Towson experience

[Anonymous]

^ Sounds exactly like what may happen to us next year so trying to manage expectations at home.

If my kid chooses business, I will push for an accounting major as my experience is it is the backbone of business and always applicable. Have worked with a number of successful people that have graduated from Towson with that degree + MBA somewhere else.

If kid chooses poli sci, I do not know what outcomes look like or how they compare to UMBC or SMCM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd go with UMBC before Towson. There's a pretty big gap between College Park and Towson.

Really? how so? We did not care for the vibe of UMBC as much when we visited. Felt a bit isolated and empty. Also, they spoke a lot about STEM and kid got the vibe social science wouldn’t be a good fit.

Downtown Towson is a short walk to the campus. It used to be a safe area but not anymore.
It’s better academically. Towson has gone way downhill in the last few years due to crime. Mobs of unruly teenagers at the mall. Rapes, robberies, etc.

NP. That’s not the Towson campus, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd go with UMBC before Towson. There's a pretty big gap between College Park and Towson.

Really? how so? We did not care for the vibe of UMBC as much when we visited. Felt a bit isolated and empty. Also, they spoke a lot about STEM and kid got the vibe social science wouldn’t be a good fit.

Downtown Towson is a short walk to the campus. It used to be a safe area but not anymore.
It’s better academically. Towson has gone way downhill in the last few years due to crime. Mobs of unruly teenagers at the mall. Rapes, robberies, etc.

NP. That’s not the Towson campus, though.

Downtown Towson is a short walk from campus. It has gone downhill over the last 5-10 years. Plus it’s an okay school for B students from public schools with grade inflation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend’s DS is at Towson. He’s having a good time. Campus is quiet on weekends with kids going home or out in Baltimore. But it’s a solid second choice to UMD. In his high school class, most kids who didn’t get into UMD went to Towson, so its profile is improving because of UMBC’s unfortunate campus (it’s just ugly). Another university improving its profile as UMD gets harder to get into is Salisbury.

I would disagree with this, living in Towson. There are tons of kids hanging out in downtown Towson on weekend nights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd go with UMBC before Towson. There's a pretty big gap between College Park and Towson.

Really? how so? We did not care for the vibe of UMBC as much when we visited. Felt a bit isolated and empty. Also, they spoke a lot about STEM and kid got the vibe social science wouldn’t be a good fit.

It’s better academically. Towson has gone way downhill in the last few years due to crime. Mobs of unruly teenagers at the mall. Rapes, robberies, etc.

Towson resident here. There have been a few incidents but Towson is generally safe. My college student goes out there all the time when home from break, and my high school kid spends time there as well (dinners with friends, movies, etc).

[Anonymous]

DD is finishing her first year as Towson. She loved the campus and the "vibe" when we visited. UMBC was a no go (campus itself was nice enough but it was too isolated for her), and although she did get into UMD for spring, she decided that living for 4 years with all of the purple line construction would drive her crazy. And yes, I know people will scoff at that, but she was on the UMD campus all of last summer for a job, and the construction was extremely disruptive.

As for Towson itself, I've been pleasantly impressed. The biggest drawback was the change in food vendors between when we visited last year and when she started this year. But aside from that, the dorms are nice, the professors are accessible, the classes seem difficult enough (she does have to study and can't just sail through without working).

As for the reputation, I'm not sure why it's been considered "weak." I work with a number of Towson grads, and they're all great colleagues, very smart and capable.

[Anonymous]

I also live near Towson and I'm in Towson proper all the time. I always thought of it as a place that has badly missed its potential for the last 50 years no matter what the county planners keep trying to do. It could be much more than what it is. Right now there's a bit of a schizophrenic character to Towson, with a block or two of grimy smoke shops and cheap bars and another block or two of fun eateries and bistros. Plus Whole Foods with its awful parking situation.

It's not dangerous by any stretch of the imagination. The kids plaguing the mall on the weekends are not TU students. It's a different set of problems and involves talking in terms that will have the moderators banning me. So I won't but you get the idea.

As for the university itself it's a perfectly decent regional state university. What you get out of it will be related to what you put into it. The graduation rate is 72%, which is pretty good for a regional state school.

[Anonymous]

My colleague’s daughter also chose Towson over UMD and UMBC due to campus and proximity to a walkable town, etc. I am wondering if those considering it to be “weak” are really familiar with the school recently. When we toured I was surprised that others on the tour (2 of the 4 kids) were from out of stare.

More interoin opinions of those with recent Towson grads or current students as schools are changing quickly these days.

