Thoughts on St. Mary's College of MD?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Terrible location.

Not everyone wants city life. I loved going to college in a rural location.
I didn't have to worry about crime on campus for once in my life, it was freeing as a young woman.

The base has more influence on the area than the College.

A few years ago I visited St. Mary's as it was part of a school field trip my then 4th grader was taking. I was excited to see it but when I got there I literally knew that if I'd had to attend, I would have slashed my wrists. It is RURAL and isolated and small. You have a 2.5 hour drive to civilization along one back-country road. No thank you.

please reconsider the way you casually make light of suicide

I don't make light of it. I'm serious. I would have had a major breakdown and killed myself if I'd been stuck in that hole for 4 yrs.

Well, you can give your opinion of a school you didn’t attend and only visited without throwing in suicidal references. It added no value to the comments and seemed off-handed. Just think about it next time you type something like that out, please.

I see nothing wrong with PP's post. It's just how she felt about the school and isolation.

+1. Thinking generational differences here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD graduated from SMCM 2 years ago. Loved the small beautiful campus and her time there. It's only 90 minutes to DC and plenty of shopping within driving/shuttle distance. The school’s location on the river is a major draw for the students. You have to want a small liberal arts school. Campus life centers on the docks and the river. Very nice students and easy to get to know your professors. DD had internships and got involved with research. Still in touch with professors and lots of alum return each year for alumni weekend.

Can you share area of study and job placement out of school? Do you think they had a strong career office and on campus recruiting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know one person who goes there who barely made it through high school.

This is a definite safety school for a solid B student.

I was just searching for info on St. Mary’s and came across this thread. I thought it was an honors college, which to me seemed like it would make it a more selective school. Can anyone explain what it means in practice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know one person who goes there who barely made it through high school.

This is a definite safety school for a solid B student.

I was just searching for info on St. Mary’s and came across this thread. I thought it was an honors college, which to me seemed like it would make it a more selective school. Can anyone explain what it means in practice?

https://www.smcm.edu/about/whats-public-honors-college/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know one person who goes there who barely made it through high school.

This is a definite safety school for a solid B student.

I was just searching for info on St. Mary’s and came across this thread. I thought it was an honors college, which to me seemed like it would make it a more selective school. Can anyone explain what it means in practice?

https://www.smcm.edu/about/whats-public-honors-college/

Thanks, I guess I mean, why isn’t it more competitive/selective? Maybe I’m thinking about it the wrong way, which is more in the sense of an honors college within a university is harder to get into than the university itself.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of more selective liberal arts colleges. Why not pick one of those instead of wishing this one is something it is not? It is nice that MD has a less competitive option. UMD isn’t for everyone and has become increasingly hard to get into.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Aren’t a lot of the expensive private SLAC in small towns ?
I don’t see the difference.

My DD considered SMCM and only applied to LACs. She preferred the rural, small town locations. But the problem with SMCM was that it isn't in/right next to a small town. You have to drive 15 min to get to a suburban strip mall area. She preferred the schools where you could easily walk into a cute town and she ended up at a school like that. She doesn't have a car so it matters that the grocery store is a quick bike ride away, that she and friends can stroll into town to visit the thrift shops or see a movie. At SMCM you need a car, a friend with a car, or work around when a shuttle can be used.

Good point but with low instate tuition that is the compromise for students.

True. We're in VA and with merit SMCM was similar in price to private LACs that gave merit. Might have been a different calculation if we were in MD. She could have gone to UMW for less than the LAC she chose but it didn't have some things that were important to her.

Can you share the private LAC's your DD considered that gave merit? We are in Virginia but we are looking for a small LAC for our DD but really can only spend roughly in-state tuition money. OOS at SMCM is about the same price as the more expensive VA state schools which is why we are considering it, along with UMW. What LAC private's would be similar in price?

I am not the PP but thought to answer from my experiences.

I realize these schools may not meet your DD’s likes or requirements.

My DD received very good merit aid offers from Muhlenberg in PA and Wooster in Ohio. Overall COA was in low-mid thirties.

Again they may not be what you are looking for. My family was looking for a LAC for my youngest that was supportive, not looking for academic superstars and that would work with our family.

Good luck to your you and your DD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t a lot of the expensive private SLAC in small towns ?
I don’t see the difference.

