NOT JUST J. CREW

Introduction
The greatest advice I could give to a high school student considering Miami is to visit during the school year, while school is in session. Looks can be decieving to those who visit during the summer. The reason I came to Miami was for the great academics.

Campus Life and Social Life
The best part of social life here at Miami is that there's a great variety of things to do. There's a great variety of Greek life, club and intramural sports as well as D-I sports (that are free for Miami students to attend), a club for whatever political/social/hobbying mood you may be in, and an awesome recreation center.

The worst part is feeling excluded from some public places based on stereotype. Just this year, an altercation occured at Brick Street bar involving a man from outside of the campus community. All of the sudden, there's new dress codes: no extremely baggy pants (which is subjective to the opinion of the bouncer), no do-rags (an accessory specific to the Afro-American male to keep the hair neat under hats), etc. Initially, the owner, who also owns 45 East, said that this was for safety reasons (although he refuses to purchase metal detecting wands). Then, he changes his mind and says that it's because he's trying to make his establishments more classy, although both flip flops and baseball caps are still allowed.

Back on a lighter note, we have this great program called AfterDark that shows free movies and hosts fun stuff like hypnotists and comedians every Friday night. Even if you have no clue about what to do when you first get to Oxford, there's always AfterDark. Academics
I absolutely hated the vocal portion of the Music Department. I started as a Music Education major, but couldn't deal with the rigidity of the vocal program. There was no variety to the body of music that I was made to study, therefore I couldn't deal with the major.

I greatly enjoy my new major in Family Studies, and hope to enjoy the nation's top College Student Personnel graduate program after I recieve my B.S. in Family Studies.

From what I hear, the professors vary from class to class. Some are very understanding and good at what they do, some are rigid and strict (like my voice instructors).

Student Body
The typical student here at Miami seems to be the conservative prep. There are students from all around, but mainly from suburbia. One big thing I noticed is that they're into drinking games and a game called "cornhole" that I had never heard of until I got here.

In Closing...
The "typical Miami" student is not the only student. There are all kinds of great people here at the university. Don't let the super-preppy steriotype turn you off to Miami; there is so much more both socially and academically that MU has to offer. You make your own college experience.