to use in the nearby food court. The ones that seem to struggle the most are vegetarians. I suppose the options become monotonous after a while. Lots of kids have food delivered via uber eats, postmates, etc. There is a grocery store and Whole Foods nearby. There is a farmers market on campus, but I can’t recall how frequent it is.
Miami is a vibrant city with people from everywhere, but it has a distinctly Latin vibe. Don’t expect things to run there like they do elsewhere in the U.S. It’s Miami. For example, check out all the frustrated posters on the admissions decision thread here on CC. Quite telling about Miami although I do wonder if the extended campus closure this fall after Hurricane Irma might have had something to do with it. Anyhow, there are good and bad aspects to everything. Remember that the campus will be the center of your universe!
My daughter hasn’t pursued internships yet, but it seems the internship possibilities are quite good. Check out the Toppel Career Center for more information: https://hireacane.miami.edu/
I don’t know about the campus life but my parents lived in Miami, and my mom used to work there. She would take the metro from the city to the campus with no problem.
*metro rail