NSCS Chapter School
UNIGO SUMMARY
When you step foot on Miami University’s picturesque Oxford, Ohio, campus, it’s clear this mid-sized Midwestern liberal arts school has little in common with that other Miami. With its red-brick buildings, tree-lined walkways, and nearby town offering almost endless access to bars and pizza, students agree that Miami is an idyllic setting straight out of brochures. Students tend to come from the Midwest and shop at J. Crew, although the school is reaching out to different socioeconomic and geographic groups to bring some different faces to Miami. In keeping with the predominant preppy theme, College Republicans are one of the most popular groups on campus, and Greek life dominates the social scene: No fewer than four fraternities got their start at MU, giving it the nickname “Mother of Fraternities." Over 50 frat and sorority chapters are on campus today. But Greek life isn’t the only reason to go to Miami—-its top-notch liberal arts offerings and well-regarded grad schools have earned it a place among the “Public Ivies.”
UNIGO REVIEW
It might not have beaches and year-round sun, but Miami University in Ohio boasts its own brand of collegiate beauty. “
I fell in love with the campus immediately,” says one junior, “
Robert Frost called it the most beautiful campus in the nation. I tend to agree.” Campus is composed almost entirely of charming “
red brick buildings,” and, says one sophomore, “
the school size, in the words of Goldilocks, it is ‘juuuuust right.'” Small-town Oxford, Ohio, is “
pretty much the middle of nowhere,” but one senior says it has “
charm beyond belief,” and “
the isolation lends itself to cultivating a close relationship between the Oxford and Miami community.” The majority of students look like they were pulled from the same brochure as their backdrop, earning Miami the nickname “
J. Crew U.” While more edgy kids might feel “
overwhelmed by the conservative atmosphere” emanating from the “
largely white, upper-middle-class, heterosexual, Christian” population, the “
unique traditions and school spirit” creates a sense of community in which all Miamians can participate. As per its designation as a “Public Ivy,” “
People are usually impressed academically by Miami,” says one junior, “
although,” she admits, “
not so much culturally.”
As “
one of the top seven ‘Public Ivies’ in the nation,” Miami students feel a “
bit more than the usual pressure,” according to one junior. “
Miami is fast-paced, and its professors often expect a lot of you, but they push and get results.” Standouts among the several different schools that comprise Miami’s undergraduate offerings include the education, engineering, and business programs. Particularly, “
the Richard T. Farmer School of Business is definitely a strong point for the campus,” explains one senior. “
The down side to this is that if you choose to go for another degree at Miami, you can find yourself feeling a little ignored.” The recent addition of a core liberal-arts curriculum known as the “Miami Plan” was meant to broaden the undergraduate experience but instead has drawn the ire of a number of respondents. “
Miami Plan is great in theory, but not in practice,” says one sophomore. But students generally enjoy their classes, which blend small seminars with large lectures, as well as academically-driven discussions with hands-on career training. TAs are a rarity, and professors are largely “
good-natured, humorous, open-minded, and amazing at what they do,” says one senior. Professors are generally accessible, “
depending on how much you decide to interact with them.” One unique program Miamians urge others to experience is a summer, semester, or entire year abroad at Miami’s Dolibois European Campus in Luxembourg. Students can jet off to surrounding countries for field trips or longer excursions, and classes here are specially geared to take advantage of the rich cultural surroundings. One student calls it her “
best, ultimately amazing, coolest experience here.”
With a nickname like “J. Crew U,” Miami students are well-prepared before they even arrive for the preppy, put-together look consisting of North Face fleeces, Ugg boots, boat shoes, sundresses, and popped polo collars. “
Before coming to Miami a lot of people told me that if I went to Miami, I better bring tan pants with me because nobody wears jeans,” a sophomore says. “
For a certain segment of the population, some of these things do ring true,” explains one student. “
You're likely to find a North Face, iPod, and/or Ugg boots in the majority of closets on campus, but this is a superficial picture.” While students might go all-out for parties or special occasions, “
everybody shows up to their 8 a.m. in pajamas and sweats,” according to a junior. Miami’s preppy reputation isn’t entirely undeserved: “
The majority of students at Miami are white, middle-upper class kids from the four Cs: Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, or Chicago,” says one senior. But, she adds, “
Miami is very upfront about having a diversity issue and is constantly trying to work to broaden the spectrum of students.” And Miamians are often “
the first ones you'll find to make fun of the stereotype pinned on this campus, as ‘the Miami girl’ is a favorite Halloween costume,” a sophomore says. The predominant political affiliation is Republican, but the actual ideological environment makes Miami more of a “
moderate institution,” and some find the contrary conservative voice gives it “
a more diverse set of viewpoints” than other colleges. While Miami might be “
open to religious diversity,” according to one student, “
Campus Crusade for Christ and Navigators are the most prominent religious groups on campus,” as popular numbers-wise as any other on-campus organization.
The Greek scene is another dominant factor in Miami life, with nearly 50 chapters currently operating on campus. “
It's a bit much to take at times for those of us who are non-Greek,” writes one student, but one pledge says she “
absolutely love[s] it” for its party options and opportunities to “
meet some really great people.” Even among non-Greeks, “
people loooooove their parties here.” Some start hitting Oxford’s plentiful bars “
as early as Wednesday evenings,” but Miamians hits the bars en masse for “
Green Beer Day…our official holiday, taking place the Thursday before Spring Break,” with exactly the kind of beverage selection and all-day drunken revelry its name implies. While school spirit is noticeably lacking during most of the year, “
the hockey craze that took over this winter” proves Miami students can be “
selectively spirited” (other popular but offbeat sports include broomball and synchronized skating). While hooking up is a part of the bar culture, “
Dating is very popular at Miami,” says one senior, “
and many will marry and become ‘Miami Mergers.’” Non-drinkers may have a hard time handling the frat- and bar-heavy scene, and one student complains, “
There need to be more things to do on the weekends that don't involve drinking,” besides Oxford’s small movie theater and bowling alley. Fortunately, “
if you get stir-crazy and need to leave, you can spend some time in Cincinnati or Dayton,” both within an hour’s drive.
“
'To think in such a place, I led such a life' is the motto of Miami,” one student writes. "
That quote represents everything I will feel and reflect upon when I leave this red brick road.” Everything is picturesque about the campus, from its respected academic programs to its gorgeous scenery and decked-out student body. While the image of perfection may not be what all students are seeking from their Miami education, a junior offers the following level-headed advice: “
I guess the thing I really want to express about Miami is to not get bogged down in the image.”