Tuition Impacts Diversity at Miami

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By Jenni Wiener

Miami University’s “J. Crew U.” reputation is more than a just a stereotype.

Students who attend Miami tend to dress nice, drive nice cars, own brand name items and act rich, said numerous students.

“At first, freshman year was kind of a shock,” said junior Kim Rich. “”It was uncomfortable because everyone dressed the same way and I felt I had to prove myself. At my high school no one dressed up or cared, whereas when I came here, it was the total opposite.”

Junior Nicole Brown agreed. She said that everyone at Miami looks and dresses the same, which creates a need to fit in.

“I can’t dress down when I go to class because I don’t want to be the outcast,” Brown said. “People try to look their best every second just to stand up to everyone else who has nice things, so it makes campus more stuck up and stuffy.”

Rich said the “J. Crew U.” reputation puts pressure on students who don’t have as much money because it makes them feel like they won’t fit in or that they will stand out in a negative way. Students from low-income backgrounds feel more pressure to spend all their money on designer items to look how everyone else looks, said Rich.

“There is definitely pressure on kids that don’t come from as affluent backgrounds as wealthy people because there is a pressure to buy trends,” said senior transfer-student, Michael Bloom. “But, at the same time, with fashion the way it is, there are alternative, cheaper versions of brand name items.”

Bloom said that when he transferred here, he immediately bought Sperry Top-Siders and wore nice, button down shirts. He said Miami has a more homogenous student body than Xavier University, where he previously attended school.

“I feel like some people may let [the stereotype] affect them too much or let it get in the way of their success as a student,” Bloom said. “You just have to realize it is what it is and you can’t be bothered by it. If you want to dress a certain way, go for it.”

Senior Lauren Kelly said the atmosphere at Miami gives the impression that everyone has money, and if someone doesn’t have money, he/she may feel left out.

“Yes, [Miami does live up to its reputation of J. Crew U.], but I don’t think everyone wears J. Crew,” Kelly said. “I think they just dress in a preppy way and copy each other because they see stuff they like and go buy it. This makes Miami pretty homogenous but it also makes people feel like they are a part of something, so it isn’t necessarily bad or good.”

A survey conducted in 2011 by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) found that 56 percent of students at Miami come from families who earn more than $100,000 a year. The CIRP survey is nationally administered to first-year college students and records the students’ best estimates of their parents’ annual income among other characteristics.

According to the survey, more than one-fifth of first-year students at Miami recorded that their parents earn $250,000 or more a year. Historically, families with children that attend Miami were reported by the CIRP as having a higher income than other highly selective public universities around the country. Only 11 percent of students at other highly selective public universities reported parental income of more than $250,000.

In Ohio, the median household income is $48,000 and, in the United States, the median is $52,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

The results of the 2011 CIRP survey show a 2 percent increase in parental income from the 2010 first-year class, as well as a 12 percent increase since 1995. More than 45 percent of Miami first-years were not concerned about being able to afford college tuition, which is higher than other public institutions by 10 percent and the highest of all public institutions in Ohio, according to the survey.

Although the high price of tuition could have an effect on who decides to attend Miami, Karen McIntyre, assistant to the Bursar, said that she does not think it restricts people from coming here.

“I think we try to supplement that with financial aid,” McIntyre said. “We strive to get as diverse of a population as we can by giving financial aid to people in circumstances where it’s necessary.”

David Creamer, vice president for finance and business services, said that Miami’s tuition has evolved over time. Miami offers small class sizes, a high number of tenured faculty, many full-time faculty, among other opportunities, which are expensive.

“The student life experience is more rich at Miami than other institutions,” Creamer said. “We have a smaller population than most public institutions in Ohio, which makes tuition more expensive for each student. We try to focus on the value of education being high.”

Miami is also one of the few universities to not restrain the number of credit hours students can take. According to Creamer, Miami students graduate in 3.7 years, whereas the state average is 4.8 years, which is a major benefit.

Students’ tuition covers everything associated with their educational experience, including building maintenance, the registrar, administration, professors, faculty and a general fee, which has more to do with life outside the classroom from athletics and the health center.

“The money goes toward recruiting the best possible teachers, best possible equipment and best possible resources for the students,” McIntyre said. “I think students are receiving the value of their education. We have high quality teachers and a great environment.”

One reason for the hike in tuition is the budget. The budget has increasingly impacted tuition over time because the state of Ohio makes students pay a greater share than other states, Creamer said.

“The state of Ohio is number ten in the nation with high tuition because state support is less than most other states,” Creamer said.

Tuition prices and increases are determined based on decisions about the best balance of the needs of students and what kinds of impacts an increase in tuition could cause. According to Creamer, since 2009, the state has cut 22 percent support to Miami and, in exchange, Miami has “seen a far less increase in tuition.”  Without much state support, Creamer said Miami feels abandoned in these economic times.

“Students need to know that complex issues drive tuition to increase,” Creamer said. “Sometimes Miami doesn’t have control.”

This high cost of tuition has its detriments when it comes to who can and cannot afford to attend the university.

“Obviously the effects of managing this high tuition are greatest on students with different economic situations,” Creamer said. “It affects all families and is different for everyone, but those with difficult socioeconomic backgrounds have a harder time affording it.”

The university provides financial aid and scholarships to prevent students from having to drop out of school.

“I do think scholarships try to make education at Miami possible for a more diverse group of students,” Creamer said. “One of the downsides to high tuition is the lack of all kinds of diversity, including socioeconomic diversity. Tuition is a barrier to students with less successful backgrounds. It puts a limit on their choices.”

There is an element of truth in Miami’s reputation as “J. Crew U.,” Creamer admitted.

“I think there is truth to the statement, but at the same time it doesn’t represent everyone,” Creamer said. “Not everyone at Miami is alike. We have an increasing number of international students, as well as an increasing number of students from lower economic backgrounds.”

The great thing about universities is that there are diverse personalities that all come together to create prosperity and success, Creamer said. Different people bring different ideas to one big institution.

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