University of Missouri-Columbia Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

Kelsie

High Greek Life and "party school" especially since we just entered the SEC.

Angela

Athletes, liberal activists, artists/musicians, party-goers and Greek life, creative writers, nature lovers of the agricultural department, dread heads, social media buffs-magazine/web editors, international/cultured students, photographers, and computer/technology/digital oriented people. All of these groups have cross cultural subgroups within them.

Jon

One common stereotype is that the students here are below average in terms of grades. Many people think that since so many people get accepted here, that the university must have low standards and just lets anyone in. However, like at every school you have kids who do well, kids who do average, and those who flunk out. It is no different than most schools and I have found that many of the people I know are very determined to do well on all of their assignments and tests. And many of them do.

Emily

My school is filled with all greek students that are either Journalism or business students. Everyone is either from Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago or Texas. We are all conservative. My school is less than 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} greek which isn't even a huge precent of the student body. Most people are journalism and businesses students because are very good majors at Mizzou. A lot of people are from Missouri because we are Missouri.

Julianne

There is a common stereotype of Mizzou as being in the middle of nowhere. This couldn't be farther from true, as Columbia, Missouri is a flourishing town with lots of opportunity and possibilities. College is an experience that is what you make of it. The culture of Mizzou and the college-town setting it resides in offers nothing less than the best for an amazing future career. There is always something to do, in a safe and welcoming environment. It is something that you need to experience for yourself, the pride of black and gold can be felt absolutely everywhere.

Whitney

Mizzou is typically stereotyped as a big party school. Also, since it is in Missouri, many people stereotype it as "in the middle of nowhere." While there are definitely numerous parties at Mizzou, there are so many other things to do as well that "a party school" alone doesn't define the school. Also, the stereotype that it is in the middle of nowhere isn't true. Columbia is a decent size and has an active downtown, shopping, movies, and other things to do. Not to mention it is right in between both St Louis and Kansas City making it easy to take a day or weekend trip to either of those locations.

Allison

A major stereotype is that Mizzou is a party school and it is accurate...almost. Mizzou does not party for the sake of it, we party hard for our colors and our teams. Going downtown after a big win is the best way to experience the pride we have because you'll instantly get swept into a sea of gold t-shirts and tiger ears.

Christine

The stereotype of Mizzou students is usually greek, good looking, not very academic, partiers. It's definitely a very true stereotype and many students on campus fit this role, there are many other students on campus! Non greeks on campus have active social lives and go to the same parties sometimes as the greeks. There are plenty of highly intelligent, academically driven students, and plenty of students who don't drink if you don't. It's such a big school that it is easy to meet someone that you will have things in common with, so if you're not big on sororities/fraternities you should still give MU a chance :)

Nicholas

Well, stereotypes at Mizzou are kind of tricky. The main groups that you find on campus are generally separated by the College that they are in. The Business School is where you will find the majority of the Greek population. Business school people tend to be the best dressed on campus and a lot of "face-timing" is done in Cornell Hall. While they may act superior to everybody else, the upper-level courses are no joke and the kids in this school will undoubtedly make the most money. Being in the Midwest, Mizzou has a large contingent of "farm kids". These are found in CAFNR or College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. These kids tend to stick together no matter what classes they are in, and know everybody in their program. The uniform for them is wranglers, tight jeans and a carhartt jacket, even in September. They are also some of the most polite people at Mizzou. Another prominent stereoptype on campus is the Journalism(J-School to them) School student. They can be seen traipsing across campus in their too-tight jeans, messenger bags and Toms shoes. They go to the best Journalism school in the country, and they want everybody to know it. They also think that every other major at MU is a waste of time and budget. The J-school is also full of religious Apple fanboys.

Shafi

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Chauntee

A common stereotype about students at Mizzou is that they are solely focused on partying. What I have learned through my attendance here is that while students are quite capable of throwing amazing social events, they are intent on utilizing their education to improve their respective fields.

Alya

they party a lot but this stereotype incorrect

Kym

Since Mizzou is a public university, it is home to all different types of people. For the most part, students are casual and laid-back. About 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of campus is Greek, so their presence can be easily seen, however if you're not involved in Greek life, it is not overwhelming. Because of the 30,000+ student population, there are all different kinds of people (typical trust fund kids students on full scholarships; students who spend all weekend, every weekend buried in books; people who find any excuse to go out; and everything in between). It's extremely easy to find your niche here. The one thing that can be easily seen whenever stepping foot on campus is the extraordinary amount of school spirit. So basically, as long as someone is willing to campout all night for a basketball game, lose their voice at a football game, and be prepared to own more gold shirts than they knew existed, they'll fit right in.

Andrea

The University of Missouri is a large, exciting campus. There are many stereotypes of the students that attend my school. A big portion of the students are affiliated with Greek fraternities and sororities. These kids are often seen as partiers. In fact, Mizzou is seen as a party school. There are constantly parties, and people are always around. Most of the students go to parties, but during the week the campus calms and students are studying and working. There are always people studying in Ellis Library and the Student Center. So, even though Mizzou is viewed as a big party school, we also have outstanding academic success.

