Miami University-Oxford Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Mary

My classmates work hard and have a lot of respect for the school and education but they are fun and don't take things too seriously.

Kayla

My classmates are very supportive of my career choice and driven.

Eleesha

Most are very friendly and nice. There are a few that are rude and abnoxious.

Surayya

My classmates are hardworking, driven, ambitious, intelligent and strive to succeed; we take our education seriously and go above and beyond the expectations of our peers, families, potential employers, and professors by taking on multiple internships, study abroad opportunities, and accepting every extra opportunity thrown our way.

Lisa

My classmates are engaged, involved, and forward thinking.

Amy

Diversity is accepted at Miami if you find the right groups of people. Overall, we hold pride in our diversity. I have attended many LGBT rallies and events. Westboro Baptist Church often pickets our school, and we always protest or hold rallies supporting all peoples in another location. On a typical school day, you'll find all types of student dress. Some dress up for class, others wear sweats. I feel that the upper classmen care less about their appearances, unless they are going uptown for the evening. Financially, Miami students are fairly well off. I, myself, do not fall into this category. I find it ironic that most MU students fall into this category because the Oxford community is at the other end of the spectrum.

yuwei

energetic and friendly!

Charles

My classmates share many of the same interests as I do, and that is extremely important within not only the engineering programs here at Miami, but also after graduation and working in the profession.

Danielle

I have many friends of different ethnicities, religions and that are gay. Our school is very open to all different kinds of people. I don't think any type of student will feel out of place at Miami since there is an organization for everyone. Each organization has many members and some members are part of multiple organizations. For example, I am on the Speech and Debate team and the musical theater club, Stage Left. Student style is not important at this school. Everyone dresses how they want and what they like. Most of the students are from somewhere in Ohio, but like me, there are students from all over the country and even international students. Just in my residence hall we have students from Michigan, Colorado, China, and Dubai. Everyone is from someplace different, which makes living on campus so much more interesting. You get to learn about placed where other people are from and their customs and traditions! Financially, there are a lot of people who come from families with money, but there are also those who don't. No one rubs their fortune in other people's faces, everyone gets along and does what they can financially. There are also many students on scholarships. Students don't talk about their future goal salary, they do talk to others about their dreams and goals, but never about money. Students are active in whatever they are interested in. There are a lot of people that are interested in politics, and they all have very different views.

Justin

Miami University has become known as "JCrew U" which is a reference to its preppy nature. This stereotype does usually hold true, many of the kids I see around campus are dressed very nicely, usually upper middle class and the Polo shirt and Sperry shoes look is very common. There is very little racial diversity on campus and the diversity that I do see is usually attributed to Chinese students. After having a conversation with one of my Chinese roommates I learned that Miami University recruits from China very heavily. If the idea of seeing preppy kids all day, every day does not appeal to you then you will likely have a difficult time fitting in at Miami. Most kids come from wealthy families and are not afraid to show it. Often I will see students driving in their BMW or Audis that their parents have bought for them.

Traci

Miami gets the reputation of being homogenous. At first glance it may seem that way, but actually Miami's student body is made up of all different types of people. Most people or from Ohio or the Chicagoland area. It is definitely a predominantly Midwestern university. However, different types of students interact, due to the communicative basis of the classroom. I met tons of people who I would have never considered hanging out with from my classes and am happy to have people unlike me to discuss things with.

Caitlin

The students at Miami University are very diverse. A lot of prospective students get a tad nervous when they think about the reputation of Miami students, but do not be alarmed at all! I was once there, as well and it definitely scared me! I can reassure you that you will always find a group of friends that will welcome you with open arms that you feel incredibly connected to. I absolutely love my group of friends... I met them when I was in my freshman dorm. They are still my best friends and I couldn't imagine life without them! The guys here are gentlemen, as well. I feel that I am always having someone open the door for me, which is a small but chivalrous thing to do! I've made some great guy friends, as well, so I am never limited in my friendships! I feel like I am always meeting someone new!

