How do people in the Midwest/West Coast see University of Maryland?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a high school senior living in Maryland. My stats are more than good enough to get me into UMD at College Park and good enough for me to get into one of the nation's top schools at either the ivy, or just below ivy level (like top 30 USNWR schools). Right now my college list has UMD as my only safety school. My parents are convinced that UMD is not a good school and are trying to convince me to apply to a bunch of other safety and match level schools (my list is fairly top heavy with just one safety and one match and 5+ schools ranging from slight reach to huge reach, but I like my safety and match schools). I personally think that UMD is a perfectly fine school and that noone will look at a degree from it as equal to a community college degree like my parents are making it out to be. </p>

<p>So I am wondering, how do people who do not live in Maryland view UMD? Do they see it as equivilent of Delaware, UConn, and SUNY? or Is UMD seen in the next tier of state schools after UCB, UCLA, Michigan, and UVA?</p>

2

<p>In the tier with Rutgers, Iowa, Mich State, Ohio State, Texas AM, etc. Good all around schools with some great areas.</p>

3

<p>It's a state school with a decent rep - it's no UCLA, but it's no University of Arkansas, either. The fact is if you've got a great GPA coming out of UMD and some internships under your belt, employers will be very impressed. The engineering and journalism programs at UMD are especially renown, but I feel like if you earn a degree in any area of the school it will be well-respected. No, it's not going to have name-recognition in the Midwest or West, but attending your flagship state uni will look much better than some random crappy private for dumb kids...your parents are being silly. </p>

<p>I see UMD on par with Penn State, Deleware, UF...those off the East coast might see it on par with the better SUNYs and UConn (certainly doesn't have the instant wow! that Michigan, UVa, UCB do...)...but honestly...it doesn't even really matter.</p>

4

<p>In the tier with Rutgers, Iowa, Mich State, Ohio State, Texas AM, etc. Good all around schools with some great areas.</p>

<p>I see it ahead of those schools. As MSF said, on par with PSU, UDel, UF, Pitt, Wiscy, UIUC area.</p>

5

<p>Well Pitt, Udel and PSU are a tier below UW and UIUC, actually PSU and UMd are closer. UW and UI are still way stronger in many more areas than Umd. UMd has improved but they had a long way to go too.</p>

6

<p>I dont see them all that terribly far away. Maybe compared to UVA, UMich, UNC, UCB, etc. UW and UIUC are better, but not centuries away.</p>

7

<p>US News and World Report usually ranks it in the low fifties. That is not bad.</p>

8

<p>Engineering at U Maryland is well-respected nationwide, I believe.</p>

<p>U Maryland College Park is ranked 25th among doctoral universities in undergraduate engineering by US News- on par with USC, Columbia, and Duke- above U Penn and U Florida. In Aerospace Eng it is ranked 10th, in Computer Eng it is ranked 17th (along with Northwestern). The PhD program in electrical eng is ranked 13th.</p>

9

<p>^Amen about the engineering, especially aerospace. One of the professors there was head of NASA...</p>

<p>My Dad did aerospace back in the 80s, I guess, and even then the school was very well-respected in the field. Now UMD is a totally different school academically (far more selective and challenging), and I imagine the engineering program has only gotten more recognition.</p>

<p>Kids from my highschool either go to an Ivy or UMD...the reason is, especially for engineering, there's really not much in between!</p>

10

<p>Hello? Cornell is the only ivy with strong engineering.</p>

11

<p>Bobby, I suggest you take a look at the Fu School of Engineering at Columbia. It's GRADE A, TOP OF THE LIST, NUMBER ONE...as Frank Sinatra would say.</p>

12

<p>Also, because you have strong stats, you may qualify for the Banneker Key scholarship, which is free tuition, room & board, books, and food, if I remember correctly?</p>

13

<p>Its like Penn State. Good school, good 'programs', but isn't a stunner. It will be strong in the DC area, less strong other places. I think you need some matches, in reality having alot of matches creates a safety of sorts.</p>

14

<p>UMD is underrated, imo. It has a fairly strong rep in the East, but prolly not much so in the Midwest and West. </p>

<p>UIUC and Wisconsin, let alone Michigan, both have stronger reps in the Midwest (which is understandable--proximity plays a role). </p>

<p>But Maryland is certainly a good school, and it doesn't get a lot of respect, especially from the prestige wh0res.</p>

15

<p>One of the Nobel Prize winners in physics this year teaches part-time at U Maryland. He works full-time at Goddard Space Flight Center which is 10 minutes from U Maryland College Park. John C Mather</p>

16

<p>OK...i think i've been in this situation...</p>

<p>I'm from Md too...and i've always underrated college park as well. however, college park has an amazing honor's program. their business school is one of the top in the country. i know that for an overall college experience, college park will not disappoint.</p>

<p>I find your situation very similar to mine because last year i was in the same position. I found myself applying to all these ivies and college park was definately a safety. However, ivies are ivies for a reason. don't expect to get into them...it's always a gamble. I personally regret not having applied for schools less in ranking than college park. this is because with my accademics, i'm sure i would've been able to get a full ride at another school. i guess this is because money was a big consideration in my decision as well. </p>

<p>however, just remember not to underrate collegepark. it's getting so hard to get into...seriously. i had alot of friends (whom i thought was decently intelligent-average??) who got waitlisted or pushed to spring semester or just rejected.</p>