University of Kansas Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Ryan

To an extent. KU has a diverse population and although a lot of students party often, there are many who do not. I also know a fair amount of conservative students here.

Jesse

There are plenty of people who party often, and plenty who don't party at all. KU has a diverse student population, so its hard to generalize everyone. I would say that there are a lot of liberal students here, but I've met a fair amount of conservatives as well.

Alaina

I think in a way the stereotypes are accurate but not really. I think that KU is a more liberal campus but not everyone is totally liberal either. I think it offers a more laid back feel to the campus which is good since college can be so stressful as it is that most people don't want to feel like they are being judged or watched all the time. As for partying, all colleges have people that go out and like to have a good time, I don't agree with this stereotype. I feel like everyone I know that applied to KU did get accepted and not everyone I know worked that hard or did that well in high school, so it may be that KU is really easy to get in to but I also feel like people that belong here will succeed and people that can't keep up with the class work/load won't and that is what should determine whether their acceptance at the university was just or not.

Xavier

Well there are a lot of hippies in the City of Lawrence and at KU but not every student is a pot smoking Grateful Dead fan. On the contrary we do have a very cool party scene, especially when Basketball season is rolling at its peak!

Andy

Though more often than not there is an exception to the rule, I would say yes the stereotypes are accurate. Each of the groups has a set of stereotypes. The reason they continue to persist is in part a lack of understanding of the individuals within each group by those outside the group. The other reason they persist is because that the stereotypes are very general and difficult to disprove.

Megan

They are for some people but it depends what your goals in life are and whether or not you're willing to compromise them for a little fun. Some of the people who attend KU are rich but they do not flaunt it usually and are very nice.

Sarah

no, just because we don't protest gays or commit gay hate crimes doesn't mean we support gays.

Amara

NO.

Torry

Not all are accurate, but KU is more liberal than other universities in the Midwest.

Brittany

For the most part!! However, I know plenty of conservatives here.

Emma

yes.

Emma

yes.

Emily

For the most part. But I think that the opinions of one group (liberals, gays, etc) are expressed more often then those of the other side, making them more apparent. And yes, KU has an AMAZING basketball program, but it seems that our football program is starting to succeed as well.

Emmerson

There are a lot more gay people than there are in Manhattan, but I wouldn't lump the University as a whole into "gay". There are many liberal, JoCo people, but there are also very nice conservative people and many students aren't even from the KC area.

Charlie

not all. the people are really different---some are stuck up but you'll find that anywhere. for the most part, everyone is just chill. we're AWESOME at sports...so don't think twice

Amanda

Of course not, though students do become more open-minded after coming to KU.

Steven

Like every school, we do have our extreme cases, but no more than any other major University around the nation

Paul

With a few exceptions, no. KU is a good academic institution and our students, even the crazier ones, take school very seriously. KU is a pretty liberal school, and I have had one or two professors that I thought were close-minded when it came to students that didn't agree with their left-leaning opinions. However, at a school this size, there exists an incredibly diverse student body; physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Alicia

I think they may be overall a little far-fetched, but in general, yes, there are a lot of people who go to KU that are liberal.

Katie

These stereotypes are VERY inaccurate. We are all normal college students coming from different countries, states, and towns. We come from small towns and some large cities. Most KU students are very nice and friendly. Very rarely will you find someone who won't say hi to you because of how you look or act. And the homosexual stereotype is of course wrong as well. Just because many of us students are democrats and liberal, does not mean we are homosexual. We may support homosexual's choices, but by no means are all of us homosexual.

Kayleigh

Some of them are, like there are alot of kids who have never had to work, but there are also alot of people from small towns that have a work ethic.

Katie

1) A lot of students ARE from Kansas because they cannot afford out-of-state tuition. However, there are students from all around the world here and are represented accordingly by a diverse number of student groups. 2) As with #2, a large portion of the study body population comes from Johnson County, but it does not by any means make up the majority. 3) Absolutely, we just won the NCAA championship!

Megan

I would generally say no. Yes, there are quite a few people from the Kansas City area, but the majority just act like any other normal student. There are certainly some exceptions, but in general everyone is very nice and friendly. I'd say it's about the same as any college.

Kara

somewhat, there are a lot of people that are from Johnson County and there are also a lot of people that obviously are not paying for much of anything they own.

Whitney

I think that KU is more diverse than some people might think; I have friends with different backgrounds including international students. However, I think the majority of my friends at KU are from Kansas. As for the other stereotypes, I feel like they aren't accurate because KU academics are very good.

Renee

For the most part unfortunately but there are many who do not fit this stereotype.

Alex

No, this campus is full of very nice, friendly people.

Eric

Pretty dang close. I've lived here my whole life and when the students are in town, expect to see expensive SUVs or cars driving faster than the limit. Expect to see crowds of youngsters at the bars almost on a daily basis. KU is definitely a driving force behind this community. Business arranges itself to meld with students, alumni, and faculty. The poorer peoples tend to live at the whim of KU scholars or ex-scholars.