Shafi

Mizzou definitely has a reputation for being a party school and if you're a party animal, you'll feel right at home here. Mizzou is much more than that though. Whether you're here to spend all your time in the library, work out at the rec (ranked number 1 in the nation by ESPN), or hit up parties, you'll find other people like you here.

Kaitlyn

Well it is a party school and people believe that if you go to mizzou you will gain 22. I actually lost 22 pounds instead.

Tessa

Currently, Mizzou is the largest university in Missouri with almost 34,000 students enrolled. The great thing about this is that with such a large number of students you are surrounded by an abundance of personalities and interests, making it very difficult to stereotype the current students. However, one thing that really attracted me to Mizzou was all the opportunities the university provides, making it easy be whoever you want to be and to make tons of friends while doing it! With over 600 registered student organizations there are clubs dedicated to sports, politics, art, academics, and much more. Additionally, we have a large greek system with numerous fraternities and sororities that help you to get involved. As for stereotypes, it would be impossible to have just one. That's what makes it so great, you will always find your niche at Mizzou.

Danielle

Most of the common stereotypes about students at my school are frat kids, given as over 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my campus is Greek. There fair few jocks, but they are very welcoming. The campus is big enough so you can choose to either be with your high school friends or not.

Brooke

No one stereotype matches the entire student body. There are however, stereotypes that go along with students involved in Greek Life, sports, academic organizations, and other various associations. I work at the Women's Center on campus, where we work a lot with diversity and try and avoid stereotypes. I have met some people that do not match the stereotype affiliated with their group.

Connor

The usual stereotype at Mizzou is that all the students are affluent caucasians. I would have to disagree with that stereotype since I've came to Mizzou. Although there are a lot of affluent white kids throughout campus, Mizzou is truly a melting pot of all ethnicities. This really gives every student the opportunity to enrich their knowledge of other cultures and traditions from around the globe.

Shivan

If you are an out of state student you must be a journalism major. False, I am a out of state student and I am not. The University of Missouri provides a excellent education in a variety of subjects not just journalism. The University of Missouri is a party school. Any school can be a party school if you want to party. I am Greek. Our Greek system is large, if socializing is your thing the greek system provides many opportunities, however, one doesn't need to join a fraternity or sorority to have fun. Students are primarily from Kansas CIty, St. Louis, or Texas. True.

Kristyn

I believe the most common stereotype of students at the University of Missouri- Columbia is smart, but party people. Mizzou is known as a huge party school, but on the other hand, you have to have a pretty good ACT score and decent grades to be accepted to the university. In my opinion, this stereotype only represents about one-half or less of the students at Mizzou. There is so much diversity at this school and so many ways to get involved, there is no way you could chose one stereotype for the school as a whole. No matter who you are or what you are interested in, you will fit in with someone at Mizzou. Yes, there are a lot of people that all they do is party and they don't focus on school much, but those people do not last long at Mizzou. This university takes a lot of hard work and dedication and if you do not stay on top of your schoolwork, you will not last long at this university.

Sam

I've found very few stereotypes exist on the University of Missouri campus, aside from those polluting the Greek community. This campus is diverse, and each "group" coexists peacefully and has their niche in the student population. There are so many clubs and activities it is easy to find your place amongst your peers.

Haris

People think that everyone at Mizzou is an avid party-goer. While the average Friday night heralds several dozen parties, not all students attend. Less than 75{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students attend parties. More importantly, over 97{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Mizzou students will not drink alcohol if they have academic obligations the following day. There may be many party-ers, but the vast majority are very responsible.

Allyson

After I decided to attend Mizzou, a common response from my peers regarding my decision usually sounded like: "Oh, so you're going to a party school?" or "So you're going there to get your degree in Budweiser?" But these are just stereotypes that make Mizzou look like its no work and all play. Mizzou actually has top rated academic programs and in my experience, a great reputation with many employers. My classes are definitely not easy and I have to work pretty to maintain my grades. Every school has parties, and every school has work!

Miles

The stereotype of students at my school are frat kids, Asians, and over-achievers. The frat kids go out a lot and pay very much attention to local and national sports. The Asians appear as if they do not even know that important sports games are played in our city. They are all very smart and can be found in large groups at the library and recreational facility. There's is also a large group of "over-achievers" who seem to be involved in every campus activity and organization.

Breanna

I think the most common stereotype of University of Missouri students are that we are all sports-obsessed Greek members. The reason behind this stereotype is our large Greek system and the Columbia-wide Mizzou sports pride. However, not all University of Missouri students are members of a fraternity or a sorority, and there are so many houses that it's easy to choose one that's perfect for any personality. Although Mizzou students tend to come together over a football game, there are numerous smaller niches for whatever interests you have. There are organizations on campus for Medieval Jousting all the way to Accounting practice, and everything in between.

