St. Mary's MD - OOS/FA/etc

Parents Forum
1

<p>Are there any families out there who have first hand knowledge about St. Mary's College in MD?</p>

<p>It is such a small school I am having difficult finding out more then can be viewed from the website.</p>

<p>Specific questions:
1. Do they GAP FA for Out of State students?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I know it is the MD Honor's College, but I am learning that not all honors colleges are alike. Can anyone compare academic rigor and opportunities to a school like William & Mary or SUNY Geneseo?</p></li>
<li><p>It is a small school and also in an isolated area -- Do kids outgrow it quickly (ie by 2nd year)?</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>1. Do they GAP FA for Out of State students?</p>

<p>I don’t have first-hand experience, but the rule-of-thumb is that only UVA and UNC-CH give need-based aid to OOS students to help with costs.</p>

<p>So, if your EFC is over Pell amounts, all you can expect to get for “need-based” aid would be a Direct loan and maybe some work-study. </p>

<p>If the school gives some merit money for high stats, that’s another issue.</p>

3

<p>I’m not sure about the financial aid, but I know some kids who attend this school. It’s basically a good LAC, but not on the same level as W and M. It is small and isolated. Kids who like the outdoors and sailing seem to love it. It’s also really important to get involved in some extra-curricular activities. Some kids do find that it’s too small.</p>

4

<p>The OOS COA is about $40k per year.</p>

<p>Average financial aid package: $7,500</p>

<p>Since the avg FA package is only $7500, that strongly suggests that the school gives little to no need-based aid to help OOS students with their high costs.</p>

5

<p>It was the first college S2 and I visited. They do give merit and accelerated placement to full IB diploma candidates. Average accepted SAT from S2’s school was mid-1900s. The top students we know who applied were using it as an in-state merit likely admit option.</p>

<p>It is very rural. When our tour guide said how excited he was that a Chipotle opened up ten miles down the road, I knew this would not be a good fit for S2. A car would be a necessity. </p>

<p>Know a student who graduated in 09 who is now in a STEM PhD program at a top ten school. Did fencing and sailing, had a terrific experience. Lots of personal attention.</p>

<p>Agree that W&M is in a whole 'nuther ballpark in terms of size, culture and academics.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for all the feedback!</p>

7

<p>Average non-need based aid (merit scholarships): $3,000</p>

<p>That is low. It’s ok for instate, but not much for OOS costs.</p>

8

<p>We visited St. Mary’s two years ago with our daughter. It is very rural on the banks of the St. Mary River right off of the Chesapeake Bay. It was a lovely campus with most of the buildings in a colonial yellow brick. A new science center had just opened. They do have several sailboats that the students use. I believe their sailing team has defeated the Navy team several times.
The majority of students are from Maryland but I did not get the feeling it was a suitcase college.
They have several dual degree programs with UMD. Our daughter was interested in the 3/2 engineering program. In the end though she thought the campus was too remote for her and she did not apply.</p>

9

<p>Ummm…they’ve more than sunk Navy! :slight_smile:
[St</a>. Mary’s (Md.) Athletics : St. Mary’s Wins National Sailing Team Racing Championship](<a href=“http://www.smcmathletics.com/sports/sailing/2009-10/releases/20100601hp0yni]St”>http://www.smcmathletics.com/sports/sailing/2009-10/releases/20100601hp0yni)</p>

<p>Seriously, there are boats that students can check out with their campus IDs. A lot of kids pick it up while there.</p>

10

<p>I don’t know anything about St. Mary’s FA … we didn’t get that far. Visited with D on an absolutely beautiful day. I loved sitting on the bluff overlooking the water. But the college is small, and isolated. D could not get past either, despite my efforts to “talk up” the school. If you’re considering St. Mary’s, it’s a “must visit” IMHO.</p>

11

<p>The daughter of an acquaintance goes there. She’s very happy (turned down one of the Maine LACs to go there – I think Bates). She a junior, from out of state, and doesn’t seem antsy or bored yet. The family doesn’t earn a lot of money, and needed financial aid, so she must have gotten something.</p>

12

<p>I don’t know anything about Saint Mary’s FA either. My D did get merit aid, but we are in-state. It was my favorite LAC out of the 4 we looked at (my opinion did not matter at all though!); if you like SMCM, you might want to look at Washington College in Chestertown, MD. We found it rather similar, and somewhat less rural. You might get better FA and merit there. They were extremely generous with merit aid. You must interview though.</p>

<p>My daughter’s friends who go to SMCM love it - but it is not for everyone due to its remoteness. It is very beautiful. My neighbor’s daughter just graduated and is attending Yale School of Drama now.</p>

13

<p>We visited there earlier this year. It’s a beautiful campus, with very friendly students. It is in a very rural part of Maryland. I went to high school not from there. My daughter crossed it off her list after visiting, since she thought it was too rural for her. I think this is one of those colleges in which you love it or hate it and you know right away. I would definitely check it out and visit.</p>

<p>PM me and I will send you a photo album link.</p>

14

<p>I know that kids from St. Mary’s always have to come down to UMD to party, but that’s the extent of it.</p>