As the end of the school year approaches, senior students must make decisions about how they will spend the next four years of their lives. For those choosing to attend college, university selection is crucial.
One college that draws much of Hudson High School’s attention is Miami University in Ohio. This school has been one of the top schools for HHS graduates for decades. Miami has the typical college atmosphere with Hudson-like qualities, which draws many Hudson students there. Miami University has also had many success stories from graduates, specifically from those who went to Hudson.
With many HHS alumni attending the University and the town’s many similarities to Hudson, its nickname, Hudson 2.0, is apt.
Miami University was founded in 1809 and is located in Oxford, Ohio (near Cincinnati). It is relatively close in proximity to Hudson but far enough that students still have their independence. It is most well-known for its finance and nursing departments but provides many other highly-rated programs. The school is also one of the top in the country for student internships which contributes to how easy it is to get full-time employment after graduation. The university has many NCAA Division I sports, the most popular being its football, baseball and ice hockey teams.
Miami University’s campus, which is renowned for its safety, is in a classic “college town.” Oxford has many shops, bars and restaurants that students frequently visit. Because the town of Oxford is more reclusive and safer than many other college campuses, it has an atmosphere similar to Hudson.
The size of the school is also something that attracts Hudson graduates. The school is not small while also not as large as other Division I schools. But, while Downtown Hudson still has a town surrounding it and a suburban feel, Miami does not. The town itself is more rural and there is not much outside of Oxford.
Current Hudson resident Heidi Grady, who attended both Hudson High School and Miami University, shared her experience with the college and where she is now. Grady said that her time at Miami was some of the best she has ever had. “I was able to meet some of my best friends at that school. Along with that, the school put me in a good position to get a job after college.” Grady is now a management consultant and mother to her two kids, Molly and Finn.
Grady mentioned what drew her to Miami originally. “Every time I went down to visit I always had a great time. I loved it from the start because of the beautiful campus. The size of the school was also something that appealed to me.” Grady confirmed that there were a lot of Hudson alumni at the school which contributed to the Hudson-like feel. She shared that she enjoyed having people she was familiar with there, but she still liked meeting new people who she is still friends with today.
Current freshman at Miami University and 2023 Hudson graduate Barrett Bigham added his input on the school. “I would definitely recommend the college. I like the size and college town specifically.” Bigham said Oxford is most similar to Hudson due to its size. “The town is a similar size and while there are definitely more people at Miami than HHS, the class sizes are only slightly larger which is super nice.”
The amount of positive feedback from HHS alumni shows that Miami is a great college for HHS graduates. As students apply to colleges, Miami University remains a dominant choice. The school proves to be Hudson 2.0.
