The Other Maryland schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- to clarify, I was asking about in-state public schools. However, I am appreciative of some of the comments about our of state schools that might be brought down to similar costs due to aid. Thank you all!

Move to VA you will have more choice.

+100

So many more great schools

Like what?

Besides UVA/VT/W&M? GMU, JMU, VCU are all great schools, better than UMBC or Towson IMHO in terms of reputation and location. Depending on major or taste, CNU and ODU are also attractiive schools.

As PP noted, Virginia is a larger state with a more developed tertiary system. That makes for more variety in locations, although perhaps not in capacity relative to the population (which is why NOVA kids are increasingly headed to GMU/JMU/VCU).

This is a bit of an overstatement. Lots of VA state boosters here.

Virginia is a larger state but UMD basically functions as UVA and VT. By this I mean that unlike a state that separates the strongest tech from the strongest liberal arts (what VA and Indiana do, for ex), MD has the strongest engineering and liberal arts all in one university (like Michigan does).

Mason and Towson are very similar schools

VCU is a city school like UMBC but UMBC is stronger.

W&M is a public liberal arts school like St Mary's - Here, VA wins out and W&M is a stronger school.

JMU, ODU and CNU and such are tertiary schools - more like Frostburg and Salisbury. (JMU admissions is 80%, ODU admissions is 95%, CNU is 76.4%)

Agree UMBC is stronger, but it is not a "city school." It's in Baltimore County, between Catonsville and Arbutus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- to clarify, I was asking about in-state public schools. However, I am appreciative of some of the comments about our of state schools that might be brought down to similar costs due to aid. Thank you all!

Move to VA you will have more choice.

+100

So many more great schools

Like what?

Besides UVA/VT/W&M? GMU, JMU, VCU are all great schools, better than UMBC or Towson IMHO in terms of reputation and location. Depending on major or taste, CNU and ODU are also attractiive schools.

As PP noted, Virginia is a larger state with a more developed tertiary system. That makes for more variety in locations, although perhaps not in capacity relative to the population (which is why NOVA kids are increasingly headed to GMU/JMU/VCU).

This is a bit of an overstatement. Lots of VA state boosters here.

Virginia is a larger state but UMD basically functions as UVA and VT. By this I mean that unlike a state that separates the strongest tech from the strongest liberal arts (what VA and Indiana do, for ex), MD has the strongest engineering and liberal arts all in one university (like Michigan does).

Mason and Towson are very similar schools

VCU is a city school like UMBC but UMBC is stronger.

W&M is a public liberal arts school like St Mary's - Here, VA wins out and W&M is a stronger school.

JMU, ODU and CNU and such are tertiary schools - more like Frostburg and Salisbury. (JMU admissions is 80%, ODU admissions is 95%, CNU is 76.4%)

Agree UMBC is stronger, but it is not a "city school." It's in Baltimore County, between Catonsville and Arbutus.

+1 UMBC on the rise in everything, esp b/c they give merit and so many qualified students not getting into UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- to clarify, I was asking about in-state public schools. However, I am appreciative of some of the comments about our of state schools that might be brought down to similar costs due to aid. Thank you all!

Move to VA you will have more choice.

+100

So many more great schools

Like what?

Besides UVA/VT/W&M? GMU, JMU, VCU are all great schools, better than UMBC or Towson IMHO in terms of reputation and location. Depending on major or taste, CNU and ODU are also attractiive schools.

As PP noted, Virginia is a larger state with a more developed tertiary system. That makes for more variety in locations, although perhaps not in capacity relative to the population (which is why NOVA kids are increasingly headed to GMU/JMU/VCU).

This is a bit of an overstatement. Lots of VA state boosters here.

Virginia is a larger state but UMD basically functions as UVA and VT. By this I mean that unlike a state that separates the strongest tech from the strongest liberal arts (what VA and Indiana do, for ex), MD has the strongest engineering and liberal arts all in one university (like Michigan does).

Mason and Towson are very similar schools

VCU is a city school like UMBC but UMBC is stronger.

W&M is a public liberal arts school like St Mary's - Here, VA wins out and W&M is a stronger school.

JMU, ODU and CNU and such are tertiary schools - more like Frostburg and Salisbury. (JMU admissions is 80%, ODU admissions is 95%, CNU is 76.4%)

Agree UMBC is stronger, but it is not a "city school." It's in Baltimore County, between Catonsville and Arbutus.

+1 UMBC on the rise in everything, esp b/c they give merit and so many qualified students not getting into UMD.

Nothing against UMBC but they've been saying that for at least 10 years, more like 15 maybe.

[Anonymous]

I think Salisbury is a better school than Frostburg. Perdue has spent a lot to help build up the school. Business school is good, health programs are on the rise. It has an excellent pre-pharmacy program with UMES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a sophomore so we are just getting started at thinking about colleges. She is a good student, but not perfect, at a competitive MCPS school. Money wise, I think she will need to stay in state. It sounds like University of Maryland College Park might be too hard to get into. What are the personalities of the other in state schools

She does not know what she wants to major in, but wants the college experience.

Thank you for your help.

If she wants a small liberal arts college, SMCM is very good, pretty campus, in the middle of nowhere, but on the water so great if you like water sports. Not hard to get into, but they have a cutoff, so if your grades aren't good enough, you won't get in, even if they have space.

UMDCP isn't that hard to get into! If you want CS or Engineering, it's much harder, but for liberal arts, it's not impossible. If she's a B+ student with decent SATs, she has a good shot at UMDCP if she's planning on majoring in English or Sociology.

