For many of us in high school who have decided that college is our next step, where we go can be a tough decision. From expensive tuitions, out-of-state complications, and admission difficulties, every college seems like it has so many pros and so many cons.

One college that almost always enters the discussion in Las Vegas is Good Ol’ University of Nevada, Las Vegas. However, it seems that over the years, UNLV has quite a stigma attached to him. Why is this so? Well, maybe it’s just our new logo…

It’s not surprising to most of us who have grown up in Las Vegas that even our university would be confused with the reputation of our city. The nonsense of “sin city” has began to seep into our conversation of UNLV’s merits and negatives. Emily, a sophomore attending UNLV, said she’s been asked questions that seriously made her wonder why people thought so little of UNLV. “How can you go to school there?” Someone asked her. “Don’t you party there all the time?”

These types of questions and ideas aren’t limited to just the university itself. Brett, a junior attending UNLV, explains how even the students themselves are stereotyped based on the school. “I’m assumed to party all the time in the City of Sin, especially because I live in a dorm.” But that’s not all. Kendall, a senior at UNLV, explains that these derogatory comments even extend to the quality of the students. “There exists a stereotype that UNLV students are underachievers, and the university itself leans towards the description of a ‘lack-luster’ institution.”

Despite all of these harsh and negative comments, UNLV actually an incredible faculty list and impressive student body. We are listed as one of the top ten most diverse colleges in the country! The Hotel College is ranked among the top worldwide (which makes sense, considering Vegas’s top industries). Our law school is also ranked in the top 100, and UNLV has a fast-growing Engineering department. All parts of the school are conducting cutting-edge research.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what people who don’t know our city think of UNLV. It’s a great school with awesome opportunities for all kinds of people, and it’s something we should all be proud of.