University of Mississippi Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Sandra

My classmates are always very nice and ready to learn!

Julianne

My classmates in the class of 2018 (the largest number of freshman EVER at Ole Miss) are ridiculously smart and talented; it has been amazing getting to know them and accept them with all their interesting personalities.

Destiny

Students are.... well, students. I honestly don't think they understand how good they have it. A majority of them don't have anything to bring them down because their parents spoil them, but not all of them are bad. It's not hard to strike up a conversation with anybody, but I think that may be the southern hospitality coming out of us. Some seem to look down on others and be judgmental, but that's anywhere.

William

The student body is welcoming, active, and well balanced.

LaShonda

My classmates are full of energy and ready to ask questions when they don't understand something.

Taylor

Tolerance is a word I like to use to describe the campus at Ole Miss. I was surprised to see how many different religions and races were attending such a historically conservative school. I am hoping that the representation on campus today has somewhat broken the stereotype of being a rich, white, racist school. I personally have noticed the interaction between students becoming more and more complex. People are no longer just chatting in class, they are now becoming best friends and living together and doing activities that are not academically related.

Jacob

Ole Miss is a very diverse university. Though are still many negative stereotypes about race relations in Mississippi, but that is simply not true. Ole Miss is the kind of university that makes everyone welcome. Even if you are shy and reserved, the people, students and faculty alike, are welcome and friendly and will strike up a conversation about any topic. A majority of the students are from five areas: Mississippi (obviously), West Tennessee (Memphis Primarily), Louisiana and East Texas (A lot of Dallas and Houston). The students at Ole Miss continue to grow and change with the always growing freshman class. Where we will be in four years really depends on who comes in for the next couple of years.

Jacob

Ole Miss is a very diverse university. Though are still many negative stereotypes about race relations in Mississippi, but that is simply not true. Ole Miss is the kind of university that makes everyone welcome. Even if you are shy and reserved, the people, students and faculty alike, are welcome and friendly and will strike up a conversation about any topic. A majority of the students are from five areas: Mississippi (obviously), West Tennessee (Memphis Primarily), Louisiana and East Texas (A lot of Dallas and Houston). The students at Ole Miss continue to grow and change with the always growing freshman class. Where we will be in four years really depends on who comes in for the next couple of years.

tien

they are friendly and cheerful.

Taylor

My classmates are diverse, and spirited with the southern pride of Ole Miss.

Jennifer

My classmates show a great deal of southern hospitality and are willing to go out of their way to meet you and make you feel at home.

Anna

My classmates vary from International students to Mississippi residents. Each are diverse in their background, religious beliefs, and hobbies.

Lucinda

Wealthy.

Jesse

This is a great SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. That does not mean racist. Beautiful people, but religious, which does mean marriage is between a man and a woman. If you don't like that, don't show up at Ole Miss. Their was a gay lesbian club but it seemed to be a political correct group, and maybe a few true gays that were lost.

Morgan

The most fun loving people I have ever met in my life, and will be friends of mine forever.

Chelsea

My classmates are friendly, caring, and fun-loving.

Tanna

Somewhat varied, but mostly quintessential southerners.

Ryla

My classmates are outgoing and fun to be around.

Angel

Classmates tend to be younger, well-dressed, and career oriented, as opposed to more mature and intellectually curious.

Scott

The girls are beautiful and the guys are gentlemen.

Camille

If you are a part of the honors college this is less of an issue, but a lot of people at this school are far more focused on their social lives than their academic careers.

ali

politics is a very hot topic at ole miss, always has been, always will be. ole miss hosted the first presidential debate between mccain and obama, which was a huge deal for us and everyone was very excited. the entire fall semester, everyone really showed who they were supporting, and many were very in your face about it. but now that things have calmed down since the election, things seem to have returned to normal. ole miss has managed to put the days of racism and james meredith behind it. most students are christian. there are lots of campus organizations for catholic, jewish, etc, but none of them do more than have weekly or so meetings. the student body is very diverse but believe it or not, it's not uncommon to see the homecoming queen/sorority president eating lunch with the biology club president/theatre nerd. what you wear really is a big deal... girls are always dressed their best with full make up and the southern girl "poof" (as my roommate calls it) - except for class, when little more is done after rolling out of bed. nike running shorts and oversized tshirts are usually worn and when it gets cold, it's leggings and uggs.

Evan

Some are good, and some are bad.

Gene

They are really nice.

Jaime

As an art student, the peers in my classes are extremely friendly and give good critique and input on project work. Students may be more distant in larger auditorium courses, but it is not difficult to make friends up here.

Samantha

They are my friends and peers.

Anna

My classmates at Ole Miss are, for the most part, pretty snotty and stuck up and only worried about hanging out with or getting to know people who are just like them and tend to stick with people from the same socio-economic class, but a lot of others try and fit in with people from a "higher" socio-economic class than they come from in order to feel like they belong here at Ole Miss.

Craig

Two extremes: responable and good or ilresponable and imature

Shelly

I'm involved in several different groups on campus and I personally love every one of them. There's so much diversity that no matter what type of person you are everyone can find their certain group that they fit into.

Ann

The student body of Ole Miss is mainly white, middle-class, Christian-raised, Southern-bred. However, there are many, many exceptions, as there are to any stereotype. Ole Miss is not a very diverse place. There are a number of international students, but they are a tiny percentage of the student body. Students are either in sororities/fraternities or they are not involved in Greek life. There is a big distinction between these two options. Sorority girls are not all spoiled rich blondes, but there certainly are a fair number of these.

