As a Miami alum, I’ll do my best to address the stereotypes you’ve listed. Party school rep - yes, this reputation is somewhat warranted, but not entirely. To a degree, all colleges are party schools; and your college experience is entirely of your making. I would summarize Miami U as a work hard/play hard environment. Students are VERY social and involved - and I’m not referring to partying. As a result, very shy people or those severely lacking in self confidence may find Miami U intimidating. Note this link to the Miami web site which discusses the 450 clubs and activities outside of the greek system or club sports: http://miamioh.edu/news/top-stories/2015/04/clubs.html I did not feel pressure to party simply to fit in, given there are so many other things to do. Academics are absolutely taken seriously - and this is where the ‘public ivy’ reputation is warranted to a degree. Not every major or program Miami U offers is highly ranked, but many are, including business (all), zoology (including pre-med), poly sci (pre-law), education (all), manufacturing and paper science engineering, music, architecture, and gerontology - and these are just off the top of my head. Miami’s strong reputation for undergraduate education focus (vs. grad school primary focus of many schools) is warranted. The academic environment is competitive, but not cut throat. My academic experience was far from passive, and I would say that most of my friends felt the same way. The advising/tutoring and research opportunities are there - but it’s up to the student to take advantage of them. While there is an elitest contingent of students, I did not find it to be the norm. I suppose the unfriendliness is tied to the perceived elitism. Many students are affluent, but certainly not everyone. The population of the state of Ohio is 87% caucasian. Miami U is actually more ethnically diverse than this percentage, but not by a dramatic amount.
I would strongly recommend you visit the campus if you can, as that is the best way to determine if Miami U (or any school) is the right fit for you. Best of luck in your decision.