I’m a Journalism student from Melbourne, Australia and I’ll be doing a semester exchange in America in Fall 2017.
I’m trying to decide between San Diego State University or University of Maryland.
I know that UMD is known to be academically stronger and a better Journalism school, but as it’s just a semester exchange I’m also interested in the overall American college experience, and not just academics.
So which school has a better overall student life and campus life? (I will be 21)
Better surrounding area?
Anything else you can add?
Not a student but an SDSU Aztec Parent. San Diego is a great place due to great weather, beach activities and night life if that is what you are looking for in your semester exchange. The San Diego trolley makes it easy to get around town with student discounted pass. You can hit the Gas Lamp District full of bars since you are 21. You have Mission Bay and the water activities, along with Pacific Beach, Del Coronado etc… You can try some surfing at many places along the coast. You can take the Amtrak train north and visit many Southern California attractions including Disneyland.
Campus parties are present (many Frat/Sorority related) so you need to know someone to get into some of these parties. Academically, SDSU’s Journalism program probably cannot compare with UMD, but you will get an overall American College experience at SDSU.
I suggest take a look at the following links to see if SDSU is for you:
Any preference for weather and location? SD’s weather may be not unlike Melbourne(?), so I’m not sure if that matters either way.
If you have a desire to travel and see other US cities, then UMD might be a better call. Philly & NYC aren’t too far. DC & Baltimore are both close to UMD.
I think you can get a good “American college experience” at either school, just a matter of picking the best fit for you.
The Univ of Maryland, College Park has a very strong journalism program and also some outstanding departments (Poli Sci, English). It is a short drive (20-30 mins) from Washington DC, and there is a Metro that goes from the campus to DC. One of the benefits would be access to DC and its monuments, museums, political life, etc. So if you want access to political institutions, UMD would offer that. BUT it is in a suburb, and there used to not be a whole lot going on around the campus. I think that is changing; it has an active Greek life.
I don’t know the academic programs very well at sdsu, but I visited recently with my son and it is a beautiful campus, not too far from the beach.