University of Miami!

CU_rak · June 9th, 2005, 06:20 AM

I've never been down to Miami, and definitely want to visit, but until then, I need some info about the University of Miami and surrounding area. Is it cheap to rent an apartment around there? What about crime, night life, transportation? I've heard the campus itself is really beautiful. Finally, does anyone have pictures of Coral Gables or UM? It would also be great to hear from anyone who has actually attended the University, either undergrad or graduate.

The Mad Hatter!! · June 9th, 2005, 08:22 PM

well since i live about 10 blocks from UM i'll tell you its really not cheap at all the area around um is called coral gables which is among the most expoensive in miami....but if you go further down into south miami which is about 2minutes from the campus you can find some cheap stuff.crime is almost nonexistant since the coral gables police deptartment is quite a stiffler but a couple of years ago there was a stabbing and a rape on campus but nothing much since then...as far as transportation right outside the campus theres the metrorail and many bus stops inside the campus UM runs a shuttle service.as far as nightlife---comeon your in miami do you even need to ask.

some pictures(university of miami ranked in the top 10 most beautiful campus in the us
click on the link
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...campus&spell=1

miamicanes · June 10th, 2005, 11:58 PM

As you've probably guessed, I'm a UM alum :-)

If you're an undergrad, you *definitely* want to live on campus, at least for a year or two. Students who live on campus have an entirely different lifestyle and experience at UM than students who don't (on=better), and largely inhabit parallel universes that rarely cross socially.

Students who live on campus are, as a group, extremely insular and rarely venture much beyond Dadeland and the US-1 corridor. UM guys are even MORE insular than girls, mainly because 18 year old girls can get into most clubs in south beach, but guys under 21 can pretty much count the clubs they can get into on a weekend night on a single hand, with fingers to spare. Joining a fraternity is highly recommended.

If you're determined to live off-campus, at least try to live within biking distance, or adjacent to a Metrorail station. Miami traffic is horrifically bad, and convenient parking at UM is scarce (UM has plenty of parking, but most of it is on the opposite side of campus from where your classes are likely to be).

UM isn't a party school... it's a resort. Big difference. Party schools don't have a resort-class pool where you can lay out between classes, steel bands playing outside the cafeterias at lunch, and residence hall staff whose main job is to keep residents entertained and find fun things for them to do. Think "cruise director". UM students don't party insanely on Friday and Saturday night... they party in moderation every night instead ;-)

Most of all, make the most of your time at UM, and enjoy it as much as possible. After you've graduated, you'll miss it badly and look back on it as the greatest years of your life.

CU_rak · June 11th, 2005, 01:10 AM

Thanks, guys. I really need to get down there to see it for myself, but it sounds like a country club! As long as it has access to downtown via public transit, I don't mind it being a bit isolated. My brother is at the University of Maryland, which is also in kind of an isolated suburb, but has metro access to DC so there's plenty to do.

miamicanes · June 12th, 2005, 03:16 AM

UM isn't insular because it's far away from everything. It's actually pretty close. It's more a cultural and practical thing.

There are lots of reasons why resident and commuter students hardly interact socially. For one thing, most "commuter" students (~90%) grew up in Miami, have cars (or access to one), and live with their parents. I'd guess that at least half are Cuban. By virtue of growing up in Miami, they tend to have social lives independent of UM (friends from/still in high school, or going to MDCC or FIU). When they go out, it's usually to South Beach or Broward.

Conversely, very VERY few resident students grew up in Miami, and most don't have cars. So the Grove is cab-distance, South Beach is a major trip, and everything north of Bird Road is a de-facto foreign country. When they go bar hopping, it's almost always to the grove... precisely where commuter students (and FIU/MDCC students) DON'T go, because it's not as cool as South Beach, and because most of them spent their teenage years hanging out at Cocowalk and they're sick of it by now ;-)

It's important to note that relations between resident and commuter students aren't antagonistic. It's more like the two groups are just mutually invisible to one another. Most student organizations are (not surprisingly) run by students who live on campus (they don't have to blow an hour or two commuting each day, nor worry about cooking, so they have lots more free time), and they usually have their meetings at 7pm. Why 7? Because by that point, hardly anyone ever has classes, and just about everyone who lives on campus eats around 6 or 6:30... so they're done eating... but it's still earlier than the evening's festivities, so it's a perfect time. The problem is, by that point, most of the commuters are long gone, having fled the moment their last class ended. So 99.9% of the students at the meetings are residents, and the cycle continues.

nimbyhater · June 12th, 2005, 04:09 AM

thats wat sux for us miami kids... i would luv to go to UM, but i want the full on-campus life... and if i go to UM, id live wit my parents for another 4 years, cause i live like a mile away... UM is one of the greatest skols on earth to live in campus...