David

Miami University is very open to all racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and other groups beliefs on campus. There is a diverse student body and there are student groups created on campus to celebrate everyone's differences. Most students are from the midwest and east coast but there is a good number of international and west coast students as well. The financial backgrounds at Miami are mostly middle to upper class. Students at Miami are politically active and there always seems to be discussion about politics in some way, shape, or form. The are where the school is located is predominantly right but there is a number of students on campus who are predominantly left. Students often discuss what kind of job they would like to have after college but not so much a target salary. Student's outfits vary when going to class. Some wear jeans, button down shirts, and top-siders (boat shoes). There are also students who wear sweats and more comfortable and relaxed clothing. Students at Miami are very accepting to all beliefs and try not to go out of their way to make any one student or group feel unwelcome or unsafe.

Devona

There is a stereotype of the students at Miami University, and for the most part it is a truthful one. There students at Miami mostly come from rich families and like to go out and party. However, there are regular students who study and work hard, and then are also the types of students that someone would think "weird." While the majority are Miami girls, anyone would be able to find a group of people to feel comfortable with, even if it is a small group, because there is a diversity of students here at Miami. There are definitely different groups for different religions, races, and LGBT supporters. To the extent of my knowledge, all of these clubs and groups are easy to find and to join. They host various different things as well. For example, Spectrum, the LGBT club, often hosts drag shows Uptown, and things like that to raise awareness and support. Students at Miami also show some political interest. Several times there have been organized events to show support for various different causes, such at the Occupy wall Street movement and a protest organized to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from coming and speaking. The political interest seems to be varied, with students being both left and right.

Michael

The only student who would feel out of place at Miami University would be a student who is not willing to engage themselves at their university. Students at Miami really enjoy their time at school. There is always a desire to do more, seek more, and very rarely do I meet someone who has not participated in some sort of activity outside of the classroom. Students are very driven, and come from families that are very driven as well. And while these families influence these students, they do not to the point in which students cannot make decisions on their own. One thing I admire most about Miami students is the fact that they are very independent and develop many thoughts and ideas for themselves.

Trisha

The students at Miami University are very diverse, and becoming increasingly more so as the years progress. I plan on addressing as many of these suggestions as possible. - I've had limited experience with any specific "group" on campus. I'm hesitant to label any of these groups when I've had no contact with them, as I don't feel that will do them justice as the unique human beings that they are. However, I've met people from each of these stereotypes because, on a campus so large and so diverse as Miami, it's impossible to not come into contact with different races, different religions, different sexualities, and different socio-economic means. As a student who studied for a year at a branch campus, the transition to Miami was a little bit different for me. I was overwhelmed by all of the different types of people that actually attend, though it was an eye-opening experience. - The type of clothes that people wear to class is a question that is so unimportant, part of me doesn't even want to spend time answering it. I was under the impression that college is about obtaining an education, not the latest fashion trend, however that does not appear to be the case at Miami. Fulfilling the stereotype as a "rich school," the majority of the students play into this by wearing the latest name brands--Sperrys, Uggs, Coach, you name it and some girl walking down Spring Street is wearing it. And the boys aren't much better--boat shoes and polos even when the weather doesn't call for it. However, fashion choices shouldn't be a main focus when reviewing ones college. - A university as diverse as Miami makes it rather difficult to not interact with different types of students. All different groups interact, though the sorority girls tend to remain with girls from their own circle, as is the same with the fraternity boys. - The wonderful thing about Miami is that there is no way of saying where the majority of students come from. There are a number of different backgrounds from a number of different countries. Likewise financially--there are scholarship students, those on financial aid, and those blessed with the income to not have to worry about their college tuition as much as the next person. Political views are also hard to determine as well. One would assume that most students veer towards the right, but political views are not something that most people casually talk about at dinner...unless they're a political science major, and then maybe they do.

