<p>Hey guys, I am trying to decide between maryland and U Pittsburgh. I will study business. It would be great if you can answer considering factors such as campus, class size, overall quality..
thanks</p>
<p>I personally have attended both universities and as for the business schools (and universities in general) there is a difference. Even though the UMD business school has a better ranking, it is difficult to get accepted into if you aren't accepted in immediately as a freshmen. Pitt's business school is easier to get into, but isn't as highly positioned (although I heard it was decent for what it provides). As for the schools in general, UMD is very huge (around 40,000), located in a (fairly shady) suburban setting, and is a typical state school (think ______ State), with class sizes tending to be huge, especially during the freshmen courses. In Pitt, it is a medium sized school, located in an urban surrounding, and has a mix of small, medium, and large sized classes. Although "technically" a state school, Pitt does a slightly better job in attracting those who want to go to a university for academics and getting away from the high school drama, versus those who flock to a state college for sports, partying, and drinking.</p>
<p>I'm bumping this thread because the Pitt forum has been ridiculously criticizing UMD and I think it's time we showed some Terp pride and told univerCity why UMD is the obvious choice here! :)</p>
<p>I wouldn't say this in the Pitt forum but there's a lot of information flying around that needs to be stood up to by us! So here I go.</p>
<p>-UMD's business school has a big endowment, and is constantly changing and expanding to become more high-tech and fit the needs of the students (videoconference rooms, etc.)
-UMD may be large but to be honest I feel like the business school and similar programs have a very close-knit feel. Once you finish your CORE curriculum classes, the courses in your major will mostly be small and you have a ton of opportunities to do research, connect with faculty, get involved, etc.
-UMD business has all the Fellows programs that have been recently started which are giving students great opportunities to get more involved in topics that interest them.</p>
<p>And come on, it's called Pitt. Do you want that on a sweatshirt?! :)</p>
<p>Also, to counter what The_Fairfaxian said, Maryland's classes vary greatly in size. Sure, there are some large lecture classes, but most of my classes have been under 35 students, with a couple even smaller courses I took in the Honors Program. Also, my upper level English courses are all capped at 31 students.</p>
<p>We're also much more ethnically and regionally diverse than Pitt, which gives campus a much more cosmopolitan feel. That was one big factor in my decision not to attend Pitt (besides the weather).</p>
<p>wow, thanks guys. If you guys didn't show up, i was sliding toward pitt :)</p>
<p>hey we do what we can :P seriously if you have any specific questions, let us know or send a PM</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is Pittsburgh's surroundings are less than ideal. UMD is in a middle class burb.</p>
<p>Of course I'm biased. I chose UMD (in-state) free-tuition (scholarship) over UPitt free-tuition for chemical engineering. I'm going to commute to UMD so UMD also came out cheaper.</p>
<p>Pitt is located in the Oakland area of Pittsburgh. It is not "less than ideal." Just throwing that in there.</p>
<p>UMD-CP and Pitt are the only two schools my daughter applied to. We like both but they differ quite a bit. Pitt is located in the city. IMO an attractive part of town with lots of places to walk to. For some the urban setting might be a disadvantage but to some it's just what they're looking for. It's a somewhat smaller school with a more compact campus. I think the best advice to anyone making up his mind is for them to carefully consider what is the best fit for HIM. There are lots of great schools and much of what makes a school a good fit is subjective. (D still hasn't made up her mind.)</p>
<p>how easy is it to access D.C.?</p>
<p>Also, I've heard negative things about off-campus. What can you say about the surrounding area?</p>
<p>@univercity</p>
<p>By metro, it is pretty easy.</p>
<p>I used to live in the surrounding area. It's not that bad.</p>
<p>Alright guys,</p>
<p>i kind of eliminated Pitt at this point, unless it ends up being much much cheaper, but now i am trying to decide between Univ. of Illinois Urbana Champaign v. Maryland. I am accepted into the business schools as a freshman at both. </p>
<p>UIUC is better ranked, but I hear it is like an island (middle of nowhere) whereas UMD has D.C. right next to it. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>I grew up near UIUC, (my mother still lives there) and D is now a Terp, so I'll chime in.....UIUC is an awesome school, and Urbana/Champaign are nice midwestern towns that fully thrive on the university. The university does a nice job of bringing in big entertainment, but your life will be totally the university. </p>
<p>UMD is in a less-than-idyllic suburban/quasi urban area....not a lot to say about the immediate surroundings, but the campus is IMO, prettier than UIUC... (I'm partial to big brick buildings with columns, what can I say?)Crime happens on and around both campuses, but in Urbana, there's not nearly as much of the "toughness" that you see in the outlying area at UMD. At both places, you have to use common sense to be safe; however, I'd guess that the crime rates at College Park are much higher.... it didn't deter my daughter and she takes extra precautions to be smart about where she goes her, or takes the night shuttle that will drop her off at her dorm. </p>
<p>D was drawn to UMD by all the many things the school offered, and she really, really wanted to be in an urban area....(served by great metro access). She goes into DC pretty frequently....once a week at least, first semester, a bit more spread out this semester, because she's got a lot of stuff going on. She thrives on the "big city" feel of DC, and has always been a big science buff....(look at my screenname....the Air and Space Museum is her 2nd home, and NASA being so close to College Park was also a major draw). </p>
<p>Some kids never go into DC; D and her friends go a lot....it's all in your interests. Both are big schools; you can be as anonymous or NOT as you want....you can choose to be a "number" and blend in with the crowd, or you can jump in and make yourself known right off the bat. I think the academics are comparable in both places....cornfields or near a big city....you'll have to decide that one on your own. That and Big Ten vs. ACC.... I think you have to work harder to get a football ticket at UIUC than at UMD, but both schools love their sports.</p>