Roark · June 14th, 2005, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimbyhater

thats wat sux for us miami kids... i would luv to go to UM, but i want the full on-campus life... and if i go to UM, id live wit my parents for another 4 years, cause i live like a mile away... UM is one of the greatest skols on earth to live in campus...

I heard that they have an excellent spelling program at UM.

nimbyhater · June 14th, 2005, 06:04 AM

much luv roark...

Oh, excuse me. Much love my dear friend.

Roark · June 15th, 2005, 06:51 AM

Big ups bruddah

Dale · June 15th, 2005, 06:54 AM

You kin get skeels at UM.

It is a lovely campus in a great location though.

miamicanes · June 17th, 2005, 12:17 AM

With some of Miami's most dreadful architecture, though.

The physics building was the first genuinely nice building UM built. Jenkins is semi-tolerable... but only because everything else is so thoroughly awful and ugly. Memorial COULD be made to look ok if they glassed in the open front with black glass and gave it a vaulted copper roof like the physics building... As for the Towers... well... two words are enough to sum them up: black mold.

Dorm-wise, Eaton, Mahoney, and Pearson are the nicest. Mahoney and Pearson have more amenities and an adjacent cafeteria... but most Eaton residents wouldn't live anywhere else (I lived there 4 years, the last two in one of its highly-coveted lakeside singles).

Dale · June 17th, 2005, 01:22 AM

And a boffo Marine Biology program. Or so I'm told.

June 9th, 2005, 06:20 AM	#1
CU_rak Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Baltimore and Washington DC Posts: 239 Likes (Received): 1	University of Miami! I've never been down to Miami, and definitely want to visit, but until then, I need some info about the University of Miami and surrounding area. Is it cheap to rent an apartment around there? What about crime, night life, transportation? I've heard the campus itself is really beautiful. Finally, does anyone have pictures of Coral Gables or UM? It would also be great to hear from anyone who has actually attended the University, either undergrad or graduate.

June 9th, 2005, 08:22 PM	#2
The Mad Hatter!! P.E.C.K CREW Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: miami Posts: 3,061 Likes (Received): 0	well since i live about 10 blocks from UM i'll tell you its really not cheap at all the area around um is called coral gables which is among the most expoensive in miami....but if you go further down into south miami which is about 2minutes from the campus you can find some cheap stuff.crime is almost nonexistant since the coral gables police deptartment is quite a stiffler but a couple of years ago there was a stabbing and a rape on campus but nothing much since then...as far as transportation right outside the campus theres the metrorail and many bus stops inside the campus UM runs a shuttle service.as far as nightlife---comeon your in miami do you even need to ask. some pictures(university of miami ranked in the top 10 most beautiful campus in the us click on the link http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...campus&spell=1 __________________ "Architects are pretty much high-class whores. We can turn down projects the way they can turn down some clients, but we've both got to say yes to someone if we want to stay in business"Philip Johnson Boycott the La forum-Worse forum in SSC

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June 10th, 2005, 11:58 PM	#3
miamicanes Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Miami Posts: 930 Likes (Received): 0	As you've probably guessed, I'm a UM alum :-) If you're an undergrad, you definitely want to live on campus, at least for a year or two. Students who live on campus have an entirely different lifestyle and experience at UM than students who don't (on=better), and largely inhabit parallel universes that rarely cross socially. Students who live on campus are, as a group, extremely insular and rarely venture much beyond Dadeland and the US-1 corridor. UM guys are even MORE insular than girls, mainly because 18 year old girls can get into most clubs in south beach, but guys under 21 can pretty much count the clubs they can get into on a weekend night on a single hand, with fingers to spare. Joining a fraternity is highly recommended. If you're determined to live off-campus, at least try to live within biking distance, or adjacent to a Metrorail station. Miami traffic is horrifically bad, and convenient parking at UM is scarce (UM has plenty of parking, but most of it is on the opposite side of campus from where your classes are likely to be). UM isn't a party school... it's a resort. Big difference. Party schools don't have a resort-class pool where you can lay out between classes, steel bands playing outside the cafeterias at lunch, and residence hall staff whose main job is to keep residents entertained and find fun things for them to do. Think "cruise director". UM students don't party insanely on Friday and Saturday night... they party in moderation every night instead ;-) Most of all, make the most of your time at UM, and enjoy it as much as possible. After you've graduated, you'll miss it badly and look back on it as the greatest years of your life.

