<p>I have been accepted to UMD and OSU (still waiting for others, but these are my top as of now)</p>
<p>The thing is, I got Honors at OSU and not at UMD, and i got National Buck. from OSU and Provost making cost almost equivalent (waiting for further financial aid)</p>
<p>So far as I see it, here are the pros and cons</p>
<p>UMD Pro
– In state
– Near DC (good for internships)
– More traditional looking buildings (yes I like this) and nicer campus (imho)
UMD Cons
– Not Honors
– Not as good for poli sci</p>
<p>OSU Pro
–Honors
– good poli sci program
– Nicer Library
OSU Cons
– Not in DC (internships)
–Campus more modernish</p>
<p>A few things</p>
<p>First this comparison that i have made is a bit unfair as I have visited UMD many times and have never set foot on OSUs campus. I will change this soon</p>
<p>How important is Honors? How important is location? How important is Poli Sci rank?</p>
<p>Definitely encourage a campus visit soon (although it’s really cold here now). As far as location goes Columbus has a lot of opportunity too, I believe it is the 5th largest metro area in the U.S. Also remember it is the capital of ohio, and so all the state government is in the city. I think a visit to campus and a day on the city would be very beneficial and help you make your decision. In the meantime do some research on companies and employers in Columbus, you may be surprised. Best of luck.</p>
<p>I would personally choose UMD. I mean … it’s in the DC area. And there is a huge Maryland base there. </p>
<p>Columbus isn’t the 5th largest metro area, it’s something like the 25th, and not the biggest metro area in the state. And while there is a big government presence in Columbus, it’s still essentially small time. I mean, comparing Columbus politics to DC politics is like comparing your local theater troop to the shows on Broadway. </p>
<p>I thought Maryland’s library was fantastic, BTW. And the campus is also terrific. College Park, not so nice.</p>
<p>I think you can a good education at OSU, though. And if you’re from DC then you’ve probably already seen it all, so Columbus could be a good change. Columbus is very cheap–a whole lot cheaper than DC. You will save money by living in Columbus (unless you plan to live at home with your parents to attend UMD).</p>
<p>Being in honors will give you more access to professors than you would have not being in honors. </p>
<p>If I were you, I would talk to alumni from both institutions who are doing what you want to do and see how they got there. Carefully evaluate UMD and OSU for their internships and their placement record for jobs and internships. And really dig into this info–don’t just buy into what the schools are spewing. You might even want to ask how many people <em>don’t</em> get jobs and internships. </p>
<p>Sometimes, though, I don’t think that distance or location matters for summer internships. I managed to get an internship in DC despite going to school far away from DC. And I managed to work in DC after graduating despite not going to school in DC. But my job was secured mainly through experience, not through alumni connections or anything (alumni network was useless for me personally). </p>
<p>Are there any other benefits to Honors? Will honors make or break me being able to get a job, internship, etc. This is my main concern really, because UMD would be a no-brainer otherwise. I am just worried that not getting honors will be a big deal</p>
<p>Columbus is the 15th largest city in the U.S., so I was a bit off sorry.
Anyways, I still say it is worth visiting the city and doing research on the area.
Possibly you could do a summer internship/coop in an area closer to DC? It is worth checking out the career centers of both schools and emailing asking about where they have internships available (may not be strictly limited to the local area). </p>
<p>I believe UMD has a mandate that 70% of the kids are from MD. If you went to tOSU you would be out of there. Not that it is bad, and tOSU has a majority of Ohio residents, but I don’t believe at the same level. Md is such a value for in-state though and it is a great school. My S has the same choice for Engineering but with the Nat’l Buckeye and Trustee tOSU is a much better value. We are from NJ and he chose either of those rather than staying in NJ at Rutgers where he also got in.</p>
<p>Same boat here! I’m in state at Maryland, but I got honors at UMD and scholars at OSU. I’m completely torn between the two.</p>
<p>I visited Ohio state last weekend for scholars day, and I definitely recommend visiting it. I fell in love with the campus there, it gave me a nice vibe. Now I’m even more torn though haha.</p>
<p>I would consider honors important. You proceed at an accelerated level and are matriculating with honors classmates who generally are more motivated and talented;. Your degree would have an Honors distinction that always looks good on a resume. If you are studying political science however then you should strongly consider staying in MD. I graduated from GWU and can not understate the benefit of having Washington, D.C. a Metro ride away if you are so inclined. </p>
<p>One of the main advantages of being in the Honors Program is that you get to enroll in classes before non-honors students. A freshman honors student gets to choose classes before a senior non-honors student. Honors classes are also kept very small, and they get the best professors. I’ve known a number of OSU students who have done internships in Wash. D. C. during the summers and semesters–and you should look at The John Glenn School of Public Affairs at OSU, which is a very worthwhile alternate to majoring in Political Science. <a href=“http://glennschool.osu.edu/programs/washington/index.html”>http://glennschool.osu.edu/programs/washington/index.html</a></p>
<p>In D.C. world news is local news. It is infused in your life. there are many opportunities for internships, etc either on the Hill or in Govt. agencies. At MD you are not in D.C. but near it. It is close enough that you could do an internship there. That is not to say you won’t have opportunities at tOSU. Going in as an Honors student is something that you should be proud of, and not to be overlooked. This is something that you are going to have to decide for yourself.</p>