Nathan

Like most stereotypes they are based partly in truth. There are all types of people at KU, some would be self-described hippies, but plenty of others would not. If you are looking for something new age or something from any culture or just to get a feel for the Midwest, I think KU has all of that. Different students have different goals and different dreams. On the majority I would have to admit that KU is a fairly liberal school though. Yes people do live in Kansas, but we have a lot of international students too.

Brenna

Far from. I'm not even close to Johnson county. I'm not stuck up. I'm straight. And I know lots of ppl who are. We do have our bball. Allenfieldhouse is awesome. We hate MU and KSU, but honestly I don't. It's not that big of deal to most of us. There are alot of Rich stuck up kids but thats like saying everyone on Kstate is a farm kid. If that was true I would be there. Stereotypes are dumb. People need to step out of the box of what they know and see what else there is. It's that extra insight that makes everything worth it.

Joanne

While this stereotype doesn't hold true for everyone at KU, there are a number of students who fit this description. Many students at KU tend to be a little more cold than those at other schools, such as KSU. Interestingly, just looking at dorms alone, those who live in the nice dorms tend to be more standoffish than those who live in the bad dorms. McCollum is an incredibly outdated, mold-infested, disgusting dorm. However, those who live in McCollum tend to have a closer bond and then to be more friendly than those who live in some of the other dorms. The same is true for Oliver. Naismith is the epitome of snob-esque people.

Dale

There are plenty of people who do party, and then there are plenty who don't. KU is such a huge school that's it's really hard to pin anyone. And yes, I think KU is probably a little more liberal than other state universities in Kansas. A large portion of people are from the Johnson county area, which is pretty affluent, so that plays a part. But there's both liberal and conservative student groups on campus to get involved in.

Jamie

Those stereotypes are pretty accurate. Lawrence is the most liberal city in Kansas, therefore KU is in the heart of diversity and acceptance. As far as instate Kansas Tuition is concerned, KU is probably one of the more (maybe the most) expensive undergrad in KS. But I totally think it's worth it here, I love it.

Melody

Generally, the students are not stuck up, although I have found that a lot of students do come from money. They won't treat you badly because of it. Unless you flaunt that you come from a family without money, no one will ever know and they treat you the same as everyone else. Every now and then you'll run into someone who thinks they are amazing because they drive a really nice car (as many students here do) or have the latest fashions, but I don't encounter them very often. Everyone is accepting. KU is actually liberal in comparison to the rest of the state, but I wouldn't say that it's outrageously liberal. There are still conservative students here who are active and no one really cares.

Peter

While this is true for some, it isn't true for everyone. There's almost a 50/50 split.

Sarah

Not in my opinion. There are many people that know how to balance how to be a college student. They study hard and they party too. It's just a matter of finding that balance. Just because KU lets anyone in doesn't mean that I haven't had great classes. There are ways around taking the 600 person classes and make friends with your adviser so that they can tell you all of these secrets.

Liz

Some people are stuck-up, some are liberal, I wouldn't consider KU an especially liberal campus from a national point of view.

Alli

These stereotypes are definitely false. KU is an excellent university that provides degrees in a myriad of areas. The faculty is some of the best in the nation and the facilities, be they libraries, lecture halls, or recreational complexes, are top notch.

molly

for the most part, but i don't really think there are stereotypes at KU.

Blake

Basketball is a great part of the total scene at KU, but it isn't the only thing KU has going for them. KU has a great, building football team, a dance team and a debate team that both placed second nationally this year, among many other things.

Ryan

Because Lawrence is considered the liberal hub of the state, we do draw in many liberal students from around Kansas. And because we're a state school, we do have a greek presence.

Wendy

yes

Karen

These stereotypes are incredibly false. The students at KU are so much more accepting of differences than any other college in Kansas, in my opinion. Most everyone is pretty laid back and easy going, not snobby in the slightest. Yes, a lot of students do come from Johnson County, but the KU student body isn't entirely JoCo residents. We have many counties, states, and countries represented in the students and staff. As for the drinking stereotype, I have to agree that KU students know how to have a good time when it comes to parties, but it is no different in any other school. KU isn't even listed as one of the top party schools anymore. We know how to prioritize and have a good time when the time is right, like when KU wins the Orange Bowl.

Andy

Sometimes. I swear, every class I go to I have to listen to at least three of them rave about OP (Overland Park), and how compared to that, Lawrence is nothing. It's about finding your own niche. Of course, if you don't make an effort to meet people and get involved in campus activities, you're going to feel left out, and like KU simply too huge, without a sense of community. But it's not like that at all: with all the clubs and opportunities to meet people, it's not so surprising that you begin to know at least one person in your classes, or create a family of close friends.

Doug

We do have a lot of rich kids who have never worked. A lot of students do party here but not anymore than most colleges. Many KU students are liberal, but there are some of us that are not.

Peter

Both stereotypes are false. There are many activities and groups at KU. Clubs for everything from sports to the arts to academics can be found at KU. There is definitely something for everyone. As far as the snob stereotype goes, it isn't true. The University's populations is diverse. There are many students from upper-class backgrounds, but there are also non-traditional students and scholarship students who are earning a college education without the help of wealthy parents.