Erin

If the United States is the great mixing pot, so is Miami University. At a first, superficial glance, people assume that all the students are the same: white, middle or upper class. But in reality, Miami University has a surprisingly rich mix of diversity, particularly for an Ohio school. The undergraduate body is comprised of over eleven percent multicultural students, and foreign exchange students. These students come from all areas of the world, and bring with them their unique cultures and interests. Miami University supports cultural differences through a verity of social events and clubs, which are open to any student. It is difficult to take courses and not run into several students who come from different backgrounds and offer different perspectives. For classes, students dress differently as well. While many students do dress in sweats, an equally large number dress nicely. There are students who wear designer clothes and students who wear clothes from more modest origins. No matter how you dress, however, you are not considered much of an outcast, because the diversity guarantees the same type of diversity in manners, conduct, and personal preferences. No matter what type of person one considers themselves, rested assured he or she will find friends of like nature at Miami University. Still, Miami University is not a vision of equality in these concerns. While there are many international students, it is also true that there are many students from Ohio. And of these students, many are white and from upper or middle classes. Another point of contention is that, even though a student may easily find like students, there are many social cliques at Miami. Students tend to find groups and stick within side them. The fortunate news is that each quad on campus has a different personality, and with that, a student can feel welcome. Central and Western quads tend to be less involved in Greek life, and also more socially mobile, in concerns to who they interact with. North quads are more involved in Greek life, and thus the environment is very different.

Shannon

Miami is not known for their diversity racially, but I have met so many different types of people while at Miami that I do not feel like I have missed out on much. Students have different backgrounds, personalities, and experience, building a unique and strong student body. I personally do not care how much money people come from or what their political views are, so I cannot answer that for Miami, but I do not think that it is important to know that either. I think that if you feel like you belong and are comfortable around the other students, than that is all that matters. There are people at Miami that are interested in getting a high paying job and then there are some that are just interested in getting married,but it is not fair to stereotype everyone. With all of the opportunities that Miami offers for students to get involved, it is not difficult to find a group of friends that you belong with. As far as dress goes, most people believe that all Miami students dress up for class, that is not entirely true. You will see your fair share of North Faces, Uggs, JCrew, leggings, and designer clothes galore, but students do go to class in sweats although not the norm. The Miami look is pretty preppy, but styles come and go, so everyone finds something they like, and they adapt the prep look to their own fashion likes.

Rachel

Miami is a generally caucasian, upper-middle to upper class, Christian, heterosexual, conservative campus. While there is diversity on campus, a lot of it is found in athletes and foreign exchange students. Most of our asian FES population keep to themselves and do not interact outside of their groups. This can also be said about the majority of other minorities on campus. In this sense, Miami can be viewed as somewhat divided among races and ethnicities. There are, of course, exceptions as many of the people who I have met are very welcoming and open minded. Personally, I have close friends of all races. One of my closest friends is black and rejects the idea that his race should determine his friends. (He jokes that he is whiter me sometimes.) That being said, this particular friend comes from a very rich suburb of Columbus and perfectly fits the Miami stereotype outside of his race.

Philip

The students at my school are mostly white, with the exception of the small multi-cultural community. Miami has made strides in expanding diversity, with our current freshman class being the largest amount of diverse student in the history of admission. My experiences dealing with other students on campus, have ranged from horrible to positive. You have some ignorant student and even residents of Oxford, who don't accept equality, but it's minimally shown, unless blatantly displayed. One time I walked from getting something to eat, and a students in a passing car squirted me with a water gun, calling me a N*. It was devastating, but it was reported to the police and responded by the faculty with a town hall meeting that ended positively. It's hard to gap the multi-cultural barrier for many students, which is Miami lacks a lot. Students from lower-income backgrounds and diverse population will feel out of place, because of the type of students that typical attend Miami. You have your preppy kid, with J. Crew, North Face, Uggs and Sperrys' in classes with you, almost making you feel that everyone is plastic. Miami students are usually in cliques, whether it's organizational, Greek, or just friend-wise. Different types of students usually interact in classrooms, and through events, but it usually requires a bigger person to step up and take up the challenge to do so. Miami does represent mostly a bigger demographic of wealthy, white students, but gradually this is changing through diversity initiatives.

Ronnie

Miami is home to a wide array of students, however diversity is still a problem. While there are students who represent every possible religion, race, creed, ethnicity, and class there is still a huge gap between their representations. The school is majority white, but each of the different "diversities" are incorporated into the Miami culture and have representation in the community. Students of all backgrounds interact, while there are cliques, those are banished in the bars and classrooms. Everyone is here to learn and network and that's hard to do if you ignore your peers.

