<p>I would like to parents opinion on these schools. My son was accepted to PSU-University Park, Virginia Tech and University of Maryland. Maryland is in-state and he was wait listed until Spring Semester. All schools are similar but have different qualities....and info is appreciated.</p>
<p>livestrong42, what does your son want to major in? I am VT alum- graduated a number of years ago, but still keep in touch with faculty and other alums. If his major is architecture- as mine was, then VT would be the way to go.</p>
<p>Give a few more details please!</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>He got into VT as a Biology Major, he chose Toxicology at PSU, at at UM he was put into General Science because of the amount of Biology majors that applied. Ultimately he would like to do drug R&D.</p>
<p>* My son was accepted to PSU-University Park, Virginia Tech and University of Maryland. Maryland is in-state and he was wait listed until Spring Semester.*</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying that UMaryland first wait-listed him, but now he’s now been accepted for Fall 2010. Or are you saying something else?</p>
<p>If UMaryland is in-state, is cost an issue for the OOS publics?</p>
<p>He was wait listed for fall but accepted for Spring. he could still do freshman connection at UM. There is not housing and he would have to take CORE courses, which would be after 2pm.</p>
<p>UM is $22,000/year</p>
<p>Cost is not a huge issue…but it is considered.</p>
<p>Has he visited both? Does he have a personal preference?</p>
<p>Don’t know anything about VT or UM, but PSU does have a great rep for research. I worked at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey for several years. Really great people doing some cutting edge research there. My nephew attended PSU - University Park and loved it. His sister, on the other hand, hated it and transferred out, so it’s really a personal choice.</p>
<p>My son was also accepted to the above three schools, and I can tell you that UVM was ruled out right away because of cost. I understand it’s much smaller than the other two which can be an advantage for some kids, and if you’re a skier there is of course plenty of that, but I also don’t think it has as good a reputation as the other two. (Son is going to both admitted students’ days at UMD and Penn State and then will decide.)</p>
<p>Of Penn State and Maryland, I think Maryland might have a slightly better reputation overall (can’t say a thing about individual departments, although I know Penn State’s college newspaper is tops) and if it’s in-state, that’s a huge cost savings for you. I understand that Freshman Connection has its issues, but I have heard that it is not as big a problem as people think. Also, if he is going into the sciences, I imagine he will be going to grad school and so having a lower cost college can’t hurt.</p>
<p>Ultimately, though, it’s really about the vibe he gets from each school. If all else were equal, where did he feel the best fit?</p>
<p>VT=Virginia Tech, not University of Vermont.</p>
<p>Oh I’m sorry. I read the subject line and say “VT” and went from there.</p>
<p>I guess I wasn’t very helpful then…although I would also say that Virginia Tech does not have as strong a reputation as UMD or PSU.</p>
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I would agree with this - not because I am from PA. None of my kids went to PSU.</p>
<p>However, at UM - would he major in something like toxicology? If so then, it might be a good pick for him as well. Lots of gov’t research in that area and opportunities.</p>
<p>If the only drawback for Maryland is waiting for spring - then consider carefully. There are plusses and minuses to this. Try and look long term.</p>
<p>You might want to post on the board of these universities so current students can help you.</p>
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<p>Totally random statement.</p>
<p>His preference has seemed to be MD, he has grown up going there for football and basketball games…and some of his friends go there. We went to several other schools (pitt, delaware and wake) and all were “fine”…he liked Wake but then saw the application process and interview. It has proven difficult to get him excited about any one place, which seems to be typical of most 18 year old boys.</p>
<p>I agree about the reputation of PSU and UM…you can go to just about any company and there is a PSU grad. And MD has a great reputation int he medical field plus a great Pharm school.
The toxicology program at PSU is one of eight in the country and I am familiar with the Hershey Med Center.</p>
<p>I don’t know that much about research opportunities at Penn State, but I know that whatever research is going on at Penn State Hershey Medical Center is happening close to two hours by car away from University Park. In other words, Penn State undergraduates do not have a meaningful opportunity to participate in that on a day-to-day basis and to take classes at the same time.</p>
<p>My children’s high school in Philadelphia had a lot of kids who were interested in biochemistry and drug research. Some of those students went to Penn State Main Campus, but many fewer than one would expect. Among the top students, assuming they didn’t go to Penn, Harvard, or MIT (etc.), many who could have chosen Penn State chose Temple, Drexel, or Pitt instead, and part of the reason was perceived research opportunities. But that was only part of the reason, and could well have been self-justification. Temple and Drexel were comfortable because they were familiar, there were dozens of friends, and the kids could live at home if they wanted. Pitt was more urban, and therefore more familiar. The same types of kids, in the burbs, voted much more heavily for Penn State.</p>
<p>I think PSU has a slightly better reputation as UM has been a recently upgraded school and had a less strong reputation in the past. Call it a draw. VT trails overall.</p>