Parent seeking opinions/explanations?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Miami - Florida
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Hi! Mid April and finally feels like things are coming to an end (thankfully!). My S has been fortunate and has some strong options for college, but is drawn to Miami for the academic flexibility (intended business major), weather, sports and “laid back feeling.” We visited campus once and liked it aside from the football stadium being far. I have tried not to push him anyway, but it seems like of the final 5 he is leaning Miami. I support him regardless, but did have some questions about THE U!

What are the cognates program and how important is it? Heard it on the tour, looked online, but still couldn’t understand the program. Every freshman has to take a series of elective courses, am I understanding that correctly?

We know some people from High School that went there and transferred out. Two even after only 1 semester. We were impressed, but in the back of my mind I can’t seem to get over the fact that I can count 7-9 kids we know (not all personally) who left. Is there something we should know about?

Miami is ranked 57th in U.S News this year. When we began looking at schools it was 36th. That was 2 years ago. What happened? Not that rankings are the end of the world, but that is a sharp decline to be tied with FSU now.

My S is not a huge partier. He thinks he wants to be and sort of come out of his shell, but I have my doubts. My concern is how much partying seems to happen off campus. On one hand it is a good thing that the campus has an academic feel, but a friend from High School there in Greek Life (who loves it) spoke of house parties, pool parties happening in neighborhoods way west of campus and nearly a 40 minute Uber. Add on the fact that there isn’t really a college district or neighborhood of bars, restaurants and I just don’t want him to be disappointed or bored if Greek Life does not work out. He wants to try the fraternity thing, and we support it, but I’m concerned about the social part outside of greek life.

Anyone able to direct me into graduate school placements? He is considering law school and graduate school after graduation and my H thinks if he wants a top graduate school, Miami isn’t the best move compared to other “higher ranked schools.”

S’s other final options are USC, UNC Chapel Hill, Boston College, Miami and NYU. He was waitlisted at Cornell and denied at UPenn Wharton. Also being considered are UFlorida and Clemson.

Thank you so much!

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I agree with you not to let rankings guide the decision, but it seems like UNC and USC will have a lot of the same things he likes about Miami, but with more prestige and a more across-the-board academically strong student body. Unless cost is an issue I can’t see too many people choosing Miami over those.

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@joecollege44 I appreciate your response. That is along our thinking. Fortunately, S has received merit or financial aid at most of the places listed. We are not rich by any means, but are willing and able to make whichever choice he chooses possible. My concern is more about the fit. USC is a great option, but also very far (we are east coast) and not sure he would be ok being so far from home.

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I don’t go there but I’m looking to transfer in and am curious as to why the students you knew transferred out? Also, I visited and asked my friend who goes there all the questions that you had. She told me she in no way felt compelled to go out all the time and it’s a very work, hard play hard environment. Meaning that even when there’s people who are going out there’s people who would be down to just go out to dinner or see a movie. Also, the 40 minute uber ride is to south beach. Most students stay in the coconut Grove area or go to the off campus frat houses. That uber is not nearly as far. It’s pretty close actually. Also, I personally felt like there was an abundance of restaurants and places to go around campus. I feel like the last thing that your son could be is bored at UMiami. Personally, that is one of the reasons I want to transferring there. I am bored at my current school and I felt like Miami was a place I could never be bored in. I currently go to University of South Carolina. Also wanted to comment on Clemson. Not sure if you have ever visited there but there’s honestly nothing to do but party. It’s in the middle of nowhere. Hope this helps!

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@Judger321 I appreciate your response. Of the kids who transferred out, only 1 was a girl. She decided to go to Cornell, but most of the kids that left were boys. We spoke in depth to one and he said he tried the fraternity scene, either did not get a bid or did not like the scene and left. He said it was really boring for boys not involved in greek life, which is the cause for concern for my S. He thinks he wants to do it, but without it how much is there to do socially. Coconut Grove was a very nice area, but not what I consider “college.” Tour guide mentioned there are some bars, but not really college town area type.

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My S20 sounds similar. Wants to major in business and is friendly but not outgoing. Law school is on the table. Miami was his top choice. He liked the flexibility. Seems like double majors were common. After visiting schools I had to agree that they had one of the best structured programs for marketing and analytics, at least on paper. Unfortunately not enough merit to consider. He’s going to Georgia Tech.

Miami moved away from merit and more towards need. A few years ago they had your scholarship amount on the NPC based on SAT/GPA. That went away 2 years ago. Maybe a factor in the ranking drop?

Our friends daughter is a junior at Miami in the PA school. She says its a tough school. Lots of smart kids. She seems like she’s enjoying her time there. She’s outgoing and also has a car. I think you would need a car to enjoy the area. She told our son it was a good school but not worth the money. I don’t think she’ll stay in Miami. They just built new dorms so costs will probably go up.

