The University of Maryland - College Park

Date: Nov 29 2009
Major: Engineering Department (This Major's Salary over time)
I'll be honest, Maryland was NOT my first choice. I wanted to go to Wash U but it cost too much. I got a nice scholarship from Maryland and was placed in the honors program so I reluctantly became a Terp. I'm in my first semester at UMD and I've really liked it so far.

Pros - Tons of school spirit, ACC athletics, and a great workout facility make UMD a great place if you're into sports.

There are some very well-respected departments, including business, engineering (I'm a bioengineer), and the sciences.

Great social life if you're into partying, there are always a lot of parties and if you have a fake ID or are 21 the bars have a lot going on.

The campus is diverse, not just racially but also socioeconomically and politically. The student body is more representative of the real world than most colleges. It's nice to be somewhere where everyone isnt rich, white, and liberal.

Tuition is pretty cheap. Obviously in-state kids dont pay much, but its not bad fot out of state either. You pay a lot less at UMD than you would at a private school or another out-of-state public school. They also give good financial aid to out-of-state kids.

The honors program is great if you get into it. The kids are pretty smart, there's a decent number of kids who got into "better" schools and went to UMD because of money. Everyone's also really chill. There's no cut-throat competition, everyone wants people to do well. Besides the fact that they're all good students, the Honors population is really diverse. You have black people, white people, Asian people, partiers, jocks, nerds, it goes on and on. No matter what your interests are, you can find people to hang out with.

Cons - Classes are pretty big, the professors will not reach out to you or even know your name. The lectures and exams are also based largely on the textbook. However, if you go to class and put in enough time outside of class, you can learn the material. In general, the professors are nice people if you make an effort to get to know them. There are some assholes, but there are going to be assholes wherever you go.

Administration is poor. In their defense, it's not easy to manage 30,000 kids, but you have to be independent or you will not do well at all. Advising sucks, so you need to do your homework on which classes to take, etc. (Note- switching majors is a pain in the ass, you should do your best to pick your major before you come to school)

Food is expensive (it's not all you can eat). It tastes fine, the diner's no 5 star restaurant but it's not vile like some people here have said.

College Park is not a great place. The weather's good but it is a pretty ghetto town. They have all the necessary stores and the transportation is good, but you shouldnt walk around alone at night, it's not at all safe.

Overall, I think UMD is what you make of it. They have tons of resources, and people (both students and faculty) are friendly if you are willing to take initiative. If you expect to be coddled, you should pick another school, because no one is going to go out of their way to help you or be your friend. If you want to be prepared for the real world, University of Maryland is a great place to go.