<p>I'm from out of state and my academic profile and scores are pretty good but most of the schools I'm applying to have around 10000 students. I have watched some Maryland games on tv (basketball, football) and there seems to be a lot of school spirit, which is good for me because i love sports. I also want to go to a big time school so i thought Maryland would be a good fit, but I'm not too sure about the cost, travel, quality of education, and size. </p>
<p>By the way I live in ohio</p>
<p>Take a look at the US News and World Report College Rankings---it's got the average stats, etc. so you can see how well you match up. I don't remember the % of out of state, but there are a fair number---and if your grades and SAT scores are respectable, you have a good chance. If they are better than respectable, then you'll have a good chance at honors and potentially merit scholarships. D will be starting there in the fall. We're from NC, and we met several people from NJ, VA, etc. at orientation.</p>
<p>I wouldn't say it would be worth the extra cost over Ohio University - Athens. The two have pretty comparable academics. However, UMD does have some particularly strong programs, like engineering and comp sci, which might interest you. In addition, UMCP gives out decent scholarships to out of state students for a public school; the ~8,000/yr award was a common one amongst CC kids with relatively good stats. Also, I would say the honors program is an edge over Ohio, too. As an in-state kid I am so, so happy with the individual attention I've recieved so far through the honors program, opportunities like Gemstone, and how interesting the multitude of honors seminars look and how qualified the professors for them are (which count towards CORE and major requirements). Lastly, another reason you might consider UMCP is connections in the DC-area, if you are interested in living and working here after graduation.</p>
<p>I considered applying to Ohio U, actually. It's very similar to UMCP in a lot of ways. Again, cost-per-benefit of UMCP over Ohio U probably isn't that great.</p>