Hey guys,
I do not recommend using the website www.studentsreview.com to make school decisions. It really only gives you the worst case scenario a school could be from people that cannot adjust to life on their own or etc. However, I did find a diamond in the rough response for all the concerns people post about the social life and commuter reputation of the school:
From a 1st year Engineering Student posted on May 4th 2014:
Part of the whole message that addresses the above topics:
“A few complaints that are often heard are that umbc is mostly “a commuter school” and that there is “no social life” or “nothing to do around campus.” Just to refute these claims, new dorms have been built to allow students to live on campus, and as a result, around 70% of students do now (which is quite average compared to other campuses). Also, there are many clubs and extracurriculars to get involved in if you want to meet people and make friends! As for the party scene, while parties are harder to find, they are there if you look for them. This campus tends to be academic though, so if you plan on getting wasted every night, I advise you to look into umd instead. Finally, there are plenty of off-campus things to do- the school provides shuttles to surrounding areas like Catonsville and Baltimore, but it also helps to find friends with a car. It’s Baltimore people!! There’s a ton of things to do, go explore!! In sum, this school is way underrated, almost like a hidden secret- if you want a good deal, a supportive college environment (without a sink or swim attitude) and a well-rounded college experience, consider looking at umbc!” (http://www.studentsreview.com/MD/UOMBC_comments.html)
I was accepted as a transfer to mechanical engineering and this post alone put UMBC in my serious consideration category. I am still trying to find out more about what credits of mine will transfer and the rumored 2015 budget cuts. I felt like this would help a lot of y’all feel better about the social life. This is, at the end of the day, an honors college.