For $10K, unless they hate the cold, WashU a no brainer - it’s elite - but underrated meaning not everyone in the country has heard of it.
Miami - everyone knows - but many still go back to it as a party school because of the football days - it’s not the case anymore but that’s how people see it. Arizona State which has become an excellent program - suffers similarly.
For $25K, I’d consider Miami…$10K - i’m going WUSTL - which is a gorgeous campus btw. Haven’t been to the U yet.
@LD3790 @woarble Let me try to answer some of your questions. My S is a sophomore. He is in the Frost School of Music, so on top of being difficult to get into Miami, he had an extra layer of difficultness since he had to audition for his spot. Frost is one of the top music schools within a university setting so it attracts some of the best musicians. I’m adding that because although he feels as if he’s surrounded by the most intelligent people he’s ever met, your mileage may vary based on major/school. He has used the term ‘brilliant’ when speaking of a few friends at school, and it does seem as if the music kids are very serious about their craft.
The campus is a beautiful experience. I can’t imagine wanting to study anywhere else. Sunshine and warmth generally make us happier humans, so imagine living in paradise 24/7. The fact that it really isn’t in ‘Miami’ or super close to the Miami Beach craziness adds to it’s appeal. Coral Gables is a truly lovely and sophisticated area…I feel like you need to put in some effort to reach the temptations of South Beach, it’s not in your face all day, every day. It can be blocked out. BUT, you know your child best, if they aren’t good at blocking things out, then maybe it can become a problem.
Someone in another post mentioned needing money for parties, etc and my first thought was…really? my kid has only asked me for money to buy Chipotle!!! So again, it’s what your child makes of it when presented with temptations. There are plenty of parties I am sure. Where there’s money, there are parties, nice cars, fancy clothes, and other things. I’m sure that’s at every school. I wouldn’t think that UMiami has more of it than elsewhere, I just think its more glamorous when it happens because it involves bikinis and convertibles. I really love the school and love the experience we’ve had there so far. Their response to covid has been exceptional and just the fact that they have been in school all year while I know so many kids that are doing remote college from their childhood bedrooms is enough reason to sign the check!
But I am not comparing it to Northeastern of WashU at all. I’m just giving my experience at the U.
i think the general public knows miami is a competitive school and it isn’t comparable to asu in that sense
Miami a definite higher pedigree and much harder to get into.
I was just trying to analogize that there are schools - like Miami, BU, Northeastern, and even USC - that back 30 years ago - were solid mid level schools - not hard to get into, etc. that today are - off the charts really attracting great kids.
But a lot of people 45+ still see the U as the football players in their fatigues getting off the plane. It’s not that school anymore.
ASU has a top Honors, great engineering, #1 supply chain, etc. but people still think it’s a party happy, no schoolwork campus. I was just saying - it’s legit now but many still don’t and won’t see it that way.
You do have that element about Miami - so for $10K, if i could swing it, i’d go to WUSTL.
Northeastern - that would be a tighter debate.
btw - Northeastern now is brutal to get into…brutal. They’ve really stepped up their game.
We just visited Frost, and met a super nice Soph student there, who took the time to answer many questions for us. Are you, by any crazy coincidence, the mother of that student? He’s from North Wales, PA and started in Sound Engineering and plays drumset… if so, you should be so very proud of him. He made me, as a Mom, feel better about my own son possibly choosing it. I was worried about an unhealthily competitive atmosphere, but the Frost students we met were lovely.
I’m a parent but attended UM and know many people with kids there. The campus is very contained. You really do feel isolated from the rest of Miami. It’s such a gorgeous campus that a student just looking for a nice place to sit and study will be in heaven. You won’t find a whole lot of partying on campus. Student activities, yes, but wild parties, no. Those who want to party seek it out off campus. I can tell you I know plenty of kids with their noses very heavily buried in their books. So many are on merit aid that they know they have to keep their grades up. I was one of them. I actually wish I had enjoyed myself a bit more and studied less, but I had a very generous scholarship and my parents had no money for me. I had no choice but to keep my grades up. It was academically challenging enough for me and my sister who was valedictorian. I can only imagine it is even more so now. It really is up to your son to decide to seek out the party life mostly off campus. Of course there will always be some that party too much, like any school, but there also plenty of kids who study hard. Also, South Beach isn’t what it used to be. Most locals prefer to avoid the traffic, parking, and bad service. Areas like Wynnwood, Midtown, Brickell and Coral Gables have become the spots to go. They have much more of the hipster brewery or upscale dining and drinks vibe, not the old school crazy clubs of South Beach. Back in my day the Grove was the place the UM kids went a lot and even that has calmed down significantly. For a quiet beach day the a lot of students study at Key Biscayne which is much closer. South Beach is pretty far from campus and across several bridges. The traffic is usually so awful it’s not the easiest access. I can tell you I live in South Florida and I maybe make that trek 2-3 times a year when someone from out of town wants to see it, or for a specific restaurant someone is hyping up. You’ll find most locals who don’t live there say the same thing. There are plenty of great places to visit and enjoy on the mainland part of Miami. I’d suggest you not only visit campus but some of the closer night spots that your son will have easier access to and is more likely to hang out in. I think you will see they are fun, more laid back, and different from what you are probably picturing from the old days of the club scene on the beach.
