The title pretty much says it all! I am choosing between attending either UMD, Tulane, or GWU this upcoming fall. I plan to major in business and am an in state resident in Maryland. I have been accepted to all of these schools but there are a few factors to consider. First, I have been admitted as a Spring 2016 admit at UMD and plan to enroll in Freshman Connection if I decide to go to UMD. Also, I have not been admitted to the business school so I would have to internally transfer into the program. I realize this is difficult but it is not impossible but is a factor to consider in my decision. Second, I have received a $15,000 yearly scholarship at GWU ($60,000 in total for all four years) and have been admitted into the business school. Also GWU appeals to me because I may want to get my law degree after I graduate and GWU has a great graduate law program. Third, I have always wanted to go somewhat far away to college. Tulane would meet this need perfectly. New Orleans seems like an amazing city and the school seems great as well. However, I did not receive any merit money to go there while I did at GWU and in state tuition at UMD is unsurpassed.
My question to you all is where would you go? What is everyone’s opinion of each school? Which school has the best overall reputation? What school has the best atmosphere? Which school has the best internship/job opportunities during school and after graduation? Also, what caliber of schools are these considered (bad, average, good, incredible)?
@yikesyikesyikes each school gave me a $5500 loan but I want be accepting it since it is only a loan and I am still able to pay for my education regardless of where I go.
If you want to go to law school afterwards, it doesn’t matter where you go for undergrad. I’m pre-law with a double major in poli sci/economics here at UMD and love it!
They’re all on the same level, except I’d consider UMD a bit better than Tulane and exactly on par with GW. Not sure if there’s regional bias that comes into play there, but UMD’s definitely on the upswing and has a lot of potential for shooting up in the rankings.
Based on what I’ve seen, Tulane is more selective than GW which is more selective than UMD. This doesn’t really add much in terms of answering your question but is meant as a counterpoint to the post above.
[quote]
So the total cost for the schools for 4 years will be around:
$231,000 for Tulane ($63,000 yearly)
$80,000 for UMD ($20,000 yearly)
$180,000 for GWU ($45,000 yearly)/quote
Oh my. You’ll definitely get the best RoI from UMD; those prices are absolutely insane. If you want to go to law school, it absolutely does not matter where you go to undergrad. Your exit options will still be the same. Even if you want to go straight into the workforce, we have close ties with employers all over; you won’t have to worry about finding a good job (many top consulting firms recruit from UMD, although none of the schools you mentioned are targets for MBB; I do, however, know a UMD grad working at BCG and another at Bain and many interning for Deloitte and its peers).
Coming to UMD won’t close any doors, and you can do it with absolutely no loans. That’s the best decision, especially in this economy. Plus, the culture at this school is amazing. You can make a big school small, but you can’t make a small school big.
Assume you are referring to UMD - College Park, and not Baltimore County or another branch. They are all great schools, but if you did not get any merit $ from Tulane, the other schools are financially better options, especially if you plan to go to Law school. If money is not a concern at all, visit the schools and sit in on classes. Personally, the $ is nice at UMD, but being a spring admit would be a deterrent for me.
I would try to choose between GW and UMD. Even though you’d want to go far away from college, I doubt that UMD and GW’s campuses are too familiar to you, and travel costs do add up. Besides, if you’re comparing the two private schools, GW probably has a better reputation than Tulane.
My sister goes to GW, and loves it. It’s an intense environment, and even though she’s met many different types of people, I have a feeling that it mostly attracts students who are ambitious and not usually intellectual.
I’m going to UMD this fall, and I’m really excited. Even though the campus is close to home, it’s very unfamiliar. I had wanted to get away from home, too, but once I visited Maryland I realized I barely know it at all. Maryland has more academic programs than GW, and is probably better in business, as many state schools are. Even if you haven’t been admitted to business yet, I think it’s still a great option. I’ve heard that Freshman Connection is fine.
I think you should choose UMD, especially because of its business school.
Also–Freshman Connection is absolutely fine. You’ll be treated just like any other student, and you’ll have more free time during the day (first semester). All my friends in FC weren’t discouraged by being spring admits at all.
My son has been admitted to UMD business, University of Illinois business, USC business. Also admitted to Emory and Michigan but in both of those schools, must compete to get accepted into the business school which makes those schools less attractive. Somebody does not get in.
Also admitted into business programs at University of Miami and Tulane.
What I am learning is that transferring does not have the same stigma that it might have had years ago. So, if you go to Maryland and do not get in the business school, perhaps you can transfer elsewhere. I find Tulane to be underrated and a very attractive option for my son as they have been generous. Still, however, decided with time running out.
In terms of overall reputation, all three are well respected, and have very similar middle 50% SAT metrics. My daughter is a freshman at UMD in the scholars program, and also received the exact same financial package from GW that you did. Although GW and UMD are not too far from each other, the campuses couldn’t be more different. I think UMD’s campus is underrated and I like that it is mostly self contained. GW can feel like you are going to college in office buildings. It also has a strong international politics undercurrent which if fine if that is your cup of tea. This is not meant to disparage GW - it is an excellent school, but UMD’s business school is better. Furthermore, UMD is an EXCELLENT value for in state students (and not a bad one for OOS).