June 11th, 2005, 01:10 AM	#4
CU_rak Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Baltimore and Washington DC Posts: 239 Likes (Received): 1	Thanks, guys. I really need to get down there to see it for myself, but it sounds like a country club! As long as it has access to downtown via public transit, I don't mind it being a bit isolated. My brother is at the University of Maryland, which is also in kind of an isolated suburb, but has metro access to DC so there's plenty to do.

June 12th, 2005, 03:16 AM	#5
miamicanes Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Miami Posts: 930 Likes (Received): 0	UM isn't insular because it's far away from everything. It's actually pretty close. It's more a cultural and practical thing. There are lots of reasons why resident and commuter students hardly interact socially. For one thing, most "commuter" students (~90%) grew up in Miami, have cars (or access to one), and live with their parents. I'd guess that at least half are Cuban. By virtue of growing up in Miami, they tend to have social lives independent of UM (friends from/still in high school, or going to MDCC or FIU). When they go out, it's usually to South Beach or Broward. Conversely, very VERY few resident students grew up in Miami, and most don't have cars. So the Grove is cab-distance, South Beach is a major trip, and everything north of Bird Road is a de-facto foreign country. When they go bar hopping, it's almost always to the grove... precisely where commuter students (and FIU/MDCC students) DON'T go, because it's not as cool as South Beach, and because most of them spent their teenage years hanging out at Cocowalk and they're sick of it by now ;-) It's important to note that relations between resident and commuter students aren't antagonistic. It's more like the two groups are just mutually invisible to one another. Most student organizations are (not surprisingly) run by students who live on campus (they don't have to blow an hour or two commuting each day, nor worry about cooking, so they have lots more free time), and they usually have their meetings at 7pm. Why 7? Because by that point, hardly anyone ever has classes, and just about everyone who lives on campus eats around 6 or 6:30... so they're done eating... but it's still earlier than the evening's festivities, so it's a perfect time. The problem is, by that point, most of the commuters are long gone, having fled the moment their last class ended. So 99.9% of the students at the meetings are residents, and the cycle continues.

June 12th, 2005, 04:09 AM	#6
nimbyhater Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Miami Posts: 1,311 Likes (Received): 0	thats wat sux for us miami kids... i would luv to go to UM, but i want the full on-campus life... and if i go to UM, id live wit my parents for another 4 years, cause i live like a mile away... UM is one of the greatest skols on earth to live in campus...

June 14th, 2005, 06:04 AM	#8
nimbyhater Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Miami Posts: 1,311 Likes (Received): 0	much luv roark... Oh, excuse me. Much love my dear friend.

June 15th, 2005, 06:51 AM	#9
Roark BANNED Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,919 Likes (Received): 0	Big ups bruddah

June 15th, 2005, 06:54 AM	#10
Dale Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Orlando,FL Posts: 7,731 Likes (Received): 25	You kin get skeels at UM. It is a lovely campus in a great location though.

June 17th, 2005, 12:17 AM	#11
miamicanes Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Miami Posts: 930 Likes (Received): 0	With some of Miami's most dreadful architecture, though. The physics building was the first genuinely nice building UM built. Jenkins is semi-tolerable... but only because everything else is so thoroughly awful and ugly. Memorial COULD be made to look ok if they glassed in the open front with black glass and gave it a vaulted copper roof like the physics building... As for the Towers... well... two words are enough to sum them up: black mold. Dorm-wise, Eaton, Mahoney, and Pearson are the nicest. Mahoney and Pearson have more amenities and an adjacent cafeteria... but most Eaton residents wouldn't live anywhere else (I lived there 4 years, the last two in one of its highly-coveted lakeside singles).

June 17th, 2005, 01:22 AM	#12
Dale Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Orlando,FL Posts: 7,731 Likes (Received): 25	And a boffo Marine Biology program. Or so I'm told.