<p>I've been pondering for a long time on which college to pick, and I can't seem to decide where I want to go. UMBC offered me a scholarship ($2500 per year), and I got accepted to CP in the spring. CP is slightly closer, and money isn't a very large issue. Ether way, I want to major in education.</p>
<p>Please help?</p>
<p>It depends on the type of person you are.</p>
<p>UMBC is a small school, but has a nice population. The food is awesome and the staff are really welcoming and are nice. UMBC is also big on research and you can study aborad as early as you prefer (I don’t know the full details on that). Also, if you haven’t noticed (I think you have) they call students, talk to them, and get to know them rather than sending crap emails like other colleges. However, UMBC is not big on athletics and therefore you would miss out on the fun of going to games and cheering for your team. Also, most people who go there commute rather than live on campus, and most of the time the campus is really boring (you don’t see anyone playing outside/having fun). If you truly want a college experience (going to games, partying hard, etc.) then you shouldn’t go here. But know that you can still have a lot of fun if you go to umbc. </p>
<p>CP on the other hand is a big campus which means lots of opportunities. I don’t really know about Education, but I’m sure they have a really good program. CP is also big on research (bigger than umbc) and their professors (depending on major) will often stay with you and help you if you need it. I know there is even a 1 person class dedicated to research with a professors. There are also a lot of people, which means you can meet a lot of people who have the same interests as you. Also, if you are the party type, this is a great place to be! The downsides are that you’ll most likely run into drunk people and their mess a lot. Also, class sizes are a lot bigger and some get the feeling they a treated like ‘a number’ rather than a person. And crime outside of the campus is a little heavy (some people got their laptops stolen last semester). </p>
<p>There are pros and cons for both places, but the advice I can give you is to not let your scholarship make the decision for you. My friend got a full scholarship to UMBC but still chose CP because he loves it and does not regret his decision. My other friend got a scholarship to cp but chose umbc and doesnt regret that decision either. Sorry if I couldnt help much, but I had to make this same decision too, and I accepted CP (I am also spring’d).</p>
<p>No, you did help, thank you!</p>
<p>UMBC is seen as the “nerdier” school within the system. It is particularly strong in the sciences. I’ve also taken some great language classes there. A lot of foreign students especially will take big scholarships at UMBC over UMCP, and save for grad school that way. I think I heard somewhere that UMBC has a pretty high percentage of students who go onto med school or into PhD programs. </p>
<p>Being a smaller school, in some departments I assume you may get more personalized attention.</p>
<p>Having visited campus, it definitely doesn’t have the insane party scene UMD does. Most of the parties I’ve been to are people chilling in on-campus apartments, drinking beer. Sports are also not as big.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m a fan of the nerdier and more quiet environment, and I hate sports, but with the good, there is always the bad…</p>
<p>UMBC is definitely still more of a commuter school than CP, and it doesn’t have the same kind of vibrant on-campus life. I’m not saying it doesn’t have on-campus life, of course, but it’s not to the same extent at all as CP. Transportation to Baltimore on the weekend also seems more difficult from UMBC than transport to DC on the weekend in CP. When you step onto UMCP’s campus, you FEEL big…you feel like the opportunities are endless. College Park has a really huge and diverse student body. UMBC has a much more subdued vibe. The office park campus doesn’t help.</p>
<p>UMBC is working hard to shed its commuter image and has recently built more dorms. However, it’s got a long way to go before it has the same kind of feel CP does, for better or for worse.</p>
<p>UMCP also has some programs that trump BC’s, ex. if you are interested in journalism there will be much more opportunities for you at CP. Engineering, comp sci are also big at CP. Proximity to DC may be very appealing for government or public policy students.</p>
<p>I really feel like UMBC is a great school, rapidly rising, and for the right student, it’s probably a way better fit than CP. The two are so different that it makes sense that one might actually choose UMBC over CP, even if they weren’t chasing the money. For me, personally though, I didn’t even think of applying there…CP all the way.</p>
<p>Oh, and I don’t know how the education schools compare specifically…</p>
<p>But UMCP’s education school did better than a lot of its other departments within the uni in a “peer engagement survey.” Basically, students said it was more interactive and hands on than other majors at the school.</p>
<p>Are you going to live on campus?</p>
<p>That really seems to be, at least to me, the make or break decision since both schools are comparatively equal for education.</p>
<p>If you are, than the question is will CP be too large, will BC be too small to you. If you are commuting than it is a wash, but if it is living on campus, you need to take a strong close look at the campus and the outskirts to make the decision. Baltimore is not DC. It is a great city, but like campuses it has a different feel than DC.</p>
<p>One of our DS’s roommates leaves every Thursday after class and doesn’t come back until Monday because he goes home every weekend. He took UMDCP over UMBC because of the location. </p>
<p>You have to look inside of yourself at what you want if you intend to live on campus. The campuses are night and day, the classes are night and day, the town is night and day. If you commute go to whichever is closer, if you intend to live than look at the campus, not the academics.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who responded!</p>
<p>To answer some of your questions, I do plan to live on campus, but only on week days, so the surrounding area probably won’t be too big of a problem. And since both are about an hour away, distance isn’t a problem. I do really like a quiet area, but I want to have more of social life in college. I’m not worrying about not finding a niche at CP since I have plenty of family/friends who go there.</p>
