Trip report---University of Mississippi

[Luckymama]

Be prepared---a very, very long trip report follows...

 

Ole Miss visit report

 

We visited right before the start of their summer session so campus was a bit dead, with the exception of the Boys State contingent. D is interested in the Ole Miss programs in International Studies, Arabic, and Security Studies (a minor only). I will not address any other programs or majors.

 

The town

 

Oxford is a cute college town----courthouse square, restaurants/bars, shops, tree-lined streets of gorgeous houses----with an attached campus of 2500 acres, all surrounded by houses, apartments, more restaurants, big box stores, and businesses. But Oxford itself is pretty darn rural.

 

We live in a university town smack in the middle of east coast suburban sprawl. D has grown up with a campus within walking distance. She shops on Main Street, grabs lunch out with friends, and studies for hours at a time at one of the many coffee houses, all the time surrounded by She felt very comfortable with Oxford. In fact, she expressed misgivings that it would be too comfortable since it was so much like home: same number of undergrads at 18,000; same size campus (not counting Ag College at home); similar sized downtown.

 

The campus

 

Ole Miss has an attractive campus full of mature trees and green spaces. The buildings' ages range from the Civil War era, through the unfortunate architecture of the 1960s-1970s, to current construction. There is a lot of brick! I was surprised by how hilly it is in areas.

 

There are a number of fraternity and sorority houses arranged on their own streets. About 1/3 of women pledge a sorority. D has no interest in Greek life at all. Zero.

 

Dorms for freshmen include the traditional bathroom-down-the-hall type with small rooms and new dorms with private bathrooms for each pair of students. Those dorm rooms are the largest and nicest I have ever seen (we have not visited Bama), almost like a hotel arrangement with the bathroom inside the room door, sink and vanity area outside the bathroom, and two large closets directly opposite (doorless---students hang curtains). There is plenty of space for the beds, desks, and dressers. I can easily imagine comfortable seating added. The rooms come with large refrigerators, the type with a separate freezer compartment.

 

Older students can live in two residential colleges. Each consists of a four hallways of the larger private-bathroom rooms (plus lounges etc) arranged in a square surrounding an open courtyard. There are also apartment-style dorms.

 

Dining is a special consideration for D due to food allergies and intolerances. Our first appointment was with the head of dining for the dining hall open during summer session (there are two other all-you-care-to-eat locations). She walked us through the lines/stations, explaining to D what she could eat safely and what could be prepared separately for her, and shared that she manages dining during the academic year for a student with the same combination of needs as D. She also showed D her office and told her to stop in at any time to talk with her or her assistant. D left feeling much relieved.

 

In addition to the three "swipe" dining halls, there are numerous grab and go locations, two Starbucks, an Einstein Bagels in one of the engineering buildings, and a food court in the Student Union (ChickFilA, Qdoba, Subway, etc).

 

Academics of interest

 

D had arranged a meeting with the Croft Institute of International Studies. Joining us was a representative from Modern Languages who works with the Chinese Flagship Program. He was able to answer D's questions about the Arabic Program, which is not-quite a Language Flagship Program, because the director of Arabic was busy welcoming incoming students to the program that morning.

 

All classrooms and offices are housed in the Croft building. It's from the Civil War era, kind of creaky, but freshly painted with modern touches. D thought it felt and smelled like some UDel campus buildings from the same era. There's a large covered porch where only Croft students are allowed to hang out. D says there is free coffee and tea available during the day in the kitchen (priorities!). There is one large classroom on the first floor and many small, conference-sized rooms on the other floors.

 

Both the Arabic and Chinese programs begin the summer before freshman year with two intensive (very intensive) summer sessions. Students are in class for four hours each day, and spend the rest of the day in study groups, mandatory no-English office hours, and doing homework. Students with prior language knowledge may test of one or both sessions. Students have dropped out of both programs already. There are currently 7 incoming Arabic students (freshmen and transfers) and 4 students joining them for the second session next month (who applied after taking non-intensive Arabic last year).

