Rethinking Maryland

[Anonymous]

I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

[Anonymous]

College Park needs to do more to fix its rough-around-the-edges reputation. Locally, many associate it with crime and misbehavior of its students (and police) following athletic events. George Mason does not have this problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

I was last there in Feb. yes, there is a lot of construction. But it's always seemed to me that UMCP is a campus plunked down in the middle of suburbia. It lacks the surrounding atmosphere of a city school like Columbia and it lacks the sounding atmosphere of a rural college like Cornell. It's just there....surrounded by the suburbs. Once you get onto campus, it's lovely. There is a lot of green space and it's a large campus that feels like college. It's just the approach to the university that is blah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

I was last there in Feb. yes, there is a lot of construction. But it's always seemed to me that UMCP is a campus plunked down in the middle of suburbia. It lacks the surrounding atmosphere of a city school like Columbia and it lacks the sounding atmosphere of a rural college like Cornell. It's just there....surrounded by the suburbs. Once you get onto campus, it's lovely. There is a lot of green space and it's a large campus that feels like college. It's just the approach to the university that is blah.

Sure it has a blah surrounding area like Princeton, but it is <10 mile to union station, and there is a metro stop to the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it is ranked higher, but going to College Park if you live in the DC area is like going to George Mason if you live in NoVa.

It's very familiar, not that attractive, full of kids you already know, and so close to home that you don't have an excuse if the parents want you to come home to see Aunt Maizie visiting from Des Moines.

This, or your DH bribing your DS to stay at home in exchange for a car.

My DC won't even take a new car. I would come out much cheaper. DC says 'I'm outta here!'

My 9 yr old DC told me he wants to go to UMD because he doesn't want to be too far from me. I'd love for him to be able to experience living far from home, but it sure would be a lot easier on the wallet if he did go to UMD. Plus, he wants to major in Engineering.

My kid said the same thing at age 9. Now he's in college 5 hours away and actually wanted to go to Stanford!

[Anonymous]

College Park has no college town. The surroundings are unattractive and the campus itself is sort of middling in attractiveness. I say this as a faculty spouse whose dh moved to UMD because his specialty is ranked #1 in the nation (a specialty within one of the STEM departments). He loves his work and colleagues, but the campus and surroundings are blah. He often has to take seminar speakers out to dinner - the options are very limited!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

I was last there in Feb. yes, there is a lot of construction. But it's always seemed to me that UMCP is a campus plunked down in the middle of suburbia. It lacks the surrounding atmosphere of a city school like Columbia and it lacks the sounding atmosphere of a rural college like Cornell. It's just there....surrounded by the suburbs. Once you get onto campus, it's lovely. There is a lot of green space and it's a large campus that feels like college. It's just the approach to the university that is blah.

I agree with this. The campus itself is quite attractive, and getting better all the time. It's the approaches, along University Avenue or up Route 1, that are the downer.

[Anonymous]

It's true that the immediate surrounding area it is not impressive. However, the area within one hour reach is spectacular for a student, far better then most schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's true that the immediate surrounding area it is not impressive. However, the area within one hour reach is spectacular for a student, far better then most schools.

And there is the problem with UMCP for local kids. If it's an hour to get to spectacular, my kid is now home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

I was last there in Feb. yes, there is a lot of construction. But it's always seemed to me that UMCP is a campus plunked down in the middle of suburbia. It lacks the surrounding atmosphere of a city school like Columbia and it lacks the sounding atmosphere of a rural college like Cornell. It's just there....surrounded by the suburbs. Once you get onto campus, it's lovely. There is a lot of green space and it's a large campus that feels like college. It's just the approach to the university that is blah.

Sure it has a blah surrounding area like Princeton, but it is <10 mile to union station, and there is a metro stop to the city.

Hmm. Top five vs. top 75. Small, lovely historic town vs. suburban sprawl.

Not to mention being under an hour from Philly and NYC is better than being 30 minutes to DC.

Think the comparison meter may need some fine-tuning.

[Anonymous]

I need directions from the person who travels from Princeton to New York City in less than an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish that College Park was a nicer town in general. I know PG county is making strides but right now it's not a very inviting entrance onto campus.

I also wish MD had more than one "good" state school. Va has William and Mary AND UVA. It would be nice if MD had a second well regarded school in another part of the state.

Have you been to College Park lately?

I was last there in Feb. yes, there is a lot of construction. But it's always seemed to me that UMCP is a campus plunked down in the middle of suburbia. It lacks the surrounding atmosphere of a city school like Columbia and it lacks the sounding atmosphere of a rural college like Cornell. It's just there....surrounded by the suburbs. Once you get onto campus, it's lovely. There is a lot of green space and it's a large campus that feels like college. It's just the approach to the university that is blah.

Sure it has a blah surrounding area like Princeton, but it is <10 mile to union station, and there is a metro stop to the city.

Hmm. Top five vs. top 75. Small, lovely historic town vs. suburban sprawl.

Not to mention being under an hour from Philly and NYC is better than being 30 minutes to DC.

Think the comparison meter may need some fine-tuning.

The PP was not comparing ranking of schools, but the fact is there is no decent place in a Princeton to take a client and the hotel situation is terrible.

Though, I would choose a UMD STEM degree over Princeton any day... But that is another debate.

Philly? Really? Yuck!
NYC... 1 hour... Maybe in the middle of the night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I need directions from the person who travels from Princeton to New York City in less than an hour.

Funny, posted the same think at the same time.

[Anonymous]

People from this area tend to take the access to the nation's capital for granted. Many colleges boast of having semesters in DC, that is simply not the case for other large cities. For college students, DC is unique.