Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 14:43     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


Its vibe is “commuter school”. That being said, I wouldn’t mind if my kids went there…we are in state, though.


That is increasingly a historic perception for UMBC. They have a growing number of students who are not commuters.


Just as UPitt was known as a commuter school back when. Then their marketing changed, research $ funding in top 20. An alternative to PennState and urban campus. So did GMU in VA.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 14:34     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:Junior STEM kid, interested in pharmacy school, possibly. 4.3 WGPA; SAT taken once 1300; varsity athlete. OOS but looking to see if it is worth a visit.


How about UConn + Pharm school?
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 14:34     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


And that's what some students go to college for.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 12:20     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
It's worth a visit especially if you can include other stops. We're in state and DD visited and liked it. She received a full tuition scholarship. It's a laid back and quiet campus.

She can see herself there, but is leaning towards a bigger and busier option. I think it's a great school for the right kid.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 12:09     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Is the kid a PA kid? 4.3 is probably not getting into the pharmacy program at Pitt or PSU Guessing why the OP asking about a an OOS school.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 10:24     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


Its vibe is “commuter school”. That being said, I wouldn’t mind if my kids went there…we are in state, though.


That is increasingly a historic perception for UMBC. They have a growing number of students who are not commuters.


Even the students who live on campus often go home on weekends. We visited on a Saturday afternoon with beautiful weather and the campus was dead.


Where did you expect to see them? It is a relatively quiet campus and they were there.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 10:14     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


Its vibe is “commuter school”. That being said, I wouldn’t mind if my kids went there…we are in state, though.


That is increasingly a historic perception for UMBC. They have a growing number of students who are not commuters.


Even the students who live on campus often go home on weekends. We visited on a Saturday afternoon with beautiful weather and the campus was dead.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 10:10     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
My relative went to UMBC over UMD college park however that was largely driven by a scholarship that UMBC offered. They are both University of Maryland with UMBC being an honors college. Traditionally college park has been viewed more favorably, however UMBC is no longer a commuter school and has grown to be quite impressive, in my opinion. You can make up your own mind but depending on what you want out of college, UMBC can make a lot of sense.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:59     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Athletics are D1 so it can be great for student athletes.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:51     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He will definitely get into UMD. UMBC is a nice option too, but many traditional students would prefer UMD.


He’s well below the 25th %ile for SAT, and below the 50th for GPA (they don’t publish a range). How do you figure he will definitely get into UMD?

+1 from oos? Maybe as a recruited athlete?
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:42     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:He will definitely get into UMD. UMBC is a nice option too, but many traditional students would prefer UMD.


He’s well below the 25th %ile for SAT, and below the 50th for GPA (they don’t publish a range). How do you figure he will definitely get into UMD?
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:33     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


Its vibe is “commuter school”. That being said, I wouldn’t mind if my kids went there…we are in state, though.


That is increasingly a historic perception for UMBC. They have a growing number of students who are not commuters.


Correct, but that is still its “vibe”. It’s why it feels different than other campuses.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:26     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
I know several varsity athletes that have had excellent results at UMBC- one played 4 years, graduated and got into medical school without a gap year. It is a bit of a commuter school in a sleepy area, but it is different for athletes. Also super close to BWI airport so easy to travel home!
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:17     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
He will definitely get into UMD. UMBC is a nice option too, but many traditional students would prefer UMD.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2025 09:14     Subject: Thoughts on UMBC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC underplays one of their biggest datapoints demonstrating their quality; they send more African American students on to PhD programs in STEM than any other school. You have to be a high quality program to accomplish this. Say what you want about DEI, this is a lot of kids going on to advanced STEM education.

And, UMBC as a whole feels very vanilla to me. Like I can’t identify its vibe because it doesn’t really have one.

I do think it is becoming more popular as UMD-CP is becoming a significantly harder admit and it is going to go up in the rankings. But when I’ve been there it hasn’t felt like the most fun and inspiring place. More like a place where you go four years to get the job done.


Its vibe is “commuter school”. That being said, I wouldn’t mind if my kids went there…we are in state, though.


That is increasingly a historic perception for UMBC. They have a growing number of students who are not commuters.