 

In order to major in IS at Ole Miss, a student must be admitted into the Croft Institute. About 70 students are accepted into each cohort. Students typically choose their regional concentration with associated foreign language before beginning freshman year (East Asia with Chinese, Japanese, or Korean; Europe with French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, or Spanish; Latin America with Portuguese or Spanish; Middle East with Arabic). A thematic concentration mist be selected by the end of sophomore year (Global Economics and Politics; Global Health; International Governance and Politics; and Social and Cultural Identity). A 3.0 is required to continue in Croft past sophomore year.

 

The Croft Institute has adapted the College of Liberal Arts gen ed requirements to fit the IS major---the foreign language, history (6 cr), and social science (6 cr) courses are automatically part of the major. Remaining gen ed requirements are writing (6 cr), literature (6 cr), other humanities (3 cr), fine arts (3 cr), and natural sciences (9-11 cr).

 

The IS major requires 44 specific credits, including research methods and a senior thesis with defense. Study abroad for a minimum of one semester is required. Summer language acquisition is encouraged but does not count toward study abroad. Note: summer language study is required for the Chinese and Arabic programs.

 

Today D met a rising junior double major in Croft and Arabic plus a double minor. She told D that she usually takes 18 credits a semester and does winter and summer sessions "for fun" (definitely my dd's kind). Croft and Arabic (or Chinese, by extension) merge very well and it is "easy" to do many programs as long as "you manage your time well." This young woman just scored at advanced low/advanced mid levels in her ACTFL, before her real study abroad period. I can see how the Superior rating is achieved by students in the Arabic and Chinese programs.

 

The scholarships

 

--automatic merit based on ACT/SAT scores and GPA (33/1440 and 3.0+ equivalent to free is/oos tuition!)

--competitive $8K annual scholarships from Croft and from Honors

--scholarships for summer study from Arabic and Chinese programs

--NMF scholarships covering the cost of tuition and room ++

--oodles of other stackable scholarships, both automatic and competitive $1-$10K annual amounts, including $8K from the Center for Maufacturing Excellence

--Stamps Foundation full ride +

 

Ole Miss is now at the top of my liberal Yankee daughter's college list, pushing out American and George Washington. We still have to visit Oklahoma (Arabic Flagship) and Ohio State.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Wow. This is a great trip report. I'm printing for my kid to read.

[GoodGrief]

I loved reading this trip report! Sounds very impressive!!

 

We toured OU last fall. I think you will be impressed with what they have going on as well.

[3andme]

Love the trip report. I had no idea they had a strong IR program at Ole Miss so your report was very helpful.

[Hoggirl]

Another school to throw out there is University of Denver. My niece did her master's there, in IS, and it worked well.

Both Ole Miss and Denver were on ds's lists. Condoleeza Rice attended the Univerity of Denver. They offered ds around $20,000 - $22,500 in merit money. But, honestly, with ds getting one of the Croft Institute Scholarships at Ole Miss along with everything else they gave him (they really are quite generous to OOS students with strong stats), I think his toothpaste would have been covered!! Hotty Toddy!! (That's an Ole Miss cheer for those unaware and /or not in the SEC) I do think the Croft Institute is a bit of a hidden gem.

 

Ds chose a school that offered no merit, and we don't qualify for need (NOT complaining about that, btw), so I'm off to stir my rice and beans. 😂😂😂

[Lanny]

I read your entire trip report. Excellent.  I had a late cousin who lived in Hattiesburg and I was stationed in Biloxi, so I have seen a little of Mississippi and it is pretty. I remember the "Spanish" style homes.   OleMiss is a great school.  I probably read the entire      report, because your DD is interested in Arabic.  My DD wants to learn a 3rd language. If I could "steer" her into a language that would increase her employment possibilities, it would be Russian, Chinese or Arabic.     OU is also a great school (I lived in Texas for 28 years and they are the big rival of Texas).  You also mentioned Ohio State and I would probably prefer to see her there, than in a school on the East or West Coast, because of her special menu needs.  I suspect the 3 schools at the end of your review would work with your DD, without you needing to twist their arms or bribe them.   The schools with great reputations pop up in the strangest places. A few years ago, I was surprised, when I read that Tech (Texas Tech University) is one of the highest rated schools for Russian.   I hope you get to    tour OU and Ohio State soon and that you will write great reports like this one.  The only thing about your visit was the timing.  I would hope, when my DD is ready for campus tours, that she can tour when school is in session.   GL to your DD with her choice!