The University of Maryland - College Park

Out of Maryland you can get an experience in which you were forced to find your own niche among the many that focus on getting their doctorate and the majority who can't see past the next weekend (NOTE: Overlap prevails). This is the variety of students one finds at Maryland; a variety caused by quickly increasing academic standards combined with legacy students that don't know how to graduate.

Maryland is an overall great school that has the resources (i.e. connections and research opportunities) to get you into the job or graduate school of your choice. While some come here to prepare for a doctorate at a costly private and/or ivy school (Typical Maryland Student: you were accepted the private and/or ivy out of high school but weren’t offered scholarships), others are content to party and not worry too much about the comfortable desk job they'll be offered upon graduation.

These two types of people are the ones who (like me) will graduate having loved University of Maryland. If you know what your goals are, and are willing to take the strides necessary to achieve them, you will enjoy this school. In truth, this self-actualized type of person will be OK at just about any selective school, and can save a lot of money by attending a public one.

This is a big school. If you come hear not knowing what you want (maybe your goal in college is to figure out what you want) you will struggle, probably prevailing with the pessimistic attitude of these recent posters (POI: Most of them are about to graduate). Come to this school not because of scholarships, because you like sports, or because you want to party; instead, know that like most selective schools in the US, you are just as likely to get an excellent as a lousy experience. It boils down to what you want from education.

PS. If you are looking to be spoon-fed your goals, two words: Ivy League.
About my Freshman year:

My deviation from the Typical Maryland Student (TMS) will be shown after each statement. I was going to do this TMS thing more until I realized that a lot of the stuff that is perceived as the ‘jock’ thing to do is stuff that is either done whole-heartedly or not at all, as such there is no typical Maryland reaction to these things, and so I simply provide my experience which I hope you can glean something useful from.

Scholars program provided me with a large clique of 15 with random other friends. I hang out with my high school friends rarely. Knew I wanted to do research, but rejected UMBC’s Meyerhoff program (TMS: Expected). Realized electrical engineering wasn’t my thing, and instead pursuing Math, Physics, Philosophy, and Computer Science (TMS: Common, most have enough AP credits to have class standing greater than the number of years they have attended Maryland). Physics book is the same as that used in ivy-league and ivy-league-esque colleges (TMS: Common within major). Continuing job at NASA over summer, offered permanent government position (TMS: most that pursue relevant jobs during college are offered full-time positions after graduation, i.e. most tend to stay in the area). Drink rarely, sometimes on weeknights. Enjoy sports games and large school spirit. Don’t do drugs, don’t plan to. Just as likely to go to a party as to stay in Scholars dorm and talk math/physics/politics speak all night (usually do both). Good grades while hating lecture halls. Taking no lecture hall classes next year (TMS: Most lecture halls end freshman or sophomore year). Car on campus. Oh, I think UMBC is a joke.

I realize I can’t tell much more about my personal time at Maryland without rambling (any more than I have), so feel free to e-mail me: .