Miami University-Oxford Top Questions

Miami gets the reputation of being homogenous. At first glance it may seem that way, but actually Miami's student body is made up of all different types of people. Most people or from Ohio or the Chicagoland area. It is definitely a predominantly Midwestern university. However, different types of students interact, due to the communicative basis of the classroom. I met tons of people who I would have never considered hanging out with from my classes and am happy to have people unlike me to discuss things with.

The students at Miami University are very diverse. A lot of prospective students get a tad nervous when they think about the reputation of Miami students, but do not be alarmed at all! I was once there, as well and it definitely scared me! I can reassure you that you will always find a group of friends that will welcome you with open arms that you feel incredibly connected to. I absolutely love my group of friends... I met them when I was in my freshman dorm. They are still my best friends and I couldn't imagine life without them! The guys here are gentlemen, as well. I feel that I am always having someone open the door for me, which is a small but chivalrous thing to do! I've made some great guy friends, as well, so I am never limited in my friendships! I feel like I am always meeting someone new!

Miami University is very open to all racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and other groups beliefs on campus. There is a diverse student body and there are student groups created on campus to celebrate everyone's differences. Most students are from the midwest and east coast but there is a good number of international and west coast students as well. The financial backgrounds at Miami are mostly middle to upper class. Students at Miami are politically active and there always seems to be discussion about politics in some way, shape, or form. The are where the school is located is predominantly right but there is a number of students on campus who are predominantly left. Students often discuss what kind of job they would like to have after college but not so much a target salary. Student's outfits vary when going to class. Some wear jeans, button down shirts, and top-siders (boat shoes). There are also students who wear sweats and more comfortable and relaxed clothing. Students at Miami are very accepting to all beliefs and try not to go out of their way to make any one student or group feel unwelcome or unsafe.

There is a stereotype of the students at Miami University, and for the most part it is a truthful one. There students at Miami mostly come from rich families and like to go out and party. However, there are regular students who study and work hard, and then are also the types of students that someone would think "weird." While the majority are Miami girls, anyone would be able to find a group of people to feel comfortable with, even if it is a small group, because there is a diversity of students here at Miami. There are definitely different groups for different religions, races, and LGBT supporters. To the extent of my knowledge, all of these clubs and groups are easy to find and to join. They host various different things as well. For example, Spectrum, the LGBT club, often hosts drag shows Uptown, and things like that to raise awareness and support. Students at Miami also show some political interest. Several times there have been organized events to show support for various different causes, such at the Occupy wall Street movement and a protest organized to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from coming and speaking. The political interest seems to be varied, with students being both left and right.

The only student who would feel out of place at Miami University would be a student who is not willing to engage themselves at their university. Students at Miami really enjoy their time at school. There is always a desire to do more, seek more, and very rarely do I meet someone who has not participated in some sort of activity outside of the classroom. Students are very driven, and come from families that are very driven as well. And while these families influence these students, they do not to the point in which students cannot make decisions on their own. One thing I admire most about Miami students is the fact that they are very independent and develop many thoughts and ideas for themselves.

The students at Miami University are very diverse, and becoming increasingly more so as the years progress. I plan on addressing as many of these suggestions as possible. - I've had limited experience with any specific "group" on campus. I'm hesitant to label any of these groups when I've had no contact with them, as I don't feel that will do them justice as the unique human beings that they are. However, I've met people from each of these stereotypes because, on a campus so large and so diverse as Miami, it's impossible to not come into contact with different races, different religions, different sexualities, and different socio-economic means. As a student who studied for a year at a branch campus, the transition to Miami was a little bit different for me. I was overwhelmed by all of the different types of people that actually attend, though it was an eye-opening experience. - The type of clothes that people wear to class is a question that is so unimportant, part of me doesn't even want to spend time answering it. I was under the impression that college is about obtaining an education, not the latest fashion trend, however that does not appear to be the case at Miami. Fulfilling the stereotype as a "rich school," the majority of the students play into this by wearing the latest name brands--Sperrys, Uggs, Coach, you name it and some girl walking down Spring Street is wearing it. And the boys aren't much better--boat shoes and polos even when the weather doesn't call for it. However, fashion choices shouldn't be a main focus when reviewing ones college. - A university as diverse as Miami makes it rather difficult to not interact with different types of students. All different groups interact, though the sorority girls tend to remain with girls from their own circle, as is the same with the fraternity boys. - The wonderful thing about Miami is that there is no way of saying where the majority of students come from. There are a number of different backgrounds from a number of different countries. Likewise financially--there are scholarship students, those on financial aid, and those blessed with the income to not have to worry about their college tuition as much as the next person. Political views are also hard to determine as well. One would assume that most students veer towards the right, but political views are not something that most people casually talk about at dinner...unless they're a political science major, and then maybe they do.

