<p>Okay so I applied to UMD, Penn State, Rutgers- all their undergrad engineering schools. I got into Penn State Engineering and Rutgers Engineering, but I got rejected from UMD's engineering program. But I got into UMD's Spring Semester for Letters & Sciences Undecided major (aka Liberal Arts college- undecided) and got the option of doing "Freshman Connection" which allows me to be at UMD Fall semester but I will be living off-campus and my classes will be in the afternoon separate from the UMD population- with the same profs and smaller classes like 20ish vs. 200 class sizes. I'm looking at reapplying to UMD's engineering program for my sophomore year but from what I've heard you have to keep your GPA above 3.5 to have a good chance of getting in and I have to take (<a href="http://www.lep.umd.edu/engineering-spring2014onward.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.lep.umd.edu/engineering-spring2014onward.pdf</a>) courses (transfer list) to have a chance. UMD's been my number one school but do you think it's worth it? I'm from NJ which means that RU would be the cheapest option. Penn State has a higher ranked engineering program out of the three. So do you think UMD is still the best option for me? Please help....I really need all the advice I can get. Thanks!</p>
<p>UMD engineering is not worth it. Go to Rutgers and do very well.</p>
<p>As a student who did the “Freshman Connection” program I really don’t recommend it. You’re treated like a second-class citizen by faculty. They really like to emphasize the fact that we’re not technically students which ****ed me off quite a lot because I was paying the same amount as a “real” student. The only reason I had to go to UMD was because I had to stay in-state. Not worth the struggle, Penn State and Rutgers are just as good and maybe even better.</p>
<p>Penn state is the best school academically. I know that the engineering at psu is tougher than UMD, the classes from UMD won’t transfer to PSU because they are easier. PSU is rigorous but produces very well educated people.</p>