Hello, I am deciding between UConn and UMD for the fall of 2018. I will be going as an engineering major. I was admitted into the engineering program at UConn but not UMD. I am from Connecticut so I will be paying in-state tuition. If I went to Maryland I would have to join the national guard to cover tuition and would have to transfer into the engineering program after a few semesters. I feel like Uconn is in the middle of nowhere and doesn’t have as fun of an atmosphere as UMD (which is right next to D.C.) and I feel like I’ll regret not taking this opportunity to leave CT and be on my own. I also feel that a UConn engineering degree isn’t as respected as UMD
UConn… 28,000 total
UMD… 47,000 total
any advice you could give would be great
I’d go to UConn in a heartbeat. IMO it isn’t even close. I understand the appeal of UMD but at UConn you can study what you want (assuming you want to be an engineer) from the start plus it is sounds like the school is affordable without joining the National Guard. You will be guaranteed to be an engineer (I’m guessing you will do well in the program) and you will have free reign to decide what to do after graduation. Your adult self will thank you.
If you do want to seriously consider UMD I would take great care to understand 1) what you chances of doing an internal transfer into engineering is (at some schools internal transfers are very difficult to do) and 2) if you might need to spend more than four years at the school if you transfer into engineering. Many of the engineering courses are sequential in nature and it may be hard to catch-up if you transfer a few semesters into your college career". Also do you even have everything lined up for the National Guard program? I certainly don’t know the particulars but I’m guessing you just don’t sign up for it and get your full tuition paid.
You’re talking about an 80K difference over the next 4 years…that is a LOT of money.
UMD is great for engineering, but if you haven’t been accepted directly in to engineering, you’re going to have to transfer in (see info from Merversity in the UMD Class of 2022 thread).
I don’t think the extra cost is worth UMD over UConn. UConn is very well respected!