Things to love about Maryland

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Maryland - College Park
1

I’m going to start this list with just a few things and I invite everyone else to jump in! I will add more down the line (because you know I have more, haha) but let’s show prospective students/parents all the things (big, little, and all the fun stuff inbetween) that make Maryland such a great choice…let’s show our Maryland Pride! :slight_smile:

-Beautiful campus

-Location, location, location - a heartbeat away from the nation’s capitol so great opportunities to intern in DC, access to free world class museums (Smithsonian, etc), top-rated restaurants in DC, close to Baltimore aquarium, internship opportunities in Baltimore, easy access to Annapolis (arguably world’s capital for sailing)

-Plethora of classes to choose from to fulfill gen ed requirements - everything you can imagine, and options vary each semester- and when I say everything you can imagine, I mean it - ranging from communication in the age of youtube to one about entrepreneurial thinking for non-business majors; how not to miss great opportunities life throws at you,…the range goes on for all kinds of interests and every semester has options for a “signature series” of classes that are highly interesting topics to round out your education.

-The two English classes required for graduation are both based on teaching practical writing skills, NOT interpreting literature! Interpreting literature classes are, of course, available but are optional - and have lots of variety including one with a focus in science based literature, for example.

-World-class research university - constantly building new lab facilities to offer the most cutting edge research. Opportunities for research are available for all students, including freshman!

-The only university to have an on-site neutral buoyancy tank - The Space Systems Laboratory
Quote from Popular Science, "Students don space suits and climb into a neutral buoyancy tank to conduct low- and zero-gravity tests on next-gen astronaut gear, as well as space- and deep-sea-bound robots. Maryland’s 50-foot-diameter, 367,000-gallon tank is one of only two in the U.S., and the only one at a university.Students have gone on to work on the International Space Station and the Cassini and Magellan planetary probes, among others.

-students get to attend sporting events free

-students get free access to recreational facilities (no gym membership surcharge)
’
-awesome, homemade ice cream at The Dairy that is rumored to have such a high fat content it can’t be sold off campus, haha

2

Thank you for starting this thread. My dd has her list narrowed down to 4 schools and can’t even take one off the list. PLEASE keep all the pros of U of Maryland coming, maybe it will help people trying to make decisions. There is a down side to too many choices.

3

What does it mean to be a TERRAPIN?

Thinking turns to doing/living and learning environments thrive/students learn beyond the classroom/we embrace diversity/$500+ million in research powers breakthroughs/we start movements/we challenge convention and embrace the impossible.

“One is not born into the world to do everything, but to do something.” -Henry David Thoreau

[Terrapins make an impact in the world.](University of Maryland "Impact" Video - YouTube)

Fear The Turtle

4

Ok, challenge accepted oliver17! All hands on deck! @terpmom7, @davenmame, @SoofDad, @MdDad2012, @itllbeok, @1214mom, @plumazul (if you are still checking in) and anyone else I am missing of course, let’s help make it a no brainer!

-free tshirts/giveaways at lots of games/events

-not two, but four school colors to choose from, so you can have lots of variety in your wardrobe

-great return on your investment - the school’s reputation continues to improve every year and because they are working toward that end, they work that much harder than other schools to innovate

-living learning communities to make a smaller community - it’s easy to make a big school seem smaller, but you cannot make a small school bigger!

-there is a club for just about every interest you can imagine - over 800, I believe

-one of the most diverse schools around - some schools you get a certain feel of being very competitive, or very preppy or very superficial…you can’t define Maryland with any one adjective. Everyone fits. Every group is represented. Typically, most students have multiple groups of friends - some they study with, some they hang out with, some they do activities with, some they go to parties with…you name it.

5

The maryland flag is like the greatest pattern ever invented.

6

I’ll add more as I think of things. I know many of these have already been said, but worth repeating.
Top notch academics. Very highly ranked in many disciplines
Location truly can’t be beat for internships
Awesome recruiting in the business school, and I’m sure elsewhere too.
Wallace Loh
Very diverse
B1G athletics
Very active greek life, if that’s your thing
The Dairy

7

Neutral buoyancy tank and a nuclear reactor. Two odd things.

8

Ok, I have a few…

Dr Dorland,
BIG 10 Sports. (Women’a BBall Team Undefeated in the BIG 10)
Awesome School Spirit- wherever you go, you’ll run into other Terps…
Parent’s Weekend.
Maryland Day
Groups of Friends making their own Traditions

9

Fantastic opportunities for internships
Job Placement
Easy access to D.C. (for art, internships, food,…)
Lido’s Bacon Pizza
As large as UMD is, people at all levels amazed us at their abilities to learn students’ names & faces
Med School/Law School acceptances after graduation
Some internships sponsor clearances

10

-Chick-fil-A on campus

-A mascot you don’t have to be embarrassed about…

-Cupid’s Cup http://cupidscup.com/

-Hinman CEO’s http://www.hinmanceos.umd.edu/

-great entertainment/guest speakers - Dalai Lama came last year (or maybe year before?), Bill Nye the Science Guy came this year, Kevin Hart (comedian) also this year, not to mention a lot of “hot” entertainers that I have never heard of but that our kids think are great, haha

-famous alumni include Jim Henson (muppets!), Connie Chung (journalist/newscaster), Boomer Esiason (football), Sergey Brin (Google), Kevin Plank (UnderArmour), Judith Resnick (astronaut)…just to name a few!!!

11

WOW. These are amazing. I have been doing research but hadn’t come across Cupid’s Cup or Hinman CEO’s. Unfortunately, my daughter is convinced she can get a great education at any of her choices and is basing her decision on the social aspect. ( What can you do?? It’s important to have the right fit and she’s a hard worker so she’s right.)

But… I do get to add on something to LOVE about Maryland! The committed contributors on college confidential. It means more than you realize. My older daughter goes to Tulane which also has amazing College Confidential responders and it helps a lot in a variety of ways. I am thankful to all of you that have posted. Thank you!

12

Many of the programs are in the top 25.

13

Umm, Maryland is VERY social…!!! And it is known for having a very good-looking student population :wink:

14

Maryv, you’re a trip!

15

I speak the truth…and even both my kids commented on that/noted that on visits and so have other people…

16

Maryversity, you know I love Maryland, but Miami Ohio is where we saw the most beautiful people. It’s the only place either of my sons actually commented on how many good looking people were around.

17

I’ve heard that our recreation center is tied with Georgia Tech for being the best. I can’t “prove” it, but I think we heard that on a tour.
Also if you are in state, the price compared to the quality of education is awesome.

18

Never went to that campus (Miami Ohio), so I’ll give ya that if you say so haha but they get points off for confusing name!

19

OK, so many schools have lots of things, BUT how many schools have transformed a homeschooled, rural, dairy goat milking farm boy into a sophisticated computer engineer who is now just as comfortable in business shoes as muck shoes; appreciates the value of good tie stays as well as the value of a good show collar; reads classic literature for fun just as well as the livestock market prices. UMD REALLY does welcome people from ALL walks of life with all backgrounds. In our case, it turned our farm boy into a professional young man we are very proud of. GO TERPS!!!

20

Miami University in Ohio held its first classes in 1824, one year before the first white person was in the Miami, Florida area and 70 years before Miami, FL was incorporated as a city. Thus, Floridians are the ones who caused the confusion.

Miami is a Native American tribe which was present in Ohio (and elsewhere).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_people
http://www.native-languages.org/miami-illinois.htm