If the United States is the great mixing pot, so is Miami University. At a first, superficial glance, people assume that all the students are the same: white, middle or upper class. But in reality, Miami University has a surprisingly rich mix of diversity, particularly for an Ohio school. The undergraduate body is comprised of over eleven percent multicultural students, and foreign exchange students. These students come from all areas of the world, and bring with them their unique cultures and interests. Miami University supports cultural differences through a verity of social events and clubs, which are open to any student. It is difficult to take courses and not run into several students who come from different backgrounds and offer different perspectives. For classes, students dress differently as well. While many students do dress in sweats, an equally large number dress nicely. There are students who wear designer clothes and students who wear clothes from more modest origins. No matter how you dress, however, you are not considered much of an outcast, because the diversity guarantees the same type of diversity in manners, conduct, and personal preferences. No matter what type of person one considers themselves, rested assured he or she will find friends of like nature at Miami University. Still, Miami University is not a vision of equality in these concerns. While there are many international students, it is also true that there are many students from Ohio. And of these students, many are white and from upper or middle classes. Another point of contention is that, even though a student may easily find like students, there are many social cliques at Miami. Students tend to find groups and stick within side them. The fortunate news is that each quad on campus has a different personality, and with that, a student can feel welcome. Central and Western quads tend to be less involved in Greek life, and also more socially mobile, in concerns to who they interact with. North quads are more involved in Greek life, and thus the environment is very different.

Miami is not known for their diversity racially, but I have met so many different types of people while at Miami that I do not feel like I have missed out on much. Students have different backgrounds, personalities, and experience, building a unique and strong student body. I personally do not care how much money people come from or what their political views are, so I cannot answer that for Miami, but I do not think that it is important to know that either. I think that if you feel like you belong and are comfortable around the other students, than that is all that matters. There are people at Miami that are interested in getting a high paying job and then there are some that are just interested in getting married,but it is not fair to stereotype everyone. With all of the opportunities that Miami offers for students to get involved, it is not difficult to find a group of friends that you belong with. As far as dress goes, most people believe that all Miami students dress up for class, that is not entirely true. You will see your fair share of North Faces, Uggs, JCrew, leggings, and designer clothes galore, but students do go to class in sweats although not the norm. The Miami look is pretty preppy, but styles come and go, so everyone finds something they like, and they adapt the prep look to their own fashion likes.

Miami is a generally caucasian, upper-middle to upper class, Christian, heterosexual, conservative campus. While there is diversity on campus, a lot of it is found in athletes and foreign exchange students. Most of our asian FES population keep to themselves and do not interact outside of their groups. This can also be said about the majority of other minorities on campus. In this sense, Miami can be viewed as somewhat divided among races and ethnicities. There are, of course, exceptions as many of the people who I have met are very welcoming and open minded. Personally, I have close friends of all races. One of my closest friends is black and rejects the idea that his race should determine his friends. (He jokes that he is whiter me sometimes.) That being said, this particular friend comes from a very rich suburb of Columbus and perfectly fits the Miami stereotype outside of his race.

The students at my school are mostly white, with the exception of the small multi-cultural community. Miami has made strides in expanding diversity, with our current freshman class being the largest amount of diverse student in the history of admission. My experiences dealing with other students on campus, have ranged from horrible to positive. You have some ignorant student and even residents of Oxford, who don't accept equality, but it's minimally shown, unless blatantly displayed. One time I walked from getting something to eat, and a students in a passing car squirted me with a water gun, calling me a N*. It was devastating, but it was reported to the police and responded by the faculty with a town hall meeting that ended positively. It's hard to gap the multi-cultural barrier for many students, which is Miami lacks a lot. Students from lower-income backgrounds and diverse population will feel out of place, because of the type of students that typical attend Miami. You have your preppy kid, with J. Crew, North Face, Uggs and Sperrys' in classes with you, almost making you feel that everyone is plastic. Miami students are usually in cliques, whether it's organizational, Greek, or just friend-wise. Different types of students usually interact in classrooms, and through events, but it usually requires a bigger person to step up and take up the challenge to do so. Miami does represent mostly a bigger demographic of wealthy, white students, but gradually this is changing through diversity initiatives.