I also have a kid accepted to Miami and Wash U, w better financial offer at Wash U. We are stil going to visit Miami in case he loves it, but Wash U seems like the better option.
@MEC143 This is good to hear. I don’t have personal experience, but my D is 95% committed in her heart after a visit (just need a bit of clarification about stacking of different scholarships before plunking down deposit!) and one of the things I like best is that it seems like a fun place to spend 4 years - our kids deserve that now more than ever! My D’s idea of fun is making music (she’s Frost), sitting in a coffee shop or around a pool with friends, shopping in cool areas, surfing, working out, taking a million photos for Instagram, etc. - those activities seem abundant. I’m sure there are plenty of parties too and my kid will likely be at some (mostly as the sober friend but probably not always), but honestly what appeals to her about UMiami is that there seem to be so many fun NON-party things to do! Incidentally, ASU is also still on her list, for the great national merit scholarship and honors college, not the party scene. Like you, I regret not having more fun and investing in my friendships during college - balance is everything, and part of what you are paying for is the chance to make friends and connections for life.
I would agree with some others to say that Wash U is in the “elite” category in terms of prestige, and if you can swing the extra money, it’s definitely worth $10K/yr over Miami. But at the end of the day, it also comes down to fit with your child. If they gravitate more towards Miami b/c they see themselves there, that could make the decision for you. Fit is always an important aspect of the decision.
Let us know your impressions once you visit. We visited in Dec, but was over break and very few people on campus. Still - it seemed so nice. Are going to WashU in a few weeks so will be interesting to compare.
We’ve done a lot of self touring - even at large schools. It’s the problem with covid. You can see the campus - but you can’t really get a feel for the vibe given there are tens of students instead of thousands milling around.
Wash U is gorgeous - small, contained, simple to navigate.
I wish I could get to the U - but at 50K or so, cheaper options abound.
Thank you!
Thank you very much! Very helpful!!
Wash U is an amazing research school congratulations! If your student is in anyway STEM/medical/research it ranks very very highly!!! See that’s my concern. Love the sun and location of Miami, but how much emphasis should be put on location vs school academic programs/ranking? And an 18 yo is going to be captivated by Miami. I need to hear more about strength of school majors/internships/advising And I struggle to find that. Hoping it shines through on the visit. Both NEU& UM
cost the same, without the travel. No aid. $75/year. But at NEU no travel and no tuition when on coop is a plus. Good luck!!
Additional question that I’m sure we will hear more about when we visit.
Does anyone have an undecided student? Do they provide strong advising, guidance on majors, or have a structured program for undecideds ?
Northeastern has an undecided program called Explore where kids takes classes together specifically geared to helping students narrow down options. Just curious. My son is leaning toward biology chemistry/research area or business/finance/economics.
Do any of the majors or colleges require acceptance at time of admission? Or can undeclared students switch into any college/major easily?
Thanks
We are also visiting both wash U and miami and i would be interested in hearing people’s opinions after seeing the two. I agree it is going to be hard to get a great sense bc of COVID.
if i accept the waitlist form do i need to send in another letter or anything like that
We are not on WL - but at the schools we are and when we got deferred at Miami, you just have to fill out their form.
That’s all you need to do.
okay thank you! i got deferred from umiami and then waitlisted… talk about playing the waiting game
Honestly - treat WL as a rejection - move on - emotionally. You need to deposit elsewhere so consider yourself going elsewhere.
I’m not saying don’t get on the WL but if you hold out hope, you’ll torture yourself. And WL’s this year are especially big.
Hopefully you have another school that you’d like as back up.
Then if in two months you get the nod that you’re in, worry then. But if not, you’ll have made other satisfactory plans!!!