Affluent, Arrogant, Apathetic

Introduction
With its immaculate campus, quaint town and academic reputation, Miami University seems like the ideal place to go to college. Tours sell students the image of Miami's small classes, high placement in graduate programs, and safe environment. What they leave out, is that the experience one has at this "Public Ivy" is anything but academic. Few students care about pressing national and international issues, no one really watches the news, campus is completely apathetic politically and class is viewed as much more of a hassle than anything else. People spend more time trying to convince everyone how sucessful their parents are then they do trying to learn and grow. Drug use on campus is suprisingly low, probably because it can be hard to use a lighter when you are completely intoxicated Tuesday through Saturday. The school is striving for student diversity and acdemic superiority, but the majority of the students are too self involved, and drunk, to care.

Campus Life and Social Life
If you like to party and love the bar scene, Miami is probably a good choice for you. The Greek system is an undeniably large influence on the campus and as such your toga and beer coozie will have some use almost every day of the week. Bars uptown are always busy at night and provide a party scene even for those who are not yet 21. Be it dancing, live bands, country music or the classy Alexander House, Oxford can satisfy the needs of any party boy/girl. The social scene on campus would not be complete without every frat brother's favorite service, 524-BEER. That's right... a beer delivery service promises the 'party won't die 'til eight in the morning.' However, if you imagine your college years with you and your pals sitting around a table in a coffee shop discussing free trade and debating the perks of globalization, Miami is not for you. The social life provides open and loving arms for those who make boozing a life-style and turns its back on essentially all other forms of entertainment. Academics
Professors at Miami are pretty impressive. Tolerant of their students who go to every class wasted the second thrusday of every March and approach diversity like it's Ebola, the Prof's at Miami get an A+. Officer hours are a must have for all professors and I have never had a teacher who wasn't willing to meet with me anytime I needed help. The undergraduate business school is seventeenth in the nation and Miami offers one of the best study abroad programs in the country. TAs are not the friendliest bunch, but luckily they are very rare. Almost all classes are taught by Professors. The university has a GREAT lecture series, bringing in the likes of Mikhail Gorbachev and other big names in the news. Sadly, they are not attended by very many students.

Student Body
Students at Miami are affluent, arrogant and apathetic. One is hard pressed to find students who do not come from wealth, wear their parents income on their shirtsleeves and who care about the world outside the Oxford bubble. While studying at the local Starbucks a local man had this to say to me about the Miami student body, "#1 they must be rich because it seems like all the students are driving nicer car than the professors. Everywhere I look I see a 20-something in a luxury car. #2 I'm really starting to think you must need to submit a picture to get in here, everyone is so attractive. #3 I think there is some relationship between money and size, either that or there is a lot of vanity running rampant on campus. There seem to be a lot of girls with eating disorders." I think that guy's coffee must have had a little extra kick, because I'd say thats sums it up pretty well. Of course there are some exceptions to this rule and for those who think of preppiness as more of a lifestyle than a clothing fad... this isnt all that bad. Most students are from upperclass, white suburbs and many love the lack of diversity at Miami.

In Closing...
I don't think that I made the right choice in coming to Miami, because I was blinded by what I saw on my two hour campus tour. I was shocked to find that most of the campus left freshman year closely acquainted with Jose Cuervo and probably unable to identify the role of Ben Bernanke. However, I would not discourage anyone from coming to Miami University. If you watched Animal House and saw exactly what you wanted for your future, or if you just want to spend the next four years being as crazy as possible while getting an education then I say pack your bags and move to Oxford... you will love it here.