Univ. of Miami anyone?

[bittrsweet]

I'm out here and will be here till June 30th. I might get some time to hang out on the wknd, other than that it's all bad. Miami....well the campus at least is beautiful. Besides the fact that I almost got bit by an alligator on the way to classtoday, everything is all good. I'm feeling the campus a lot. I can go outside to study right in front of the lake, it's really off the hook. I'm not feeling the roaches though!

nothing can match indian roaches. those things have wings. i'll deal.

[donvito]

well i just got back from visiting UM and Miami.  i will be honest...i wasnt particularly blown away.  the law quad is nice, but the building itself is a bit decrepit.  in fact, all of the buildings at UM are really unimpressive...and well, ugly.  i would understand if this was a public university--but a private one?  i just find it weird that the architects didnt follow the trends from Coral Gables--just some nice spanish style buildings.  the law quad really has a 2 star hotel resort kind of feel.  the hallways, stairwells, and bathrooms werent particularly pleasant...although i am sure that the bathrooms in the library are nice.  i actually rather liked the library.  hopefully, if i decide upon miami (which will have to be in a day), the school will get some sort of minor face lift.  just some new paint or whatever.  they actually were painting a bit when i was there.

while all the benches and tables are nice, i just can't see myself ever using them with the humidity.  i was dying during some parts of the day--and apparently, it's "cold" for miami right about now.  i'll take the nice air conditioned library any day.

i was pretty disappointed with the surrounding area.  whatever, it's not the end of the world.  even stanford has a crappy area right outside of campus (i live in palo alto).  but i really liked coconut grove.  the place had some great restaurants and bars--but no clubs from what i could tell.  coral gables was really dead when i was there--must have been bc of memorial day.  it was a cute town, but there doesnt seem to be anything to do there.

as for miami, the city--south beach was ok.  it was different for memorial day--hip hop festival and whatever.  so, a different crowd...but it was nice to see the area packed.  but the dining around there wasnt too special.  i guess i dont care if i end up living there, but as a tourist, it left a lot to be desired.  the same with the hotels.  but i found most of the locals to be very friendly.  lots of families out late at night, which i thought was cool.  and miami seems to really be booming.  so much construction going on everywhere.

i guess overall, my trip didnt really change my mind.  i kind of expected to not like miami or UM all that much.  i have to literally decide by tomorrow where i want to go.  it's just that it's soooooooo different for me.  the climate, the campus.  i mean, i had to make a similar decision in undergrad when I picked Michigan, but for some reason, picking Miami is a bit tougher.  it just seems more different.  hah.  but i was pleased with what i got out of the career person.  she was very helpful and at least for what i want to do, miami will be the best option for me.

i think i will go with miami in the end, but i definitely still have my doubts.  then again, i will have some doubts regardless of the school i pick.

[Yankees Fan]

well i just got back from visiting UM and Miami.  i will be honest...i wasnt particularly blown away.  the law quad is nice, but the building itself is a bit decrepit.  in fact, all of the buildings at UM are really unimpressive...and well, ugly.  i would understand if this was a public university--but a private one?  i just find it weird that the architects didnt follow the trends from Coral Gables--just some nice spanish style buildings.  the law quad really has a 2 star hotel resort kind of feel.  the hallways, stairwells, and bathrooms werent particularly pleasant...although i am sure that the bathrooms in the library are nice.  i actually rather liked the library.  hopefully, if i decide upon miami (which will have to be in a day), the school will get some sort of minor face lift.  just some new paint or whatever.  they actually were painting a bit when i was there.

while all the benches and tables are nice, i just can't see myself ever using them with the humidity.  i was dying during some parts of the day--and apparently, it's "cold" for miami right about now.  i'll take the nice air conditioned library any day.

i was pretty disappointed with the surrounding area.  whatever, it's not the end of the world.  even stanford has a crappy area right outside of campus (i live in palo alto).  but i really liked coconut grove.  the place had some great restaurants and bars--but no clubs from what i could tell.  coral gables was really dead when i was there--must have been bc of memorial day.  it was a cute town, but there doesnt seem to be anything to do there.

as for miami, the city--south beach was ok.  it was different for memorial day--hip hop festival and whatever.  so, a different crowd...but it was nice to see the area packed.  but the dining around there wasnt too special.  i guess i dont care if i end up living there, but as a tourist, it left a lot to be desired.  the same with the hotels.  but i found most of the locals to be very friendly.  lots of families out late at night, which i thought was cool.  and miami seems to really be booming.  so much construction going on everywhere.

i guess overall, my trip didnt really change my mind.  i kind of expected to not like miami or UM all that much.  i have to literally decide by tomorrow where i want to go.  it's just that it's soooooooo different for me.  the climate, the campus.  i mean, i had to make a similar decision in undergrad when I picked Michigan, but for some reason, picking Miami is a bit tougher.  it just seems more different.  hah.  but i was pleased with what i got out of the career person.  she was very helpful and at least for what i want to do, miami will be the best option for me.

i think i will go with miami in the end, but i definitely still have my doubts.  then again, i will have some doubts regardless of the school i pick.

