University of Miami Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Anelia

I have found the majority of the students are very unfriendly. If you do not put yourself out there to make friends others will not talk to you. The students are also a big part of the Greek life at the school.

Ke'Shawn

The students are supportive, friendly, and always lend out a helping hand.

Manar

Confident, fun and unique individuals with a clear perspective on life and their future.

Shannon

My classmates are hardworking and ambitious adults who seek out every opportunity and will not let anything stand in the way of their success.

Chris

My classmates at the University of Miami represented the quintessence of diversity since they hailed from more than a dozen countries throughout the world.

Gabrielle

My classmates are very racially divided.

Pablo

My classmates are a group of hardworking individuals who put forth maximum effort into what they believe in. The University of Miami offers a a great environment in which students bond with each other and form a family. GO 'CANES!

Carla

When you have so many students fighting for a spot, you are pretty much guaranteed to find extremely determined, unique, and hard working students.

Sanja

There are all kinds of students at my school - that is the beauty of it! There are international student from all over the world and there are students with all kinds of backgrounds, including financial backgrounds because the school offers great scholarships. I do not think that any student would feel out of place at this school because of broad spectrum of diversity that exists. Student wardrobe various between classes - some people wear very formal attire whereas others look like they just rolled out of bed. The majority of people wear casual yet tasteful clothing. Different types of students interact on a day to day basis, whether in class or in the library. It's great to get exposure to everything and everyone.

Ashley

Because of our climate and location we get a very large number of international students. Because it is Miami, we have a large population of Hispanic students (good for me personally as a Spanish minor). There is a large Jewish community, many active members of Hillel. Although greek life is only about 17{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, it seems larger to those who are in it, but since we don't have sorority houses, and not all fraternities have houses, it is not a huge part of campus life, personally i think it is just the right amount of involvement. Some girls dress up for class, there are definitely a lot of designer clothes around, but there are just as many people wearing sweatpants and t-shirts. Although many wear nice clothing, people aren't judged if they do not. I frequently wear pajamas to class and do not feel uncomfortable. Many students from east coast, Florida, and California.

Jaymes

Bros and Japs. The guys wear tank tops and snap back hats and basketball jerseys. Girls are daddy's girls (Japanese American Princesses) with lots of money and think they are hotter than they are. These two stereotypes are true for some of the population. More true for the South Beach club goers and party people. There are a lot of kids from New York/New Jersey/Philly and they seem to have dominate personalities so they stand out. There is a lot of good looking people that tan and party a lot, but the school is becoming more academically challenging.

Danielle

On the surface, many Miami students may seem superficial. Since it's a private pricey college, there are a lot of kids there whose parents are paying 50,000 dollars a year for their education and they want you to know it. It's not uncommon to see a frat house with 3 BMWs parked outside and girls carrying their books in $2,000 Louis Vuitton handbags. But, of course, not everybody is like that. There are also kids from the music school with their hair in dreads and other kids who will have thousands of dollars in loans when they graduate. And in addition, Miami also hosts many international students from all over the world, who add an interesting dimension of diversity to the campus life. To be perfectly honest, people for the most part stick with kids who have similar mindsets about a study/party ratio. It's easy to get carried away and drop cash you should be saving trying to keep up with the Jone's. Basically you have to remember that you're at college to do what you want to do, not to achieve this ultimate lifestyle. I know it's corny but if you stay true to who are, you WILL find people to connect with.

Aryana

One of my favorite aspects of U.M. is its diversity- culturally, politically, financially, religiously, etc. Despite its hefty tuition, U.M. is generous with scholarships, and so there is a balance between extremely wealthy and more financially tight students. It is not awkward or uncomfortable- the discrepancy is not starkly obvious and everyone intermingles. A large percentage of the student population is composed of international students, and it is common to hear different languages as you walk through campus. This is not to say, however, that there is a strict divide between the different cultures; students from all different nationalities compose friend groups. In addition, there is a strong presence on campus of politically aware and active students; we have hosted presidential debates in the past and are planning on doing the same this year. Students are comfortable protesting or demonstrating (peacefully) when they support a cause or disapprove of something. Most students do put an effort into their appearance, although this is not a requirement. Our students aren't usually decked out in gym clothes or sweats for class, unless it's midterms/finals week, and most students usually look very presentable.

