UMD Honors College vs. Schreyer Honors College vs. Binghamton University

Hi all!

I’m looking for advice on the University of Maryland Honors College versus Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College versus Binghamton University.

I got accepted to the Honors College at the University of Maryland for Business Economics at the Smith School of Business. I am out of state and did not receive any merit, so cost of attendance would be around $55,000 for my family.

I was accepted to Schreyer Honors College as an Economics major. I would likewise be out of state, so cost of attendance would be around $45,000 with the scholarship from Schreyer. I’m somewhat concerned that University Park is rural as opposed to UMD, where I would be able to commute to D.C. for internships and so on.

I was also accepted to Binghamton University at the School of Management, which would be in-state tuition. Of these three options it is the cheapest (around $30,000 per year) but, as with Schreyer, I’m somewhat concerned that the area is remote and I would have a tough time getting internships.

I would so much appreciate any advice or insights on the strengths of these programs. Thank you so much!!

Are all three affordable for your family? All are great schools. Penn State and UMD would be stronger for business. Location isn’t important for internships since internships are typically over the summer and they can be anywhere in the country.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to answer!!

Schreyer is around $10,000 less which makes it more affordable. $40,000 is more or less the upper comfort limit for my family. I will most likely end up taking out some loans for either, but nothing astronomical.

Because Schreyer is somewhat cheaper, would they be comparable to UMD, even not having proximity to a major city? I know Schreyer has a fantastic alumni base and am sure UMD has one as well, so just trying to weigh the options here.

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Schreyer is excellent. And it’s cheaper? Go there. You will not regret it and will have excellent opportunities.

I think UMD has its share of great opportunities. The best thing is being so close to DC - political internships, business, etc.

Thank you so much for the advice!

I guess what I’m debating with myself is whether UMD and its proximity to D.C. worth the extra cost of $10k. I’m leaning towards Schreyer because of that.

That proximity will not matter at all for summer internships. I guess it could matter if you wanted to work during the school year…but would you really commute into DC for a job during the school year?

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