Penn State vs. UMD (Freshman Connection)

<p>I got into Penn State Main campus for Fall, and UMD for Freshman connection. Both schools are around the same academically, give or take, but I like Maryland's proximity to a big city (DC) a lot more than Penn State in the middle of nowhere. </p>

<p>What are the Pros and Cons of Freshman Connection and UMD in general in comparison to Penn State ?</p>

<p>Well, after our accepted students day visit, it became noticeable that so much of the off- campus housing (apartment buildings)are just on the edge of campus that they are practically ON campus at UMD. this is one thing that struck me. Also someone commented that if you like to sleep in that your classes tend to be late in the day. My D decided against PSU at the last minute and chose UMD because PSU is in the middle of nowhere…flights are extremely difficult, with connections, expensive, and the drive is about 8 hous away…she would not have a car. No city nearby, she would feel kind of trapped. the free UMD bus takes you to the metro line, which goes into DC. My D isn’t going away to college park with anyone from her high school - we are from Boston - but there will be a number of friends in the Baltimore/DC area if she wants to get together with them, she will be able to. In the end, the programs she was being offered were more targeted at her interests, where we felt PSU was just riding a little too much on the whole “WE are …Penn State” mantra. I think both would provide great college experiences…
Plus most sports tickets are easier to get - and often (always?) free at umd. Plus both gave her the same aid - fed. Loans only - so umd is about $5000 cheaper a year.
What part of the country are you from?</p>

<p>i’m applying as a transfer to penn state and umd for fall 2011 after going to school in boston for the past couple years. i’m originally from the maryland/dc area so i would be getting in state tuition at umd and it’s closer to home whereas i had take a flight to boston and it’s like a 8 hour drive. i like how it’s close to DC and a pretty good school. psu is in the middle of nowhere but it’s ranked one by wsj for job recruiters after graduation and has a reknowned alumni network, not to mention the school spirit. I have a few friends that got into the freshman connection at umd and after they finished that they were able to progress normally in their college career, though I got in regular admission when i applied senior year of high school so wouldn’t know much about it.</p>

<p>UMD is #8 in the same wsj recruiters survey. Just FYI, still a good rating. UMD ranks #5 in the kip linger survey of best public college values. 2/3 of the weighting for that is on academics, 1/3 on price. PSU is somewhere down in the 50s in that survey.</p>