<p>I was admitted to the Honors College at the University of Maryland. I was also admitted to Johns Hopkins. I wouldn't have major debt at either place. Actually, I would have extra money to start after college if I went to UMD. I plan to study math or computer science. Academics are very important to me, but I'm also into school spirit which is mainly UMD. What are some pros and cons for each (not just academic, but the food/dorms/surrounding area)? Thank you!</p>
<p>DI sports would definitely favor MD, as I am a big terps fan. That said, Hopkins students are far more accomplished as a whole - but you’d likely have to work harder to keep up. I turned down honors, gemstone, and banneker/key scholar back in the day for Hopkins</p>
<p>Hopkins…this shouldn’t even be a discussion since money isn’t a factor.</p>
<p>Tough one. I am a Maryland graduate and a Johns Hopkins residency graduate. So, I have a fondness for both institutions. IMO, by the time the weeding out process occurs at UMD, the same quality of graduates are produced when it is all said and done by both universities. Google’s Sergey Brin is a UMD mathematics graduate. His future wasn’t diminished by attending Maryland. JHU will provide you quality from start to finish because the students are much higher quality coming in. Plus the research opportunities might be unmatched due to very high funding and low student population. While that funding is geared towards their graduate students and the Applied Physics Lab, opportunities are opened to UG. In 2013, JHU received $2.1 Billion in research fund. Number 2 was University of Michigan at $783 Million. That’s staggering! But, I am not a fan of the campus and the area. Also, I just don’t think the JHU college experience would match the traditional big campus atmosphere at UMD. </p>
<p>You might want to discuss your career goals. I would advise JHU over UMD if your goal is to obtain a PHD and pursue and academic career. If you want a complete college experience, it would be hard to pick JHU over UMD.</p>
<p><a href=“http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/02/research-spending-rankings-nsf”>http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/02/research-spending-rankings-nsf</a></p>
<p>From a career point view and especially “first” job or two, John Hopkins is by far the better choice. This is especially the case in computer science. My sense is that assuming you do well at JHU starting salary will be higher than at Maryland and your career launch would be more secure.</p>