<p>What I’m most worried about is being able to learn math. It’s difficult for me to learn math, but once I get it I can explain it to others very well. That’s why I want to double major in math and art education. I’d probably be able to learn math easier at BC, but BC doesn’t have any studio art. </p>
<p>I just really wish that both schools weren’t so different.</p>
<p>AM I reading this right…you are weak in math, but want to double major and Math is one of them?</p>
<p>I think at either university you will find the exact same thing regarding Math. Classes will be taught by TA’s due to size and you are not going to have that 1 on 1. You are probably not going to place out of entry math, that means your classes at either school will be 50+ kids. The only way you will have that relationship is to hire a tutor.</p>
<p>Your true major seems to be art, go to CP. </p>
<p>What is your after college dream job? Is it working at the Smithsonian as a curator, a graphic designer or a math teacher ? (“once I get it I can explain it to others very well”)</p>
<p>I am just concerned that you believe that you love Math once you get it, that you believe that either college is like HS where they will slow down the class for those who are struggling. Neither will. Raincloud here, but it is a sink or swim life especially for majors.</p>
<p>UMBC is a MUCH smaller school that MD.</p>
<p>There are under 10,000 undergrads at UMBC. MD has twice that size. I don’t know how the numbers in the individual departments stack up but I assume there is also a difference.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume you may get more time with the professor or TA at UMBC. I’m not sure if this is true, but I can see why you might think so.</p>
<p>Having not gone to UMBC, I can only speak for MD.</p>
<p>If math is not your strong suit, a math major is going to be extremely difficult - it’s difficult even for those where math /is/ their strong suit. That said, you can always consider a math minor if the classes are getting too tough to hack. I think it’s a good idea to attempt it. </p>
<p>That said, in the more difficult classes, getting an appointment with the TA or professor is hard. You can’t wait until the day before an assignment is due, otherwise there will be a line out the building for help.</p>
<p>Are you organized? Do you think you will be able to “keep up”, checking in with TAs and the prof along the way, and not letting your misunderstandings snowball? I know I have a tendency to “let things go” until the assignment is due, and if you do, too, then just be warned you may not get the help and attention you need.</p>
<p>If you’re quite organized, though, I think you can handle CP :). </p>
<p>Also, it’s totally important that one school has art education and the other doesn’t!!</p>
<p>Seems like CP is a better fit…</p>
<p>I also heard, especially for Math, UMBC has very foreign teachers. Not that this is a bad thing, its just that sometimes I find it hard to understand professors with thick accents, and I wouldn’t want a Teacher getting in the way of my learning/ grades…</p>
<p>Bulletandpima, I really want to be an art teacher, but my parents want me to double major so that I could teach math too. I think I really am just hoping that I’ll somehow fall in love with it. Thank you for the advice.</p>
<p>Umcp11, I’m beginning to think CP is a better fit too. Thank you!</p>
<p>You’ll find the math classes in the major curriculum to be fairly brutal. Even if you get the info easily, there is a LOT of homework. D2 dropped Math 140 after the first day last semester. On her first day of Math 220 this year (decided she didn’t need Math 140 for the areas of concentration she wants to go into with her major)…the professor said, "You’ll find that this class is much different than the “engineering-student-weed-out” process in Math 140. Although you’d be going the Math 140/141 route, you will likely find that it is going to be much tougher than anything you did in high school.</p>
<p>I agree it will be hard to major in math if it’s not your strong suit, perhaps you would do well to major in a science program since it’s another area where teachers are needed.</p>
<p>UMCP does do a lot of math support for students who need it. This is from the resource guide:</p>
<p>COURSE</p>
<p> EDCP 108M Math Study Skills and Building Confidence (1 credit)
Designed for students who are experiencing difficulty in learning math, or for students studying math education. Offered twice during the fall and spring semesters as a half-semester course. Offered in the summer as part of the STEP program. Designed as an independent study course. Studies the affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions (ABCDs) of learning math. Offers students instruction in study skills, time management, and the resources available for student success in math.</p>
<p>TUTORS
Math Success Program: The Math Success Program is a free drop-in coaching service that is open to both campus residents and commuter students. Students making use of this program require no prior registration or appointment, and no fees apply. The target courses consist of Math 003, 113, and 115. Students from other math courses, such as Math 140, 141, 220, 221, and Stat 100, have also been utilizing this service on a regular basis.
Offered by the Department of Resident Life
301-314-MATH for more information on times and sites
Or go to the following url:</p>
<p>[Math</a> Success Program](<a href=“http://www.resnet.umd.edu/programs/math_success/]Math”>http://www.resnet.umd.edu/programs/math_success/)</p>
<p> Math Department tutoring: The Math Department posts a schedule of tutors available for Math 240, 241, 246, and 461. Schedule is found at the url below. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.math.umd.edu/undergraduate/resources/tutoringmatlab.shtml[/url]”>http://www.math.umd.edu/undergraduate/resources/tutoringmatlab.shtml</a></p>
<p>Just found this link that might be helpful to you:</p>
<p>[College</a> of Education Ranked Among Top 25 by U.S. News & World Report](<a href=“http://www.education.umd.edu/news/news2009/wnr0904USNewsRank.html]College”>http://www.education.umd.edu/news/news2009/wnr0904USNewsRank.html)</p>