Miami University-Oxford Top Questions

At Miami, students must live on campus their first two years at school. The dorms differ depending on location and if they are part of a Living Learning Community. Living Learning Communities are typically where first year students like. For example, I am in the Celebrate the Arts LLC. I chose this because of my love for theater. Choosing an LLC based on your interests really helps with the transition into college. You are living with others that share some similarities in activities, but also get to meet others with other interests. Dorms vary in sizes and locations, but overall are fairly clean and the rooms (I think!) are pretty large compared to other schools I have been to.

From the outside the dorms are very classically beautiful. Most are made of brick with the exception of some of the dorms on Western campus that are made of stone. Because Miami's campus is so historic, some of the dorms that have been around longer have rooms that are on the smaller side. Personally, I live in Anderson Hall. It is a gorgeous building with amenities such as a study and rec room in the basement as well as the "Grandma room" just outside of the lobby. It's a great and convenient place to live but it could use some renovations as far as the shower and dorm rooms go. Other dorms like Havighurst and Symmes offer much larger rooms and even walk-in closets, so it really just depends on where you end up.

It can be scary moving from home into a shared dorm room, but Miami does a great job making their new students truly feel welcomed and comfortable. From themed dorms to quiet study rooms to entertainment rooms to awesome RAs, your dorm-life will be a time to remember. in addition, the dorms are not overwhelming large, so there is a real sense of community and you always see a familiar face. It does not compare to living at home, but since the dorms are so well taken care of and friendly, it really does make freshman year and beyond so much more comfortable.

Dorms at Miami University are somewhat intimate, yet you aren't in everyone's business, per say. Most dorms have 3 stories and a basement. These dorms are beautiful because they are mostly all brick. Almost all, save four, are co-ed. Each hallway has a resident assistant that will answer any question you may have and also comes up with great ideas for the people in your hall to get to know one another!

It really depends on where you are on campus. My first two years I was on a different part of campus that was once its own school, so the dorms were really different. We had some of the biggest rooms on campus, which was wonderful. My freshman year dorm, called Thomson Hall, had six kitchens. Unfortunately this lead to lots of fire alarms going off! Every dorm has at least one communal kitchen, and every dorm has at least one common area where you can hang out, study, and where there's programming. Lots of students leave their doors open, at least during the beginning of the year.

A continuation of Miami dorm tour on the women's floor.

A tour of one of Miami's freshman dorms.