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.

Yep, that's it. I grew up in Silver Spring and, like most kids, wanted desperately to "go away" to college. The idea of going to the school 10 minutes from home, no matter how good the reputation (and at the time, it wasn't that great anyway), was not appealing. I bet it's the same for kids who grow up in Ann Arbor, Madison, Charlottesville, Gainesville, etc.

Kind of different, because three of those towns are home to really good schools.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He loves you now. Give it time.

Yes, wouldn't it be nice if all our teenagers felt about us like they did when they were 9. Sigh.

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.

He loves you now. Give it time.

Anonymous wrote:At our W school in MoCo at least 50% of the kids apply to UMD, and probably 75-80% are accepted. So it's not the school discouraging MoCo kids by any stretch. It does seem like more kids are starting to actually go to UMD from our school, with price being a major factor. For many it's not their first choice but I know a number of kids were accepted elsewhere but their families couldn't justify to cost relative to UMD.

+1. We have the same situation. UMD also knows MoCo kids will apply. They really don't have to come after them.

At our W school in MoCo at least 50% of the kids apply to UMD, and probably 75-80% are accepted. So it's not the school discouraging MoCo kids by any stretch. It does seem like more kids are starting to actually go to UMD from our school, with price being a major factor. For many it's not their first choice but I know a number of kids were accepted elsewhere but their families couldn't justify to cost relative to UMD.

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.

Yup! DC just couldn't face the thought of a 20-minute drive along University Boulevard to get there. We pushed it, because it really is a good school, but DC's trump card is that it wasn't possible to double major in the intended subjects.

Anonymous wrote:

I bet it's the same for kids who grow up in Ann Arbor, Madison, Charlottesville, Gainesville, etc.

My BIL grew up in Ann Arbor and went to Western Michigan instead of Michigan for this reason.

That reminded me of this kid I know who grew up in Ann Arbor, went to high school in the DC area, and went to UM cause he missed Ann Arbor. Sometimes people just like familiarity (or nostalgia)

I bet it's the same for kids who grow up in Ann Arbor, Madison, Charlottesville, Gainesville, etc.

My BIL grew up in Ann Arbor and went to Western Michigan instead of Michigan for this reason.

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.

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!'

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.

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.

Yep, that's it. I grew up in Silver Spring and, like most kids, wanted desperately to "go away" to college. The idea of going to the school 10 minutes from home, no matter how good the reputation (and at the time, it wasn't that great anyway), was not appealing. I bet it's the same for kids who grow up in Ann Arbor, Madison, Charlottesville, Gainesville, etc.

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.

NJ floods PSU as well.

It speaks more to what NJ kids think about Rutgers.

MD is underrated though.

100% of that is due to QoL, perceived or otherwise.

The University of Maryland gets little attention (especially among the private school crowd) here despite being ranked above schools such as VATech, Indiana and Miami of Ohio that are mentioned regularly. Maryland seems to be held in higher regard by students in New Jersey (1,500 a year go to Maryland) than by DMV students. Maryland has a 95% retention rate that is in line with Top 25 schools and much higher than other schools in the rankings.

For whatever reason, the state of Maryland (like NJ) is a huge exporter of college students
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/new-jerseys-student-drain-is-gain-for-district-colleges/2012/01/19/gIQAkjiAMQ_story.html

My sense is that kids outside of Montgomery County are more likely to stay in Maryland, but the inability to tap into the wealth of top Montgomery County students is holding the school back. Is there more too this? Is the school deliberately trying to keep Montgomery County from flooding the school (as UVA does with NOVA)? Or is Maryland just not connecting with the best of Montgomery County?