Visiting colleges always provides a unique opportunity to see what the feel of the college is like, which you can't get from a website! It's a great way to meet students and faculty, see the campus buildings, including housing, have meals at their campus eateries, and learn about what the university has to offer. Here are my takeaways from those visits:
Campus: The University of Memphis has about 17,000 undergraduate students and 21,000 when you include graduate students at their university. They do have smaller campuses, including online as well, in other parts of Tennessee, but the bulk of their students attend the Memphis campus. I really enjoyed U of M. It had the mid-size campus feel, so it wasn't small, but it didn't feel too big either. It's in the University district of Memphis, which is described as "The University District is home to Memphis’ largest institution of higher learning, The University of Memphis. The district is made of several distinct neighborhoods, including East Buntyn, Sherwood Forest, and Normal Station. Its main drag, a two-block strip of Highland Avenue known as the Highland Strip, is a staple of Memphis nightlife and offers food and drinks to fuel any study session."
I liked that it had it's own sub-section of town where students had restaurants and shops, but still had easy access to other parts of Memphis. The campus has a lot of new buildings, and the school pride is prevalent. They have a FedEx Institute of Technology (picture is the last one) that's an innovative center where students can gain experience in collaborating with businesses and participating in cutting-edge research.
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| Administrative Building |
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| Mike the Tiger |
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| FedEx Institute of Technology |
Admissions: Even though the deadline to apply for Fall is July 1, if you want to have scholarship consideration, applications are due by December 1. Student apply through the U of M website. Since they have rolling admissions, it's best to apply early AND make that scholarship deadline. U of M is also starting a Top 10% initiative, called the Talented 10%, which is focused on recruiting students who are in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. This program's hope is to grow their Honors college, while also providing specific Scholarships to students within this program. For a list of comprehensive scholarship opportunities, the link is here
Campus Life: Memphis is a Division I school with 19 intercollegiate teams, so If going to a school with an active sports scene is important, it's one to consider. Also, with over 250 majors, U of M has an array of options for students. One of the fun things Memphis does is have Freshman-specific activities to integrate you into campus life. Frosh Frenzy, Frosh Camp, and Frosh Fusion are three different opportunities for students to engage and meet new people. Plus, with over 250 registered organizations, you'll be able to find your nitch!
Visiting: There are group tours available as well as self-guided and virtual tours! It's always important to visit if you can, just to be able to see the area and meet students, but the virtual option is a great place to start!
