They just want u to withdraw ur app for less competition tbh. @Kd6410 But at this point the admissions committee has probably already looked at everyone’s application that apppied on this forum. At this point they know who they want but are probably have trouble determining aid. Withdrawing isn’t gonna help plus that’s a lot of work, just ride it out
My son has an audition on Feb16 so we are going and the school will have its chance to make a second impression on my son. But I can easily see how other schools may be able to steal a great kid away from the U by not moving more quickly.
@Kd6410 We are in the same boat as you in terms of Tulane(and a couple other schools) in that their offer will be tough to beat so we have become indifferent about Miami. I can’t understand why you are so mad though. You have better offer(s) so be happy about those.
As a parent whose child is considering U of M, I ask for this thread to focus on the issues that will sway one’s decision to attend Miami. What do you think the pros are? (Size, private, location, academic offerings, reputation etc.). The cons? ( one can argue the same list above) Two concerns I have are the quality of dorms, and the unsubstantiated talk of wide spread drug use and excess partying. If anyone can comment, I would appreciate it. Hopefully you all can help hash out the issues to allow you to make the best choice for each of you.
Good luck to all of you. Realize that everyone is looking at this from a different angle.
Everyone be positive your college searches will work out in the end!!
MODERATOR’S NOTE: I know this is a stressful time, but everyone needs to remain courteous and respectful. I deleted several posts. Don’t make me close the thread.
@JerseyPops Yes, the freshman dorms are old, but they are okay. How nice do they really have to be? There’s tons of storage and all the kids are in it together. It’s not that big of a deal. Slap some posters on the wall, hang some string lights, and put some curtains up to cover the ugly window. True, lots of sophomores want to move off campus, but I predict that will change with the new housing that is being constructed now. Miami is expensive so moving off campus is complicated.
We are happy with the size and the academic offerings. It is no longer just Suntan University. There are lots of super smart kids (see class of 2021 profile) who turned down higher ranked schools when they were offered those big merit scholarships. Julio Frenk seems to be doing a great job as president and I expect Miami will continue to rise in the rankings.
We haven’t been overly impressed by the Foote Fellow program, especially when we hear about how wonderful it is for the business students. However, we hope that as the ranks of intended bio major students dwindles, the Foote Fellow advising/opportunities will improve. We like the idea of being able to skip over the cognates. It opens up a lot in her schedule and she is considering double majoring.
Yes, there is drug use and partying, but I would argue that can be found EVERYWHERE. We live in flyover country and have friends with kids at several Big 10 universities. Those universities also have drugs and serious drinking issues. However, Miami also has a VERY vibrant nightlife scene which can be a huge distraction.
If you haven’t visited Miami, then you should before accepting. It is different than other major American cities. It has a very strong Latin-flavor. It’s not for everyone.
My daughter and her friends seem to have a work hard/play hard attitude that I have heard echoed here on CC and elsewhere. Sure, I wish she would party less, but it’s difficult to come up with an argument when she brings home stellar grades. I think it helps that she is super organized and disciplined when it comes to allocating time for studying, etc. She’s involved in student government, joined a sorority, and is thriving at the []_[]. Feel free to private message me!
@sdteak Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I know that much of the college experience depends on the student and the friends that they make. I’ll wait until all of the offers are in before I bother you some more. Wish us luck!
I agree with @sdteak about the dorms. It’s your freshman year at college, how nice do they need to be? I always laugh when I see videos on YouTube featuring some kid’s elaborate dorm setup where the parents obviously spent major money to make the decor look like it came out of a Four Seasons. In my opinion they are missing the point of being in college. We toured LMU and there was a kid sitting in his new BMW listening to his car stereo when we got there, and he was still there hours later when we left. What a waste of a college experience!
All I need is for the dorms to be safe and clean with the opportunity to make a lot of friends. Anything more is a bonus. The closest friends that I still have from college are my freshman roommate and our next door neighbors. And that was a long time ago!
@JerseyPops Can’t comment much on the dorms, but I did visit and they didn’t seem the best. Though they weren’t awful. Seemed average.
As for the “drug and partying talk.” Miami tends to get two reactions from my experience: people that know it’s a selective and great school, and people that know nothing about universities in general so assume miami still has the reputation from the 80s or 90s. But it isnt like it was. Look at virtually any “top party schools list” and Miami will be on none. Anyone educated on the university knows its a great school and partying isn’t a notable factor
does anyone know if they will also delay the decisions of the ed2 pool?
@strafed Thanks for your input! I do think is all about the student getting into a good friends group, no matter what school.
I went to Miami in 1989, and my daughter has applied this year. She loved the visit (though I think due to FA she won’t be going).
When i went, since I was early decision,I was able to dorm in Eaton Residential College (usually not for freshman then). They are suites - 2 doubles with a shared bathroom/shower in between the 2 rooms; whereas the current freshman housing “towers” are single-sex floors with a common bathroom/shower. I had many friends in the “towers”, but I was glad I was in Eaton, but that’s just personal preference. I was surprised on our visit last year that the dorms seemed identical to 1989 and hadn’t been updated, but they are building the whole new Student Housing Village, so kids going in now should be able to get those when they are upperclassmen.
I ran into the same bias back then as my daughter has now with her friends - mention UM and her friends say “party school”. They have no idea of the academic standards to get in, nor how good the education is.
Knowing people from many schools (both then and current students), I seriously doubt Miami is any more or less a party school than any of them.
@Kd6410 Relax
I just thought of one big negative and that is the distance from campus to the football stadium. I don’t think it’s enough to deter someone from attending the school, but it’s a hassle and definitely impacts attendance at games.
That’s a good point. If the team continues to improve however, attendance shouldn’t be an issue. I love the turnover chain. An on campus stadium does create a more electric atmosphere though.
@ProllyBrokeSoon No need to be a jerk.
@kd6410 I am not trying to be
@sdteak Another negative thing about Miami’s football team is that they encourage defensive turnovers by providing the team members with temporary ownership of an expensive gold “turnover chain”. Have you seen that thing? Enormous and solid gold. What’s that thing costing the students of UM? No wonder tuition is so high…geez!