University of Delaware

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience with the University of Delaware? It doesn’t seem to get discussed much here. We’re in Maryland, and I like that it’s less than 2 hours away, close to an Amtrak station, and near Philly and NYC. When I bring it up as a possible visit, my daughter isn’t too excited. She wants high energy, spirited schools with great college towns and strong undergrad business programs. Based on this, it seems like a school worth considering but she and her friends don't seem to be as interested about it as much as like an Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson, etc. Would love some insights!

[Anonymous]

We visited and my DD, who wanted to love it, was unimpressed. But I know so many kids who go there and they rave about it.

From a parent perspective, they gave a lot of merit aid, which made the cost comparable with in state Maryland. But having attended admitted students program, I felt like the focus was prep for grad school and not the job market.

[Anonymous]

Could it be that a bachelor's from Delaware is not as marketable thus the focus on grad school?

[Anonymous]

Well…it’s obviously not the same experience as Penn State or Ohio State.

It’s not big time sports even though it is D1…but a small conference.

Newark, DE has a nice but very tiny downtown that is walking distance but it’s just Main Street for like 4 blocks.

It gets the job done and is affordable.

[Anonymous]

Good study abroad options. Small “big”college feel. Small class sizes. Very convenient location with Amtrak right near campus.

[Anonymous]

They give $. My kid was deferred then accepted with $

I know moco kids who went there after being denied UMD. They liked it once the embraced it. Don't go with a chip on shoulder about not getting in a different school

[Anonymous]

Socially I think it’s more connected to the Philly area than to the DMV.

[Anonymous]

It’s smaller and cute and has a super cute small town. My kid who was not interested in very large public universities like Penn State really liked it. He got a lot of merit. Definitely worth a look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Socially I think it’s more connected to the Philly area than to the DMV.

This is absolutely true not only socially but professionally. Delaware carries plenty of weight in Philly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Socially I think it’s more connected to the Philly area than to the DMV.

This is absolutely true not only socially but professionally. Delaware carries plenty of weight in Philly.

And is in better location that Philly's public Temple U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could it be that a bachelor's from Delaware is not as marketable thus the focus on grad school?

Interested to know as well on how reputable an undergrad from Delaware is viewed.

[Anonymous]

My child loved everything about it except that it isn't a strong sports school and seems to really lack school spirit in that regard. The campus is beautiful, kids seem normal and nice, town is cute, dorms were meh. They gave my kid $24k in merit, so definitely made it an affordable option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could it be that a bachelor's from Delaware is not as marketable thus the focus on grad school?

Interested to know as well on how reputable an undergrad from Delaware is viewed.

I am in the Philly area and would regard it as comparable to Penn State or Temple or Pitt. I’m not saying they are exactly the same schools but none would stand out to me, they’re all so common. Pitt and UDel are the standard safeties from our HS.

[Anonymous]

My kid graduated UDELL in 2024. Only in DCUM the school literally the last President of the United States went to can be made fun of.

Anyhow. as a parent who lives around Bethesda I loved it. Like a 101 mile drive. I could actually go to Parents weekend Football game for day no problem. It has Amtrak station back and forth. The off campus housing is all mainly walking distance to bars, restaurants and campus. My kids off campus house the parking lot of school was literally across the street. And they are generous merit aid. And my kid in Honors so the Honors housing really nice. They Honors housing dorm is a super nice new building if you get in. But my kid did live in regular housing sophmore year and that was ok to. She moved "off" campus junior year but "off" campus is right by school.

Some of their programs such as Nursing are very high rated and carry weight from NYC to DC. And use my kid got onto UMD and some name brand schools. But UDELL has direct admit nursing and a lot of schools don't have that.

I think it is a perfect size school And other plus it draws kids from Long Island/NY, NJ, DE, MD and VA mainly so friends my kid have from college she can keep in touch with. My older daughter who went to school in Boston the kids were mainly from New England and all over. In summers and winter breaks she did not see them and after graduation moved to Boston as her circle of friends there. None of her friends from school lived anywhere near the DMV.

Finally Newark DE is not exactly a high rent area like Boston, NYC, when my kid was off campus her share of rent on house was peanuts which also saved money.

[Anonymous]

My son and I spent a weekend in Newark for a lacrosse tournament. Nice town but small. My son wandered around the campus with his friends. He liked the campus. We went back the following Summer for a tour. This time with the whole family. Our other son, who was the rising Senior, hated it. The campus is older and smaller than some of the other schools he had looked at.

Wea are from PA, and my son said no way anyone goes there if they got into PSU. I