Lauren

Students at UM are very diverse. You have many students who are part of the LGBTQ community, you have many religious students-and all religions might i add-and everyone is accepted. Every race, every group, every student will have a club that caters to their need. If you love anime, there is a club for that. If you love video games, theres one for that too! If you enjoy reading, dancing, learning salsa, learning to cook, anything, there are all types of opportunities for that. Students here are relatively wealthy. That's because their parents are successful and they too will become successful. They party hard but work even harder.

Kateryna

Very diverse. Seem to be tolerant of other religions and people. Many atheists. Mostly rich students. Mostly all are fashionable and look good for class and around campus. Most have a car it seems. Most are Hispanic. Many many have lived in Florida their whole life. Many are inconsiderate and only think of themselves, but there are people who are the nicest most thoughtful and selfless people in the world. There is really no one who would feel out of place here, because there are so many types of people and ethnicities.

Jordan

Growing up as a Cuban-American in predominately Cuban-American Miami, I am happy to say I am no longer the majority at the University of Miami, as odd as that sentence may seem. In fact, I’d reckon there does not exist a majority in the student population of UM. UM’s student body is incredibly diverse, gathering bright, unique students from all over the globe, not just the United States of America, to bring something different to the University of Miami experience. I have made friends from different cities, states, countries, religions, incomes and creeds, all of them wonderful people. Perhaps the best statement that can be made in demonstration of UM’s diverse student body is a close friend I made while interviewing people for an article in the Hurricane, the student-run newspaper, a resident at UM. She is a Jewish girl from Philadelphia, who took a gap year after high school to live in Brazil where she learned fluent Portuguese and Spanish, and is now a Latin American Studies major. We bonded over a plate of my grandmother’s Cuban food leftovers I brought in Tupperware as lunch one day, me teaching her Cuban Spanish colloquialisms and her telling me about her time abroad. That is just one example of the kind of interesting people that can and will be met as a part of the University of Miami experience. Being the University of Miami, of course, there is a strong outspoken LGBT community on campus, much loved and supported by the rest of the student body. In fact, one of the most anticipated and hilarious events of the beginning of Fall Semester is the annual drag show put on by the local LGBT organization on campus. Politics, though not particularly prevalent on campus, do surface from time to time, particularly during Occupy Wall Street movement, whose Occupy Miami branch spent many loud days gathering supporters at the University of Miami. As might be expected of a private university, students are predominately liberal though there are both Young Republican and Young Democrat groups present on campus and open to anyone interested in joining. As far as I have noticed, students seem to come from very diverse economic backgrounds (I myself come from a Miami suburb middle-class one), though there is an undeniable presence of some very nice, expensive cars in the school parking lots. I have yet to see this ever affect student relations, however; if anything these differences only aid them. I first made conversation with and befriended a student from Dubai when I watched him park is 911 Porsche right next to my own car. It should also be noted UM supports 49 percent of full-time graduated with an average of 23, 552 dollars in scholarship money (according to US News), so monetary issues don’t often become an obstacle in applying to UM.