[Anonymous]

correct to above- out of state

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a niece there who loves it! She has gotten really involved in a couple of activities, made great friends, and is doing well in her major (education). For her, it is perfect!

However, my own child wouldn’t even consider it. She felt like the business program was too weak and that she wouldn’t be able to get internships or jobs out of it. She also wanted a larger sports scene that in her mind is the college experience. As her parent, I fully understand her thinking and reasoning even as my wallet feels frustrated!

There seems to be a missing piece in Maryland for their second tier colleges. UMD is clearly number 1. For Stem, UMBC is the clear number 2- but only for kids that aren’t as interested in the college extras like athletics and such. For education, Towson is good. For a tiny, isolated school, St Mary’s is great. But for the kids who want the full college experience and do not get into Maryland…there’s not much for them.

If your child liked Towson, that’s fantastic! Make sure you look into outcomes for the chosen majors (when we looked into business, it was not good, but poly Sci might be different). I do think most kids will have a good experience there if the school has what they are looking for.

This sums up my frustration with MD options. Can you share where your child ended up for business?

We are waiting for the financials (don’t get me started on that one), but she will either go to Indiana (direct admit to Kelley) or Wisconsin (not direct admit to business). Ohio State is still on the fringe, but she didn’t love the campus as much as the other two. We are not thrilled having to pay more than in state, but we do actually believe she will have better outcomes at any of the other schools over Towson (it pains me to say that). There was some talk of trying Towson and then if she didn’t like it, transferring, but she really wants the full college experience and feels that missing freshman year will “kill” her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a niece there who loves it! She has gotten really involved in a couple of activities, made great friends, and is doing well in her major (education). For her, it is perfect!

However, my own child wouldn’t even consider it. She felt like the business program was too weak and that she wouldn’t be able to get internships or jobs out of it. She also wanted a larger sports scene that in her mind is the college experience. As her parent, I fully understand her thinking and reasoning even as my wallet feels frustrated!

There seems to be a missing piece in Maryland for their second tier colleges. UMD is clearly number 1. For Stem, UMBC is the clear number 2- but only for kids that aren’t as interested in the college extras like athletics and such. For education, Towson is good. For a tiny, isolated school, St Mary’s is great. But for the kids who want the full college experience and do not get into Maryland…there’s not much for them.

If your child liked Towson, that’s fantastic! Make sure you look into outcomes for the chosen majors (when we looked into business, it was not good, but poly Sci might be different). I do think most kids will have a good experience there if the school has what they are looking for.

This sums up my frustration with MD options. Can you share where your child ended up for business?

We are waiting for the financials (don’t get me started on that one), but she will either go to Indiana (direct admit to Kelley) or Wisconsin (not direct admit to business). Ohio State is still on the fringe, but she didn’t love the campus as much as the other two. We are not thrilled having to pay more than in state, but we do actually believe she will have better outcomes at any of the other schools over Towson (it pains me to say that). There was some talk of trying Towson and then if she didn’t like it, transferring, but she really wants the full college experience and feels that missing freshman year will “kill” her.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

My kid applied with similar stats and Towson was their second in-state school. They ended up with UMD Spring admission and Towson honors program. There was an extra essay to apply to Towson honor program but the type of experience with seminar style classes, community engagement, and professor mentoring was something my kid wanted. There was also a small scholarship they were awarded that I think was related to being selected to the honors program. They ended up elsewhere but if your kid wants to stay close, this might be something to look into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid applied with similar stats and Towson was their second in-state school. They ended up with UMD Spring admission and Towson honors program. There was an extra essay to apply to Towson honor program but the type of experience with seminar style classes, community engagement, and professor mentoring was something my kid wanted. There was also a small scholarship they were awarded that I think was related to being selected to the honors program. They ended up elsewhere but if your kid wants to stay close, this might be something to look into.

Was this this year? We have several friends with kids with similar stats to DS (I am the PP with the kid with 4.1...blah blah blah) who were either admitted regular or FC in the past 2-4 years. This year seems MUCH different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid applied with similar stats and Towson was their second in-state school. They ended up with UMD Spring admission and Towson honors program. There was an extra essay to apply to Towson honor program but the type of experience with seminar style classes, community engagement, and professor mentoring was something my kid wanted. There was also a small scholarship they were awarded that I think was related to being selected to the honors program. They ended up elsewhere but if your kid wants to stay close, this might be something to look into.

Was this this year? We have several friends with kids with similar stats to DS (I am the PP with the kid with 4.1...blah blah blah) who were either admitted regular or FC in the past 2-4 years. This year seems MUCH different.

It was 2 years ago for the spring admission. I’ve probably been hearing the same things you have about this year, especially from MCPS.