University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Choosing to go to the University of Maryland over the other dozen schools I applied to was the best decision of my life. I have learned so much and acheived more in two years than I could have ever dreamed. On a personal note, I have become much more accepting and culturally-aware because of UMD. While I grew up in big and diverse Houston, Texas, things are a bit more prejudice and hostile in the South when it comes to differences. UMD, with its diverse campus and loving atmosphere, has taught me to be more open and to look beyond someone's outward appearance. Academically, UMD has given me the best experience possible. Being a journalism student, experience is vital, and UMD has pushed me to get things done. I have held two amazing and prestigious internships, I am the Editor-in-Chief of two magazines, I covered President Obama's State of the Union address from the press gallery and my stories have been published in over 50 news outlets. I am so proud of who I've become, but if I wasn't at UMD, I don't know if I'd say the same thing.

My first year of college taught me a lot. Because of the freedom, I was not performing as well. I always took my time for granted and procrastinated a lot. My grades showed the reflection of my attitude and it was already too late when I realized that I needed to step up and do better. Second semester, I tried harder and did more than what I did the first semester. My grades slowly started to improve and at the end of the semester, I was actually proud of my grades because it reflected my changed attitude. They always say, "you learn from your mistakes." I truly recognized the meaning behind this quote and will never take my college education for granted again.

What i have gotten out of college was the way to manage buiseness and to be smarter with the choices i make in life. i belive college has been valuable to attend because i will be able to some day start a buiseness and be able to make enough money to support my family. I also want to be able to be the first kid in my family to graduate college and be successful.

My college experience has taught me more about my own unique individuality than any other facility could offer. College for me has been about learning my strengths and weaknesses, what I am good at, what I like to learn, and what drives me to succeed. Being around other motivated students has shown me that my drive to succeed is beyond what I give myself credit for, and when I apply myself, I am able to achieve great success. I have had a glimpse at the pressure and stress of real life. I realize that every minute is completely up to me how I want to spend my time. I make sure to use every minute towards educated myself, growing spiritually and helping others through volunteer work, and as result I feel confident and grounded about the unknown life that lies ahead after graduation. It has been valuable to attend college because it has given me the inner strength to feel confident in a world that can seem so intimidating. College has been the first arena that has let me be completely myself and as result, I have flourished.

By going to college I have gain many things I have grown as an individual and really find my passions and what I really want to do with my self and career. College was a milestone and help me understand responsibilities and how to mange my time better between work and school and social time. I think that if I would have gone straight to Maryland university with out first going to PGCC it would have been much harder for me because know I feel am ready. I know what I want and I can focuses and my goals for my future. It also made me understand that I really want to go to school and finish school.

While I could say that my education has been the most valuable aspect of my college experience thus far, I would be lying. While taking classes have been extremely caluable, I think the most important thing I learned is that things are not always easy and you have to be proactive in order to get what you want. I entered Maryland as an out-of-state New Yorker not knowing one person. I was a little nervous, not for the workload, but for being so far away from home and not having a familiar face to talk too. Of course, I was placed in a sophomore dorm, with a roommate who embodied just about every horror story out there, and on top of that, I had no friends. It was nothing like what I expected from my freshman year. Instead of sulking in self-pity and being miserable, I stuck it out for a month, transferred into a freshman dorm, and made life-long friends by the end of the semester. Having this experience was valuable because it showed me that nothing is really as bad as it seems, and that being proactive can really get you places.

I think maryland has offered me such diverse array of opportunities. Being pre-med and a Biology major, you rarely get the chance to step outside of your comfort zone of taking all Science courses and competing for the highest grades, all the time. With my advisor, I was able to fit in a study abroad for a Fall Semester in Barcelona, Spain. Further, I have been able to participate in a cappella, start my own non-profit organization on campus, tutor kids, and work as a UNIV100 Teaching Assistant. I have made friends to last a lifetime. Some have the same interests as me, while others do not, but in the end, we share the common trait of being prideful students of University of Maryland. I would have never traded this experience for anything else in the world.

My college experience has been one that I will never forget. In every class I have learned so much about myself and about many things that can help in the job market. I understand that education is the number one thing that employers look for other than experience and I'm achieving one of the requirements now for a successful career. My college experience has put me in contact with many types of students with the same goals as me from all different backgrounds and nationalities as well. Their perspectives on certain issues in my classes has opened my eyes to some of the current worldly issues which, in turn, doubles my education. The people in my classes help to enhance my college experience by giving me new opinions and new ways to look at things. The experience has helped me to become more open-minded in the world today. My college experience has been valuable because I am now ready to tackle the world with the knowledge that I've acquired. I am more confident in my abilities and it makes me want to learn more.

College is a great place to mingle with people from entirely different back ground from yours and i have gotten meaningful friendships from attending one. I have also gotten a great sense of coordination and timing. Time is everything. I plan my time very wisely that even my mum calls me "action lady" because i have no time to waste and anyhting that needs to be done is done properly.

Before I moved away to college I was very afraid about what I would expect. However, I can safely say that college so far has been such a rewarding experience. Besides learning about genetics and musicology, I also learned about myself. I now have realized many things I didn't notice before and it was helpful. I realized that I am an independent person that could take care of herself and is capable of making correct decisions. I also learned how to open and not be as shy around people. Highschool was very different and therefore, I could not make friends that easily but I've learned to accept differences in people. College is full of surprises and a lot of freedom but the best thing to watch is how you become a better person. I would have never thought twice about attending college because besides obtaining a degree, you also learn about life and open yourself to a tremendous amount of opportunities.