Elizabeth

Most students wear t-shirts and shorts to class.

Mary

I think our student body gets along well for the most part. We are segregated racially but that is how it has seemed to work out and everyone seems to like it that way. But we still have activities when we get together and it works well too.

Jordan

Most student body is Christian. There are not really many religious confilts due the the predominantly Christian faith. Those outside this may feel out of place, and weird. Also, Ole Miss is dominated by students from the South. Those students not from the South experience Culture Shock everyday, and some never ever get over it. Boys wear a polo and jeans or khakis daily to class, or a Greek t-shirt. Girls wear a greek t-shirt and work out shorts or pants. I do not know about much interacting of students outside the non-greek system. Financial background... most everyone is living off Daddy's money, and daddy's credit card. That's enough said financially, you take the hint. It's only one's dream to be as rich as Daddy one day. Most students here were brought up in a conservative frame of mind. They will be right-minded till the day they die.

Jordan

it seems that ole miss is very segregated. but not by the lack of ole miss. most students are rich/weel off white students. in my classes of 30 there are probably one or two black students. the workers (um staff, yard crew, food staff) are mostly black.

Katie

Ole Miss is very interested in interracial activities. There is an organization on campus called Respect Mississippi. The goal of this organization is to encourage all races and ethnicities to come together on campus and get to know one another.

hannah

i think our student body is laid back and diverse. i could get more diverse but i can see some serious efforts to change this.

Ashley

The Ole Miss Student body is one that is filled with diversity and variation. From the different races, religions, and groups on campus there is something for everyone at Ole Miss. When you walk in to the Student Union on campus you can see only a few of the 200 plus groups and organizations that are available here at Ole Miss. As a whole, anyone with any interest would be able find some type of extracurricular activity to get involved with here at Ole Miss.

Christy

I feel like I have a lot of friends at Ole Miss with different backgrounds. I know people from California to Florida and everywhere embetween. There seems to be a lack of a middle class in the Oxford area in general, but the university seems to be a little more balanced. Students typically go to class in very casual attire.

Janna

Here is the basic "sorority girl dress code" at Ole Miss: oversized sorority t-shirt and Nike shorts. In the winter, throw on a pair of tights under the shorts and add Uggs and a North Face Jacket. Many Ole Miss students come from families that are well-off financially. The school is predominantly conservative, but there are a few of us liberals hiding around. No matter what ethnic, racial, financial or social background you are from, you will find a place at Ole Miss. There are all kinds of people from many different states and countries. You just have to put yourself out there.

Susan

Ole Miss students are known for dressing up for football games. Going to class though, students usually just wear jeans or shorts and t-shirts, nothing fancy. Ole Miss has a big Greek system, which can get old. The Greeks tend to think that the university revolves around them; however, as an independent my freshman year, I still had a great experience and hung out at both frat and sorority houses. Now I'm a member of a sorority, and it's been a positive experience as well. Most students who go here at first seem to be rich white kids, and honestly a lot of them are. I'm definitely not rich, but I don't feel left out ever. There doesn't seem to be a lot of diversity at first, but trust me, there definitely are all different types of students at Ole Miss.

Rebekka

I hang out with a fairly liberal crowd, so I meet all sorts of people. The only people I don't seem to meet a lot of are Greeks and Republicans, and I still know quite a few of each group.

Lindsay

My experiences at Ole Miss were non-discriminatory. I never was a victim of, or witnessed any discrimination. The typical Ole Miss student usually comes from high socio-economic families. Most of the student body is Conservative and Moderate.

meghan

I've been a part of a couple religious groups on campus and great. They are all really welcoming and accepting of other students. Ole Miss also has thriving black student union which has a huge involvement and presence on campus. LGBT--we have a decently sized population and I feel that the other students are open to all of these. I have a class with a couple members of the Gay Straight Union, and we love them. The square is also the perfect place for gay guys to shop.. I honestly dont see any student feeling out of place. There are so many stereotypes at Ole Miss, but unless you completely segregate yourself, theres going to be someone or some group to welcome you here. Contrary to popular belief, students dont dress up to go to class. We may pull out our sunday best to go to football games, but basically everyday to class I'll wear jeans and a tshirt/shorts and a tshirt. Its grand. I think all types of students interact on campus. So many campus organizations have such a huge presence here in not only campus involvement but community involvement as well that the meshing of these groups really gives students of all different backgrounds a chance to interact. If there were 4 tables in the union of students one would be 4 sorority girls chatting about their night last night, another would be a table of football players in their windsuits not really saying much..just eating, another would be a table of awkward freshman looking at their schedule and trying to figure out where their next class is, and yet another would be a table of fraternity boys talking about their weekend duck hunt. Most students are from the south, though we have a huge representation from the rest of the country. I've had a roommate from a different state each year--last year's being from California. It's awesome. While Mississippi is in fact the poorest state, many students are rather affluent. Theres a lot of money at Ole Miss and lots of people like to flaunt it. Students are indeed very politically active. College Democrats and Republicans have huge voter registration drives all the time and many big political figures come to speak on campus. Last year we had Trent Lott, John McCain, Tom Daschle, and even the King of Jordan. Ole Miss is hosting the presidential debate in September thanks to many of our alumni who are big wigs in washingotn. The school is stereotyped as being a really really conservative school. However, most people are really very intellectual and informed on their political standing. I would say that most teachers are fairly liberal while a majority of the students are conservative, but a large chunk of students being rather liberal or moderate themselves. And yes...students are very driven by future earnings. It's not uncommon to hear students discussing what type jet they will be purchasing in a few years.