Angela

What I've learnt about the students at Miami University is that they are people. The same people that you will find in all places around the world. There are some truly religious people and then the people who are almost "religious" about their lack of faith. There are people who have high expectations and those with low expectations. My point is that there will always be some small percentage of every walk of life gathered in the same community. What amazed me was the unexpected camaraderie. Students ban together to voice their opinions and make sure that every walk of life retains the right to exist. Our school has had some difficult situations in the few years I've been here. My freshman year there was an issue with the annual LGBT Drag Show, one of the bars uptown ( and off campus) decided they no longer wanted to host the show simply because it was drawing the wrong crowd. Students were outraged and appalled when this news came out and as a result the Drag Show (now situated in a new home) had by far the largest turnout in it's existence. As for a more recent update, even with the camaraderie, arguments and comments can fester until they reach a boiling point. Miami offers a Religion program and they were discussing the Westboro Baptist Church. The small class of students were lucky enough to have a professor book and interview off campus so that the class could have the opportunity to discuss their beliefs and essentially break down their "culture", which is a good definition of the religion program. Well several things were misconstrued and led to a much larger issue. Students didn't want Westboro on campus and decided to rally against their presense. The professor cancelled the interview and then Westboro decided to boycott against Miami University since their presense was unwanted. What came about was one of the largest rally's I've ever attended and such compassion between all students. The students orchestrated a white out to "white out" the hate and there was half the school standing in an enormous white blob circling a group of 5 Westboro Baptist Members.

Todd

Miami is often thought of as a rich kid school, but as a poor kid I can say that Miami student body is diverse culturally and socio-economically. The best student for Miami is one that wants to be challenged both intellectually and socially. Miami's students are great thinkers and often engage in conversation that involves more than just the latest trends. Clothing is often a big topic when talking about Miami. Yes, Miami has the JCrew and Vineyard vines but most days you find students walking to class in jeans and a t-shirt. An interesting part about Miami is that it is a public institution that pulls from many other states. Chicago is home to a lot of miami students as well as New York and Indiana. Politically Miami is more conservative than liberal within the student body, but I would tend to say that moderate is the best word to describe most Miami Students. I have commented on the diversity of Miami earlier but this can really be seen through the multiple groups on campus ranging from, Religious, cultural or LGBT.

Taylor

Most people at Miami seem to have a good amount of money. I haven't met anyone yet who was really struggling financially. There are different classifications of people. Not everyone dresses up to class like rumors say about Miami! Some people do dress up every day, but some people also wear sweatpants every day. More people dress down every day than people who dress up. There are a few common clothing items that almost everyone owns and wears though. Miami is very diverse racially and religiously. There are so many different clubs for different backgrounds!

Sarah

My first impressions of Miami was that it was completely lacking in diversity. While I eventually discovered that to be somewhat false, I would still say that diversity is a serious issue at Miami. Although they attempt to promote it on their website, one step on campus and you will realize the reality of the situation. About 1/3 of the campus is involved in Greek life, and most come from affluent backgrounds, which could make people of other socio-economic backgrounds feel uncomfortable. Most students from different backgrounds seem to not interact; the Greeks, athletes, musicians, artists, etc. all seem to stay within their own groups. Most people seem to be from Ohio, and it is always a rare and interesting occurrence to meet someone who is not!

David

There is a group of people from just about every part of the world and every culture/religion that you can think of, thanks to our extensive international school cooperation program (nearly 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our students study abroad during their time here). Miami's student body is Caucasian in its majority, but it is not hard to find all types of people across our campus and town. Its quite special because there are very few, if any, racial incidents each year because we all generally get along well and bond through our commonality, rather than be divided by our differences. Miami's student body is also, in general, more affluent than other schools. Again there are people from all socioeconomic backgrounds here, but its more common to see students driving BMWs here that at other schools I've visited, but fortunately, most of the more fortunate students don't flaunt it and are have friends from all backgrounds. Miami leans slightly, to the left politically, but is still quite a bit more conservative than most colleges. Students are politically and socially aware, but are not usually divided by their personal beliefs.