Margaux

For years now we've been ranked as having one of, if not the, most diverse campuses in the country by Princeton Review. We have students from over 100 countries and something like 35{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our students are minorities. If it's diversity you're looking for, this is really the place to be. But we don't just stop at cultural diversity. We have people studying across all disciplines hanging out with each other. It just isn't very cliquish here. I think we must be too big a school to be. And students are relaxed, which is a huge plus. I couldn't have dealt with a high maintenance or high stress school, but everyone here is really low key. Some people dress up for class, but most go very casually. Jeans and t-shirts, leggings and long tank tops and summer dresses are the norm. It's probably the Miami weather -- we rarely go below 50 F in the winter, so clothes remains pretty constant all year round. The one thing I've found is that students are not always enthusiastic. Some don't have much to say in class and aren't the most engaging in conversation. But I also think that might be because they have their specific interests and I just haven't found them yet. But don't worry, you can always find your group. Is LGBT rights your thing? Just knock on SPECTURM's door, they'll be glad to see you and let you crash on one of their couches. Passionate about the ocean? Rho Rho Rho, the SCUBA club and the Aquarium club are always on the lookout for new people to join them. Are you a massive Harry Potter fan? We've got Muggle Quidditch too. Or do you just want to build things? I'm pretty sure there's a robotics club too. We have almost 300 official organizations. There's no way you won't find your crowd here. At the end of the day, you might not be able to relate to everyone on campus, and you probably won't think highly of everyone, but everyone will be friendly. And then once you do find your niche, you'll probably have the time of your life.

Margaux

For years now we've been ranked as having one of, if not the, most diverse campuses in the country by Princeton Review. We have students from over 100 countries and something like 35{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our students are minorities. If it's diversity you're looking for, this is really the place to be. But we don't just stop at cultural diversity. We have people studying across all disciplines hanging out with each other. It just isn't very cliquish here. I think we must be too big a school to be. And students are relaxed, which is a huge plus. I couldn't have dealt with a high maintenance or high stress school, but everyone here is really low key. Some people dress up for class, but most go very casually. Jeans and t-shirts, leggings and long tank tops and summer dresses are the norm. It's probably the Miami weather -- we rarely go below 50 F in the winter, so clothes remains pretty constant all year round. The one thing I've found is that students are not always enthusiastic. Some don't have much to say in class and aren't the most engaging in conversation. But I also think that might be because they have their specific interests and I just haven't found them yet. But don't worry, you can always find your group. Is LGBT rights your thing? Just knock on SPECTURM's door, they'll be glad to see you and let you crash on one of their couches. Passionate about the ocean? Rho Rho Rho, the SCUBA club and the Aquarium club are always on the lookout for new people to join them. Are you a massive Harry Potter fan? We've got Muggle Quidditch too. Or do you just want to build things? I'm pretty sure there's a robotics club too. We have almost 300 official organizations. There's no way you won't find your crowd here. At the end of the day, you might not be able to relate to everyone on campus, but everyone will be friendly. And then once you do find your niche, you'll probably have the time of your life.

Adriana

I have often heard UM described as an elitist school. I do not agree with that statement because we have so many different students from so many different places and circumstances that the school doesn't seem elitist. We have students from all over the world here at UM, so the school does it's best to make sure that have the opportunities to interact with many different people and cultures. Since we are so diverse we have many different organizations which cater to our needs-- be it religious, sexual orientation, race, or even living arrangements (commuter vs. resident). However, no matter how different we are we all CANES and UM emphasizes that very concept.

Steven

Everyone's different. Really a very diverse student body. You'll find people whom are interested in just about anything.

Cory

The student body at UM is really diverse. There are hundreds of clubs, sororities and fraternities, honor societies, and many more. UM tends to have some really cool people and it's pretty easy to make friends because there are so many activities and organizations that are easy to join. There is no way to say there is one stereotype, or even two, of the student body at UM.

Brad

At UM the students don't usually talk politics unless it is brought up in class discussions etc. From my experience most don't talk about it that often however. Going to class you see a wide variety of outfits from as if they are going out to the club or if they just got up. More of that they just got up, or gym wear. I feel no student would really be out of place at this school as most students aren't judgmental of each other, and everyone has a place at this school. Most students are from around Florida however there is a great amount of diversity that you will be sure to notice your first day on campus.

Tiffany

There's a mixture of students here, might take a while to find where you fit in. One of the largest groups on campus is the Federation of Cuban students. Most students wear casual clothes to class and they stick to their group if you weren't apart of it from the beginning. The financial background which is most prevalent is definitely wealthy. Most students are from Miami, if not then from New York or New Jersey.