My DD considered SMCM and only applied to LACs. She preferred the rural, small town locations. But the problem with SMCM was that it isn't in/right next to a small town. You have to drive 15 min to get to a suburban strip mall area. She preferred the schools where you could easily walk into a cute town and she ended up at a school like that. She doesn't have a car so it matters that the grocery store is a quick bike ride away, that she and friends can stroll into town to visit the thrift shops or see a movie. At SMCM you need a car, a friend with a car, or work around when a shuttle can be used.

Good point but with low instate tuition that is the compromise for students.

True. We're in VA and with merit SMCM was similar in price to private LACs that gave merit. Might have been a different calculation if we were in MD. She could have gone to UMW for less than the LAC she chose but it didn't have some things that were important to her.

Can you share the private LAC's your DD considered that gave merit? We are in Virginia but we are looking for a small LAC for our DD but really can only spend roughly in-state tuition money. OOS at SMCM is about the same price as the more expensive VA state schools which is why we are considering it, along with UMW. What LAC private's would be similar in price?

NP not PP, but my kid visited, liked it despite the location, got in with merit but chose Drew instead where the also got merit. Muhlenberg as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t a lot of the expensive private SLAC in small towns ?
I don’t see the difference.

My DD considered SMCM and only applied to LACs. She preferred the rural, small town locations. But the problem with SMCM was that it isn't in/right next to a small town. You have to drive 15 min to get to a suburban strip mall area. She preferred the schools where you could easily walk into a cute town and she ended up at a school like that. She doesn't have a car so it matters that the grocery store is a quick bike ride away, that she and friends can stroll into town to visit the thrift shops or see a movie. At SMCM you need a car, a friend with a car, or work around when a shuttle can be used.

This was the reason my child ultimately chose Hood over SMCM (we are OOS so the tuition wasn't going to be a deciding factor). She found a lot to like on both campuses but the need for a vehicle to do anything off campus at SMCM was a deal breaker for her. Hood is a short walk into downtown Frederick and she does it almost every day, so her instincts were definitely right.

Frederick is pretty nice to be able to walk to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a good choice for humanities students.

Why?

[Anonymous]

So we have a junior and visited SMCM and Washington College this month. We are now just looking at different sized schools and settings. The mid-sized and large schools are upcoming.

From what I have read about SMCM and Washington College combined with our visits, I thought my kid would prefer WC hands down. I was sure kid might like the escape of walking to town for a meal option once in a while. Nothing against SMCM- it is beautiful.

This is the very beginning of this process and I can’t really tell if my kid’s opinion is based in anything other than being in a bad mood on a certain day. He is a textbook moody teen. Just venting and wondering if anyone else is thoroughly conditioned about tour feedback from their kids?? 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

correction “confused” not conditioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we have a junior and visited SMCM and Washington College this month. We are now just looking at different sized schools and settings. The mid-sized and large schools are upcoming.

From what I have read about SMCM and Washington College combined with our visits, I thought my kid would prefer WC hands down. I was sure kid might like the escape of walking to town for a meal option once in a while. Nothing against SMCM- it is beautiful.

This is the very beginning of this process and I can’t really tell if my kid’s opinion is based in anything other than being in a bad mood on a certain day. He is a textbook moody teen. Just venting and wondering if anyone else is thoroughly conditioned about tour feedback from their kids?? 🤷‍♀️

Yes. It's very pretty, but very isolated and small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So we have a junior and visited SMCM and Washington College this month. We are now just looking at different sized schools and settings. The mid-sized and large schools are upcoming.

From what I have read about SMCM and Washington College combined with our visits, I thought my kid would prefer WC hands down. I was sure kid might like the escape of walking to town for a meal option once in a while. Nothing against SMCM- it is beautiful.

This is the very beginning of this process and I can’t really tell if my kid’s opinion is based in anything other than being in a bad mood on a certain day. He is a textbook moody teen. Just venting and wondering if anyone else is thoroughly conditioned about tour feedback from their kids?? 🤷‍♀️

Yes. It's very pretty, but very isolated and small.

Yes we've had a lot of moody college tours too. I try to just grit my teeth and power through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Terrible location.

Not everyone wants city life. I loved going to college in a rural location.
I didn't have to worry about crime on campus for once in my life, it was freeing as a young woman.

The base has more influence on the area than the College.

A few years ago I visited St. Mary's as it was part of a school field trip my then 4th grader was taking. I was excited to see it but when I got there I literally knew that if I'd had to attend, I would have slashed my wrists. It is RURAL and isolated and small. You have a 2.5 hour drive to civilization along one back-country road. No thank you.

please reconsider the way you casually make light of suicide

+1

WTF