Leah

MU is notorious for having misconceptions that only wealthy white students attend, but that isn't true at all. Every year, Miami increases the rate of foreign exchange students and every single financial class is represented at Miami. Since I've been at Miami, I have met more people of different races, religions, and sexual orientations than I ever have in my life; and it's great! I feel like I can relate to others on a more personal level and I have a greater understanding of cultures and beliefs that differ from my own.

Meghan

Miami students are always on the go. Whether it is to class, meetings, work, library or home, there is always something going on. Students are career driven and extremely passionate about leadership involvement in student organizations. Students come from all over, but common areas are known as the '4 Cs': Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati.

Allie

My classmates are like-minded, driven, engaging individuals that are continually striving to be better in all aspects of their education.

Katy

Testing on behalf of another entity.

Jacqueline

I don't personally meet my classmates, but who can communicate through emails.

April

Sterotypical white, rich, and preppy

Alison

Miami students are supportive of one another both in and out of the classroom, which is made apparent by the huge fan base at every sporting event, the number of people willing to tutor students on their own time in difficult subjects, and the number of clubs and organizations which require students to work together to better the campus and the community surrounding it.

Jesse

Most students are awful. Consistently drink and think they are awesome. Most drive nice cars their parents bought them and don't care about it. They'll spend as much as they want at the bars but their parents never taught them how to tip (or even flush a toilet apparently).Most of the students are conservative and the liberal students are always throwing fliers at you when you are trying to walk around campus.

Andrew

Miami does not have any serious problems with intolerance towards race, religion, socio-economic background, or sexual orientation. This is probably because there is pretty much no diversity in race, religion, socio-economic background, or sexual orientation. There are more girls named Caitlin than there are black people in Oxford. Most people are very conservative and preppy and lots of people get dressed up to go to class. If you do not fit the Miami stereotype, however, that doesn't mean that you won't fit in. I am a non-religious liberal from the east coast who gets his clothes from Kohl's, but I've never had much of a problem interacting and and making friends in sea of Christ, Conservatism, and Lacoste

Jillian

Most of them are stuck up pompous tools who take their education for granted. However, once you seek them out, there are tons of fun, motivated people who are very accepting. They make up for the majority of tools to create a great college atmosphere.

Jessamyn

My classmates liked to be challenged academically.

Adrienne

I have very rarely ran into other students I did not like. Most people are very accepting of others and easy to talk to. I have befriended so many of my classmates and a few of those relationships have turned into very good friendships. Many students have different backgrounds so it is rewarding to hear their story of who they are.

Christopher

The majority of my classmates are extremely mature and intellectual. More often than not, we will be sitting around the living room debating on philosophical and political issues. My classmates are also very giving of their time to not only the arts but also to the Oxford community with food drives and fundraisers. The one Achilles? heel for most Miami students is the binge drinking that happens on the weekends. Personally, I don't understand the enjoyment of getting wasted, but most Miami students seem to enjoy it.

Alana

Progressive, inventive, determined, open-minded, and goal-oreiented.

Molly

I'll often walk into a class and hear one of my artistically adept classmates composing a song on the piano while others chat cheerfuly with one another; being mostly musicians, my peers are animated, hard working, and extremely accepting of differences.

Amanda

My classmates are sometimes focused, sometimes lazy, almost always interested, and fun to be with, some are richer, some are poor, some want nothing to do with you, and others are talkative, however they are all wonderfully individual, intellegent people

Heather

My classmates are all very driven and sucessful. They are always more than willing to help out others and go beyond what professors assign. While they can become competitive with one another, they all strive for sucess.

Brenton

The students at Miami are great and I have made many new friends and will continue to reach out and make more friends as I continue at Miami.

Samantha

My classmates are very attentive and engaged.

Tyler

They are friendly.

Logan

My classmates were very enganging and helpful in all aspects regarding to the class.

Ellen

Some party, some love academics, some are struggling, the usual.

Tiffany

My classmates are competition, competing for grades, experience and jobs.

Jigisha

Students were interactive, engaged, involved, respectful, well-prepared of class matierial, and asked intelligent questions.