Anna

The primary stereotype of the students who attend The University of Missouri, is that they are big time party animals. From what I've seen this sometimes holds true, but as many students go out to party, I see twice as many who stay home to study.

Kristen

For the most part, there isn't one certain stereotype at my school. Sorority girls are said to be snobs and promiscuous, the football players are dumb, journalism students are weird and the engineering majors are nerd. But from my experience, this isn't true at all. Sure, there are going to be people that fit those assumptions, but they definitely do not apply to everyone. I have friends from all different majors, social organizations and teams. Everyone is different in their own way and listening to stereotypes will only cloud your judgement on a very important decision!

Paul

The biggest stereotype is that if you’re a Mizzou student, you are a in a frat or sorority and you go to Journalism school. There are quite a few people that match this description, but it is definitely busted as an accurate stereotype. I definitely felt like I represented an alternative to this type of student while at Mizzou. It is very easy to plug into a group of people who live outside of the Greek system, either through dorm life, student activities, or “scenes” in downtown Columbia. There are tight knit groups of artists, activists, musicians and way more that appeal to people not interested in Greek Life.

Joshua

The stereotype at my school is a bunch of kids who just go to college so they can party. People think that everyone who goes to Mizzou doesn't care about their education or their future. This is far from the truth because there are a lot of extremely smart and future-oriented students. With that being said, you still do have all of the frat kids and jocks that you would see at any large university. The University of Missouri has some nationally recognized programs including Journalism and Business, which attract a lot of talented kids from around the country. For these reasons, the stereotype of Mizzou is not completely true because in the end, pretty much every student is here to get their education, rather than just partying and messing around during their time here.

Melyssa

One of the stereotypes given to students at Mizzou is "Greek kids". Greek life at Mizzou is very important for some students, and many people have misconstrued thoughts about what it means to be "Greek". For example, people think that if you join a Frat, all you are thinking about is getting laid and partying all the time. In reality, those things are only a fraction of what being Greek is all about (aside from getting laid, that is a personal thing). There are many things involved in going Greek. Examples include meeting new people, being involved in community service, philanthropy, getting good grades, and becoming apart of something. I am not Greek, but I know a lot of Greek students and they see their Frat brothers and Sorority sisters as family. Most of them say that going Greek was the best thing they have ever done. It really forces you to be involved in the community. After meeting so many people that are Greek, it makes me wish I could go back in time and join a Sorority.

Taylor

A lot of people see Mizzou as a greek school. With 28 fraternities and soon to be 15 sororities, a lot of students choose to go greek. Those who aren't greek are known lovingly as GDI's (God Damn Independents). Either way, there are stereotypes on both sides. As a sophomore I've spent a year with a no greek affiliation and this year I joined a sorority last minute. Honestly greek or non-greek doesn't really matter because I have friends who are greek and who aren't. There are also plenty of opportunities outside the greek community. Mizzou is really about what you make it, so all in all stereotypes shouldn't matter!

Taylor

A lot of people see Mizzou as a greek school. With 28 fraternities and soon to be 15 sororities, a lot of students choose to go greek. Those who aren't greek are known lovingly as GDI's (God Damn Independents). Either way, there are stereotypes on both sides. As a sophomore I've spent a year with a no greek affiliation and this year I joined a sorority last minute. Honestly greek or non-greek doesn't really matter because I have friends who are greek and who aren't. There are also plenty of opportunities outside the greek community. Mizzou is really about what you make it, so all in all stereotypes shouldn't matter!

Erin

You'll run across the typical fraternity or sorority member, out of state journalism scholar, country boy or enthusiastic Tiger fan now and again. However, I've made one of the most eclectic and diverse group of friends in the past two and a half years. So many people who I wouldn't have expected to meet, I now call friends.

Maddie

Such a large school is hard to stereotype - there are thousands of exceptions to every rule. People point to the large Greek population, massive turnout for football games, large number of parties, huge presence of the Journalism school and average academics when they look at Mizzou. Greeks and football fans are of course very visible, but there's really so much more going on beneath the surface. For every frat boy waving a foam finger in the bleachers, there's an engineer working equations in the library stacks.

Abbie

While Mizzou is a fun campus with plenty of party options, it is by far not all that this campus is about! There are so many things to do on campus and in the city of Columbia that don't involve alcohol if that's not your thing. What I love about Mizzou is how diverse it is as a school, and really any stereotype given could not completely encompass this huge university.

Laquisha

I wouldn't say that there are any well known stereotypes about students at the University of Missouri. I went to high school in Missouri and we heard about Mizzou all the time, and I never heard of any. MU is a very diverse university. There are students from all walks of life. There are a lot of Greek students and Greek centered events, but they are in no way the majority. There is something at Mizzou for each type of student. The university is committed to diversity in all ways.

Jordan

Although almost 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students are greek, this is not the only way to make friends. Many people become close with people they meet through their residence hall or clubs.

Emily

At Mizzou, most students are greek. It seems like it's an overwhelming number but besides that we're just like any other school. Mostly white with a wide arrange of different types of students. Lots of Journalists!