Salisbury and Towson are pretty much like CC, but a lot larger. Not academically challenging, and they accept pretty much everyone with a high school diploma. If your kid is a good student, I'd skip both of them.

UMDBC is fairly impressive, although the campus is UGLY. Ugh. My DD rejected it for that reason!! But I was impressed by the many programs, by the students, by the professors. It seems like a very solid school, definitely a cut above Towson or Salisbury.

I disagree about OOS merit aid if you're not going to a southern school like Alabama or Ole Miss or Florida, where you can get full rides if you're a decent student. But my kid completely rejected going to a large southern school. She's not into greek life, not a partier, not into football.

Liberal arts colleges (Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Juniata, etc.) will give your kid $20-30K in merit, but not enough to matchl in-state tuition in MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So underwhelmed with Frostburg. And you need like a 2.0 to get in there, and it's cold. Like really, really cold. DD goes to Towson, and it is not suburban at all, quite the opposite. It's having a moment right now with some safety concerns... If your DD is interested in education or speech therapy or something, look no further than Towson.

Towson is more selective and in a better location for DC-area kids than Frostburg which is remote. Frostburg's campus reminds me of WVA but smaller - more like Alfred in NY.

Salisbury might fall between the two on selectively and location.

WVA? Do you mean WVU? My kid goes to WVU and to get there from where I live (VA) I have to pass by Frostburg-the two schools are only about an hour apart on I 68. I don't really see how the two schools would be similar at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of crime in Towson these days. No thanks.

Don't be ridiculous!

There's no crime in Towson!

It's a boring suburb.

And Towson is a mediocre school. Large, but entirely mediocre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- to clarify, I was asking about in-state public schools. However, I am appreciative of some of the comments about our of state schools that might be brought down to similar costs due to aid. Thank you all!

Move to VA you will have more choice.

+100

So many more great schools

Like what?

Besides UVA/VT/W&M? GMU, JMU, VCU are all great schools, better than UMBC or Towson IMHO in terms of reputation and location. Depending on major or taste, CNU and ODU are also attractiive schools.

As PP noted, Virginia is a larger state with a more developed tertiary system. That makes for more variety in locations, although perhaps not in capacity relative to the population (which is why NOVA kids are increasingly headed to GMU/JMU/VCU).

This is a bit of an overstatement. Lots of VA state boosters here.

Virginia is a larger state but UMD basically functions as UVA and VT. By this I mean that unlike a state that separates the strongest tech from the strongest liberal arts (what VA and Indiana do, for ex), MD has the strongest engineering and liberal arts all in one university (like Michigan does).

Mason and Towson are very similar schools

VCU is a city school like UMBC but UMBC is stronger.

W&M is a public liberal arts school like St Mary's - Here, VA wins out and W&M is a stronger school.

JMU, ODU and CNU and such are tertiary schools - more like Frostburg and Salisbury. (JMU admissions is 80%, ODU admissions is 95%, CNU is 76.4%)

I agree with your general point about the systems, but I would align a couple of the schools differentlky. UMBC seems most similar to GMU- suburban, some commuters, emphasis on STEM, computer science, etc., dramatic recent improvements/investments. SMCM seems most like UMW. I think Towson fills a similar niche to JMU or VCU (perhaps without the arts emphasis). W&M is pretty unique and no other states have a school like that either. Both systems have a wide range of opportunities and serve their states pretty well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of crime in Towson these days. No thanks.

Don't be ridiculous!

There's no crime in Towson!

It's a boring suburb.

And Towson is a mediocre school. Large, but entirely mediocre.

Wrong. There is crime in Towson. Three seperate incidents involving gunfire this school year alone. One on campus at beginning of year, two in hospital. One right off campus and student was killed in the parking garage. Another a few weeks ago and shots fired outside the main street a few weeks ago, no one hurt there.
It's mediocre school but perfectly acceptable. There is no state school in MD compares to UMD. This is what the poster wanted to know - what schools besides UMD.

[Anonymous]

SMCM is very good, pretty campus, in the middle of nowhere, but on the water so great if you like water sports. Not hard to get into, but they have a cutoff, so if your grades aren't good enough, you won't get in, even if they have space.

Is this what they mean when they say they’re an Honors College? We visited and it wasn’t clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- to clarify, I was asking about in-state public schools. However, I am appreciative of some of the comments about our of state schools that might be brought down to similar costs due to aid. Thank you all!

Move to VA you will have more choice.

+1

[Anonymous]

If going to another MD public, I’d only consider either transferring to UMD later or maybe SMCM in the Honor’s College. Other than that, the choices aren’t great. I feel like most kids I know that go to the rest were subpar in academics. However, if your kid is academically motivated but just didn’t get into UMD, I think they could do well at UMBC or Towson.

[Anonymous]

Somewhat unrelated but I don’t want to make another thread for this- does UMD yield protect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP. Thank you for your help. I grew up in Florida, and there were several other large universities that still had the full college feel- football, school spirit, etc… As I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida State was a popular option if you couldn’t get into UF. It seems like in Maryland, the other schools are fine, but much smaller and don’t have that big school spirit and atmosphere.

For students who can’t get into Maryland- CP, where do they end up if they still want this kind of experience? Do they go out of state? Or is there a Maryland school that still has that feel?

OP, that would make sense based on the state populations-- FLA with 21.8M and MD with 6M.

(and understanding that FLA is a retirees' destination--with 64.% of pop. 30+ years--there is still a very sizable younger population)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somewhat unrelated but I don’t want to make another thread for this- does UMD yield protect?

No.