Son didn’t like Chapel Hill. Beautiful campus and near Raleigh but it’s kind of off by itself. Clemson is out there. So is Cornell. I would think UF is similar. NYU has no campus. You could walk right past it and never know it. I can’t comment about USC.

Of all the schools on the list I’d look at BC. Boston is great city and college town. Son really liked Northeastern when we visited. I forgot how fun it is there. It’s really geared to college students. However, if Miami is his choice give it a shot. I could think of places way worse to spend 4 years.

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NYU and Boston College are great choices, in 2 amazing cities where opportunities abound.

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@chmcnm There flexibility was something I was very impressed with. We spoke briefly with a professor in the business law department about the ability to do a major in marketing, business law, finance or some other major and then minor in something else within the business school or completely outside of it. It just sounded like a well crafted plan allowing students to explore and not be boxed into a “business school admittance” as other schools do. Congrats on you S20 at Georgia Tech! Fantastic school! I’m sure he will do great. That’s very helpful to hear about your friend’s daughter saying it is a good school, but not worth the price. That is basically where we are at right now. Miami gave a little help financially, but it is still super expensive, and I’m not sure if the academics and experience are “worth it.” If I had my way he would go to Boston College or UNC, but he wants out of the cold. He also thinks BC might be too religious, but we know people there who disagreed and said it was the perfect amount.

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@NJCity Thank you for saying that. We feel the same way. I really try not to sway him any way, and that was part of me coming on this forum as I feel like it might be Miami, and just wanted the inside scoop on some of the questions I had. Of our visits, Boston College and Miami were some of the more impressive ones. NYU is great, but I think he wants a campus and traditional experience. We are not super religious, but one of the issues for him right now with BC is the religion. I keep trying to tell him, BC and Georgetown are Jesuit and not really religious at all. We went to visit Notre Dame as one of his cousins is a senior there, and we did not like it all. That to me felt too religious and conservative, but I don’t see that being the case at BC especially just outside a major city like Boston. Do you know anything about the religious aspect of the school? Thanks!

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OP: If you know 7 to 9 students who left the Univ. of Miami, they should be a great source of information.

In my opinion, one either wants to be in Miami or doesn’t. Not sure how to compare other schools as Miami is truly a unique environment among US colleges & universities.

Is UNC-Chapel Hill an in-state option ? UFlorida ? Clemson ?

P.S. Some may not like the UMiami Cognates program which requires that one take 3 STEM courses if a humanities oriented student. Might be wise for your son to look over course offerings which satisfy this requirement.

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@sherriH081 We’re Catholic. Son applied several Catholic schools, mostly Jesuit (Fordham and Loyola Chicago). Jesuits are the liberal Catholics. Not sure about BC but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The philosophy is we’re here for you if you need us or are curious but not pushy.

Not dissing Miami. I think it would be a great way to spend 4 years. I don’t like the cold much any more. If Miami would’ve given more merit it would’ve been #1. We had a price point for school. The schools that were inside the price point were candidates for my son without any interference from us. He would’ve picked Miami even though I thought he had better options. But that’s part of letting them grow-up and make choices.

Of all the schools on your list though I’d put Miami on the bottom for rankings. Again, still a good school but not in BC, NYU, USC or UNC territory.

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I don’t know why I can’t start a new thread but I hope someone here can answer this question:
Does Miami allow students to earn credits at local colleges (cheaper) during the summer to knock out some of the course & credit requirements towards graduation?

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Any update on your son’s decision?

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@suzyQ7 hello! Sorry took a break during the final stretch of deciding and then forgot my password LOL!. S chose Miami! It was a down to the final two days before he pulled the trigger, but he is relieved. This is my first to go through the college process and my goodness is it stressful all the way until the end. Have you been through this before? What did your S/D decide? S has casually mentioned he isn’t sure he made the right decision and is doubting himself. So hard on these kids! I’m trying to reassure him, but it is hard because H (whispers) and I (to a lesser extent) feel he should have chose a different school. I just really hope it goes well and resolves itself. We are still on the WL at an Ivy school so maybe that would be a relief. So stressful. It doesn’t help that since his decision my S won’t stop googling all these student review sites, reddit and is hearing some negative opinions from current students about how they weren’t as happy there and transferred/wish they did. Ugh!!!

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Nothing changed at Miami to explain it’s drop in rating. What happened is that USNWR changed its methodology. You can check their website for an explanation of their shift in priorities. Miami is still the same school that it was when it was higher rated. The same thing happened to some other schools. Fordham is one that comes to mind.

I hope this offers some reassurance on the quality of what you’re getting.