University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

I absolutely love this school!! We are ranked amongst the best universities both regionally and nationally, in fact we are the 17th best public school of the United States. What I love about my school is that there is a niche for everyone. I didn't even think it was possible to have so many clubs and organization for every taste and passion. I also love the fact that we have such a wide variety in the student body, you are just as likely to find the coolest person ever there as you are to find the person that is kind of weird but doesn't care at all and you respect them for it. It is indeed a big school, but like I said before it is definitely possible to find your niche, JOIN A CLUB and get involve you are sure to make this school seem a lot smaller with the right people around you. As for the town around the campus, well College Park was built around student needs, from the bars, the Chinese place that seems to never close, to the numerous restaurants that accommodate student's budget. Also I have nothing bad to say about the administration. The Diamondback, our newspaper, keeps you informed of the decision being made, and there is always a way to have your voice heard on any decision, whether it be as a member of the Student Senate or at a forum.

I really believe there is something for everyone to get involved with at the University of Maryland. There is a club for anything you can think of, and if, by chance, the club you are looking for does not exist, it only requires 8 members to start a new Student Government-approved organization. Going to Maryland, I have met so many new friends different from myself and would recommend the University to anyone who is looking to expand his or her horizons.

I honestly think the best thing about Maryland is the people here. Even in a 200 person lecture hall, where your teacher doesn't know you from the guy next to you, the students are friendly and the teachers and TAs are absolutely willing to make time to help you understand any and every concept if you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn and reach out to them. That being said, if I had to pick one thing to change, I would make the larger courses, such as general Chemistries, Biologies, and Physics, standardized. It can be really frustrating to get stuck with the one Phyisics teacher who has four exams and that is your grade, while watching a friend in the same course with a different teacher have 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of their grade from homework that is graded on effort. I spend most of my time on campus in classes and in the buildings where I have my classes. I love that in EVERY building on campus there is a great place to sit and plugs for your laptop. That way, if I have 20 minutes between class or if I get there 10 minutes early I don't have to just stand and wait around, I can sit and do some reading, work, or jump on Facebook. College Park is definitely a college town, there are no two ways about it. There is a TON of school pride. I do not know one single person who works here, studies here, or lives in this town, that isn't a Maryland FANATIC! In fact, one thing from my school career that I will always remember is during Maryland's Snowpocalype in 2010, when Maryland basketball was playing UNC at home - the athletics department offered free tickets to anyone who could come and show school ID. Even though we had to trudge through two feet of snow all the way across campus to get there, there wasn't a single open seat in the entire place! I would have to say the most frequent complaint I have heard is how difficult it is to have a question answered. The advisers are assigned randomly within each college, so even though I am Pre-Vet I had an adviser for three years who knew nothing about vet school and only cared about beef cattle. HOWEVER, if you have classes with a teacher in the topic that you want to have a career in after college, they are definitely willing to give you advice and help you out, even though they are not your real adviser.

The best thing about UMD is the amount of opportunities: internships, classes, extracurriculars... I wish there was more time in college- less required classes and more credits to be able to do your own thing. It's tough to go abroad because you have to pick somewhere where you can get your classes done in order to graduate on time. There's so many interesting classes. I love how big the school is. It's big enough that you can see no one you know on campus one day, and then walk across the mall and see five people you know. It's a perfect balance. There isn't much of a college town. It's really just Route 1, but the metro is accessible and Route 1 does it's function just right. TONS of school pride. I went from cheering for the Rams in Elementary, then the Bears in High School to... the turle. I never thought I'd be able to do it... but it's unbelieveable. I love sports and the one experience I will never forget is my first Maryland Men's Basketball Game. I definately picked the right school.

I loved that I had the option to create my own major and that there were a huge number of courses to choose from. The quality definitely varied but you could find the really rigorous engaging courses hidden amongst the rest. Same went for the student population - yeah it's a huge school, but you find your kindred spirits somehow. And places to hang out - again, the trend continues - the selection isn't huge but there were definitely some great spots on and around campus, and the joys of DC are not too far away, especially if you have a car.

The best thing about UMD might be its proximity to Washington DC and the Metro-connection from College Park. I spent most of my time at the Food Co-op, which was a great little crunch community of spelt and quinoa lovers, wand which made the enormity of UMD feel a bit smaller and more manageable. The jock/sport/frat culture was totally alienating to me, as I wanted to be at a small liberal arts college from the beginning and wasn't amused by the "riot if we lose; riot if we win" student body. Once I found my friends, I spent most of my time off campus at their apartments and houses, which was a nice way to cope with the impersonal feeling of the towering freshman dorms. There are a lot of nice off-campus housing options in nearby Berwyn Heights and in the neighborhood right by the Metro. There's also a beautiful, wooded, older neighborhood nearby called University Park that served as a great escape and was really nice to walk around in.

Good things about UMD: the physics department--professors and extremely approachable and enthusiastic; proximity to washington dc--very fun city for young people; large size means anything you're looking for, you can find;

UMD is best known for its school spirit. The entire school comes out on Saturday to cheer the team (although sometimes the Terps dont win). Last homegame of 2007, students stormed the feel. Housing is a huge problem on campus. Only freshman and sophomores are able to live on campus. Juniors and higher are thrown off. While the school seems big, you will recognize one or two people from each of your classes at the bar; the professors do not know your name. Many people join frats and sororities, mostly out of insecurity. People spend most of their time either in the student union which was renovated recently, in their dorms or at the bars. Def. not a college town. It has been rated as the most dangerous campus in America for many years now. Several incidents every weekend. The school is more focussed on getting more money than offering students the services that they want or need.

Maryland is a big school with TONS of opportunities. If you're the kind of person who is going to sit in your dorm-room and not explore the campus community then Maryland is not for you. It's easy to sit around and not make much of your experience if you lack energy. However, if you are someone who is willing and excited to see what's really out there, you will quickly and easily find many different things that interest you. Sports, clubs, faith-based groups, Greek Life, performing arts, etc. It's all here! The campus itself is BEAUTIFUL with tons of facilities and open space. It has a great "camp" feel that creates a great sense of community.

One of the best things about Maryland are the living and learning programs. They make a University of over 30,000 undergrads seem like a small community. It makes it easier not to get lost in the shuffle. I would change the structure of the Student Government Association and how they allocate funds. The size of the school can be overwhelming at times but its great going to such a big university because there is always something to do, a new activity to get involved with, or meeting new people. College Park, despite the name is NOT a college town. There are about 5 bars on Rte. 1 and thats it. There also is some animosity between the university and the city of College Park. Crime is an issue here. The Administration (especially the Diversity Provost) is awesome. He's very accessible, easy to talk to and always willing to help with student initiatives. Biggest controversy--a noose was hung outside of the black student union in Fall 07 MD students have a ton of school spirit, which is one of my favorite things about Maryland. We're "terpaholics"