Hey guys,
I’m currently studying at UNSW Australia (double majoring in accounting and finance) and am thinking of exchanging to University of Maryland in 2019, so I’ll be around 21 years old. Now I have a few questions:
What is campus life like?
How far away is Washington DC from campus and how long would it take to get there using public transport?
How is Washington DC night life?
Is Washington DC the closest main city?
Is there any other tourist attractions apart from the white house in Washington DC?
How are uni parties or is it not really a party place?
Is college football big at uni? and if so, how much are tickets?
How are dorms? Are there a lot of people who live on campus?
Are there a lot of locals (American people) who live on campus? (I'm asking because over here at UNSW most people who stay on campus are all international students and it's not compulsory to stay on campus. I know some American unis make it compulsory for uni students to live on campus).
Also, just a general question, what is the difference between college and university?
As for your specific questions, I answered each briefly as I am sure others will also add their input as well…
-What is campus life like?
The campus is really beautiful, the student population is diverse and overall friendly. You will find students of all interests and backgrounds.
How far away is Washington DC from campus and how long would it take to get there using public transport?
DC is about 20-30 min away via public transportation depending on where you are going in DC.
How is Washington DC night life?
A LOT of great bars and restaurants. Lots to do. FYI, the drinking age is 21, so you mentioned you will be "around 21 years old" - it does make a difference being 20 v being 21. They are strict with drinking age/showing proof of age here. https://www.collegemagazine.com/10-best-bars-in-dc-turn-city-party/#
Is Washington DC the closest main city?
Yes, but Baltimore is also a good day trip (prob about 30 min by car and closer to 45 min by public transportation). Philadelphia is 2 1/2 hours by car and easy train or bus transport. New York City is about 4 hours by car, but also an easy train ride (faster than car) from DC.
Is there any other tourist attractions apart from the white house in Washington DC?
Oh my, yes! So many great things to see - from monuments to museums galore. https://www.tripsavvy.com/hidden-gems-in-dc-1040410
How are uni parties or is it not really a party place?
Ha ha, well actually Maryland is VERY social and actually used to be known as a party school years ago. While it has become more academic/competitive over the years, students still like to have fun, so yes there are lots of parties!
Is college football big at uni? and if so, how much are tickets?
Yes, Maryland has a LOT of school pride, so football games are a lot of fun to attend. Basketball is probably even more popular for students to attend and crowds can be very entertaining at times. Students get one free ticket per game, but the tickets are not automatic. You have to log-in and request/sign up for each game. For the more popular games/events, timing can be critical because they can run out of student tickets, but that's not typically an issue.
How are dorms? Are there a lot of people who live on campus?
Dorms vary. I'm not sure what housing is available for transfer students, but the high-risers are where all the freshman are placed and while I used to refer to them as blech, I gotta say that in comparison to my daughter's school, they are not so bad after all! There are lots of newly renovated dorms and brand new dorms that are really pretty nice; the suites and apartments are among the nicest on campus. I'd say the majority of freshman and sophomores live on campus, and after that, most either move to apartments or greek housing that are technically off-campus, but really across the street walking distance.
Are there a lot of locals (American people) who live on campus? (I'm asking because over here at UNSW most people who stay on campus are all international students and it's not compulsory to stay on campus. I know some American unis make it compulsory for uni students to live on campus).
It's not compulsory to live on campus, but yes, many, many students do. Many "locals" live either too far from campus to commute - that includes both in-state and out-of-state students - or just want to live on-campus to be away from home/close to the action.
Also, just a general question, what is the difference between college and university?
Well, in some respects, the terms can be interchangeable...but technically, a university can be comprised of many different colleges/schools/departments, but not vice versa. So, in the case of the University of Maryland (note that all of these are all housed on the same campus), there is the Robert H. Smith School of Business, A. James Clark School of Engineering, Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, College of Computer, Mathematics & Natural Sciences, etc.
I’m a current UMD student, so here’s my input on some of the questions!
How far away is Washington DC from campus and how long would it take to get there using public transport?
Washington DC is a short metro ride away from campus. We have a bus (the 104 bus) that leaves from campus and goes to the College Park Metro station and, from there, you can take the green line to get to DC. It once took me 15-20 minutes to get to DC, but, during rush hours, it might take somewhere close to 25-30mins. It's really not bad at all.
How are uni parties or is it not really a party place?
There are a ton of parties. You usually have to know someone to hear about them in general (and sometimes even to get into them). They're usually on frat row or in off-campus housing.
Is college football big at uni? and if so, how much are tickets?
College football is huge here! (Though, so is soccer and ESPECIALLY basketball.) There's a ton of school spirit/pride here. Students get a free ticket for the games through a ticket request system.
If you want to have alcohol the drinking age is 21and you can not have it in the dorms legally. There are apartments on campus where you can have alcohol if you are over 21.
My daughter lives in an a dorm apartment which is very nice and quiet on south campus. There are two students from China who are staying in one of the bedrooms and they love the apartment style dorms. You can be on the meal plan or cook your own meals. My daughter has a single room but there are also double rooms. You have no extra expenses like utilities.
My other daughter was turning 21 when she did a study abroad in New Zealand, She chose to stay in a dorm and not go into housing for 21 and older which she regretted. Since the drinking age is 18 there and most of the dorm residents were around 18 it was very noisy.
They have so many activities for international students. The international students in my daughter’s apartment are always going on some sort of outing or trip. One is staying the whole year and the other for just a semester.
I would say that most take 12 to 15 credits. That could be 4 to 5 courses, depending on whether or not, it includes a lab. Most courses are 3 or 4 credits.
UMD uses semesters (fall and spring semesters), but you have the option, as a student, to take winter and summer classes too (classes given over the winter and summer breaks, respectively). Generally, in the US, schools will either use the semester system (like UMD), or the quarter system (fall, winter, and spring terms, with the option of taking summer classes). Both are equally common, from what I’ve seen.
@NiceGarry - Just wanted to report more detail on football games at Maryland - went back for homecoming this past weekend. Truly high entertainment level games. There are fireworks when the Maryland players are introduced on to the field before the game, there are canon blasts with touchdowns, gongs at the third down, cheerleaders, a dance team, a mascot (who constantly goes in and around seats to as many spectators as possible to pose for photos when not “performing” on the field) and an incredible marching band called “The Mighty Sound of Maryland.” The band doesn’t just do a halftime show - they are performing songs, chants and all kinds of things throughout the game to keep the spirits high and entertainment value going. And I would be remiss if I did not mention the fans…Maryland fans are truly in a class by themselves. To say they are spirited is an understatement. When you go to a Maryland game, you will have a great time (and this is coming from someone who is not typically a sports fan).