Carlos

My classmates all know how to have a good time while also maintaining high GRA's and grades in general.

Alyssa

There is every type of culture and ethnicity represented on campus. That being said, it seems like half the school is made up of Miamians and Floridians. The chunga accent gets old pretty fast.

Alyssa

There is every type of culture and ethnicity represented on campus. That being said, it seems like half the school is made up of Miamians and Floridians. The chunga accent gets old pretty fast.

Jessica

My classmates are a driven and diverse group of students with the potential to accomplish great things.

Jaclyn

My classmates tend to be highly motivated, bright individuals with the determination to work hard in order to achieve success in their chosen field.

Jesse

Every college brags about the diversity of its student body but Miami is the most diverse campus in the United States no doubt. There is not a single day where I cant hear multiple languages (not just Spanish) and see students from every country. Not only are there students from all over, everyone interacts as if there are no background differences to separate us. I never realized how much a diverse campus could affect someone until I came here.

Connor

My classmates are fun, always positive, helpful, and eager to work with you whenever there is a problem. Classes are small so each student in the class will be a friend at the end of the semester

Di'eayyah

My classmates are diverse, bilingual, fun, crazy, weird, outgoing, yet some are quiet but thats just the typical college campus.

Chinel

They are diverse.

Arielle

My classmates are an admirable combination of intelligence, focus, spontinaety, and creativity that I am honored to be a part of and to learn from every time I encounter them.

Heriberto

My classmates come from over a hundred different countries. They are all extremely intelligent and hard-working. Most of them are also very helpful and if you ask them for notes for a class that you may not have attended, they will usually be willing to help you.

Kamara

My classmates are from all over the world!

Andres

My classmates are intelligent and down to earth focused on getting a good job.

Emmanuel

My classmates are cooperative in the classroom, and the class sizes are not too big that everyone can know each other.

Eric

Friendly, intelligent, and eager to have a great college experience at a school where relaxation and fun coincide.

Jacquelynn

My classmates are focused, yet are easy to work with, and are helpful in situations like needing class notes, for example.

Nastacia

My classmates are a distinct combination of hard-working, study-aholics and students how do as little as possible to get by.

Stephney

My classmates are a diverse group of individuals. The age range is from 22-41 consisting of both males & females. This is a group representing a wide range of cultural backgrounds with all different types of educational backgrounds. Everyone brings different experiences and opportunities for growth and learning to the classroom and this is most exciting.

Christine

Profession minded. Drived. Creative. Work in groups. Theatrical.

Parris

My classmates are intelligent and competitive.

Morgan

When you visit the University of Miami, everyone is REALLY friendly when you first meet them. After about your second conversation with most people, you will find that pretty much everyone is REALLY superficial and cares about nothing more than going to South Beach (which if you're wondering, is REALLY overrated, and over all pretty unsafe. Very much filled with middle aged guys who like to hit on young girls). For being a school with an average entrance GPA of a 4.2, the student body (and I mean, EVERYONE) cares about nothing but partying. My roommate came back every night throwing up drunk at five AM, as did everyone else on our floor. When I stayed in one night to study, my RA asked me why I was being anti social and I didn't party as much as the other girls. I came to school to get an education, but UMiami is NOT a place you can focus on academics, not because of the professors really, because of the superficial, uncaring, relatively stupid actions of the student body. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. I REGRET IT MORE THAN I CAN SAY. THERE ARE SO MANY BETTER SCHOOLS YOU CAN CHOOSE, SO PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE.

Kimberly

Work hard; play hard; don't waste my time.

Andrew

Most people like to party and have a good time, but when it comes down to time to work, everyone gets to business.

Joseph

They are amazing.

Matthew

intellectual

Michael

If you get to know any classmate from any class, chances are you will become friends with him/her, and classmates are almost always helpful in providing their notes for class and are usually eager to form study groups for exams or projects.

Andres

There is an interesting diversity level throughout my classmates yet, I feel some of them are very closeminded to accepting people from other groups.