Miami University (Ohio) Pros and Cons

LoveandHonor
Tue, 18 Apr 2017 02:00:07 +0000

Miami alum here.

Pros:

Strong undergrad academics: yes, the Farmer Business School gets a lot of attention; but the undergrad education, music, architecture, graphic design, pre-med, and pre-law programs are also particularly well regarded. One positive I have experienced is the accessibility of professors and tutors to help when needed.

Beautiful campus

Excellent study abroad program

Involved, extraverted study body: there is an unspoken expectation that you will get involved - whether it be intramural sports (which are hugely popular), politics (college republicans and democrats are the #2 and #3 largest groups on campus respectively), greek life, etc. Miami is not a good fit for meek wall flowers.

Strong and organized alumni network

Decent job recruiting resources and prospective employer pull

Reasonably intelligent student body - yes, some are lazy (like anywhere), but most take their education somewhat seriously and are generally ambitious and competitive in the classroom. That said, we’re not talking about Ivy League intellectuals here.

Negatives:

Entitled students: some, but certainly not all, students are aloof, appearance-conscious, wealthy suburbanites; which can be intimidating to be around for those lacking self-confidence

Disconnection from the world outside - not true for all, given the large participation in the college republicans and democrats, but certainly for some; Oxford is a remote college town and has the feel of a private college

Lack of school spirit - I hate to post this, but it is currently true. Attendance at sporting events has been anemic.
This is true for two key reasons: 1) because the teams in the major sports - football, basketball, and hockey - have been weak until this year. 2) With the exception of hockey, Miami plays in a mid-major conference (MAC) and plays large conference teams on a limited basis only. Most students will not get excited about a basketball game against Kent State. If you are expecting big, festive tailgates and 40K students in the seats, you will be disappointed.

Party school reputation - deserved; although the university administration and city of Oxford are gradually taking steps to address this

Neutral:

Greek system: This is a controversial topic. Only 35% of the student body is greek, and the greeks do not dominate campus life. However, since a number of national fraternities and sororities were founded at Miami, the impact of greeks on campus seems outsized. I have friends that both loved and hated being a part of the greek system. I have many friends that were perfectly happy and involved on campus without participating - and they had no difficulty developing a large social group. However, there seems to be a growing rift between the greeks and non-greeks on campus; as the greeks have largely been responsible for most publicized incidences of bad student behavior over the last handful of years. As a result, the university administration has begun taking a hard line on greek student misbehavior. I would expect the greek community to remain an essential part of campus though; as the greek community tends to be wealthy, well-connected, and provide a relatively high number of donors to the university. Relevant example - current House Speaker Paul Ryan.