Not to knock UM or Miami, I'm sure those who go will love it... but I felt exactly the same as you did.  I wrote my review somewhere around here after I got back, and other than a few added things I wasn't impressed with, I wrote the same things about UM itself and its surrounding areas.  Even the heat and humidity, as you mentioned, were a deterrent for me.  That's why I ultimately ended up choosing not to go there, despite it being the best choice financially.  I really think everyone needs to choose the school that will make them happiest (assuming somewhat equal job prospects, of course), and that'll be different for different people.

Good luck.

[->Soon]

Mee-ami is great, just soooooooooooooooooooooo $$$

[jumpyoulikeabattery]

as for miami, the city--south beach was ok.  it was different for memorial day--hip hop festival and whatever.  so, a different crowd...but it was nice to see the area packed.

I was in Miami this weekend too!  I expected to party in South Beach but was surprised to find out about this urban beach weekend deal.  I ended up going to the Grove all weekend and one international club on Sunday.

The Grove was nice, but it reminded me of any standard college bar scene.  The other club I went to was crazy-- I can't believe the clubs in Miami don't stop serving alcohol at 2... I was there until 5am! And $20 cover... for a girl??

But to get to the point, I guess the whole party atmosphere worries me.  I hope I won't be too distracted.

[donvito]

as for miami, the city--south beach was ok.  it was different for memorial day--hip hop festival and whatever.  so, a different crowd...but it was nice to see the area packed.

I was in Miami this weekend too!  I expected to party in South Beach but was surprised to find out about this urban beach weekend deal.  I ended up going to the Grove all weekend and one international club on Sunday.

The Grove was nice, but it reminded me of any standard college bar scene.  The other club I went to was crazy-- I can't believe the clubs in Miami don't stop serving alcohol at 2... I was there until 5am! And $20 cover... for a girl??

But to get to the point, I guess the whole party atmosphere worries me.  I hope I won't be too distracted.

yeah the grove definitely seems to be your typical college/twentysomething scene.  green street, sand bar, the bars in cocowalk.  i guess it's ok.  i mean, theyre the kind of bars i went to when i was an undergrad at michigan.  there are some swankier places too--this one new orleans restaurant (christobelle's quarter) and lounge that just opened last friday seems to be a nice change of scene.

my tour person at the law school said that he'd usually go out about once a week--in addition to watching tons of college football on saturday.  he said that people go out a lot up until thanksgiving and then everyone buckles down and studies a ton for finals.  also, he said that he would usually go to a south beach club with a group of friends like once a month and would go all out.  like chip in $100 to get bottle service and stuff.

[tenderhooligan]

South Beach is GHETTOFIED regardless of what weekend it is. Seems like once 8pm rolls around every African American in the state of Florida feels the need to cruise Ocean Avenue with their subwoofers blasting at full volume. Also Don Vito, if you didn't like the law school and you didn't like the area that sorrounds the law school why in the hell are you even still considering matriculating? You have other options...utilize them.

[Booyakasha2]

as for miami, the city--south beach was ok.  it was different for memorial day--hip hop festival and whatever.  so, a different crowd...but it was nice to see the area packed.

I was in Miami this weekend too!  I expected to party in South Beach but was surprised to find out about this urban beach weekend deal.  I ended up going to the Grove all weekend and one international club on Sunday.

The Grove was nice, but it reminded me of any standard college bar scene.  The other club I went to was crazy-- I can't believe the clubs in Miami don't stop serving alcohol at 2... I was there until 5am! And $20 cover... for a girl??

But to get to the point, I guess the whole party atmosphere worries me.  I hope I won't be too distracted.

Cover?...whats that?

[jillibean]

cover is the cost to get into the club. Like an admission fee

[donvito]

South Beach is GHETTOFIED regardless of what weekend it is. Seems like once 8pm rolls around every African American in the state of Florida feels the need to cruise Ocean Avenue with their subwoofers blasting at full volume. Also Don Vito, if you didn't like the law school and you didn't like the area that sorrounds the law school why in the hell are you even still considering matriculating? You have other options...utilize them.

miami offers the best job prospects for me.  that's really why i'm picking it.