Campus:

The University of Maryland is a lively and beautiful campus located in the town of College Park, Md. The town of College Park is 15 miles from the White House. Although the town of College Park itself is not very exciting, it is a short 20-minute train ride right into the heart of Washington D.C. The location of the school gives you the best of both worlds because you get to experience a small college town mixed with all a big city has to offer. The opportunities that can come from being so close to D.C. are endless, whether it may be an internship or going to a concert with your friends.

The campus itself is beautiful, filled with beautiful brick buildings. The buildings are set up in a system where it is easy for students to walk from their dorm rooms to the academic buildings in a timely manner. The campus is large, but not overwhelming. While walking on campus, I never once felt lost.

Founded in 1856, UMD has an enrollment of a little over 37,000 students and accepts 44% of their applicants as of this year. UMD has 90 majors for undergraduates but the most common majors are business, journalism, engineering, social sciences, and biology.

Cost:

The estimated total for in-state students is about $25,000 including room and board. The estimated total for out-of-state students is about $45,000. When you apply to the school, you are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Financial aid is also available if you send in a FAFSA form.

Athletics:

UMD, home of the terps, is a NCAA Division I institution and a school in the Big 10 Conference. Athletics are prevalent at UMD, mainly because the sports teams do very well. Many of the DI athletics are ranked very high such as football, men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and field hockey. The school spirit is lively, and a lot of students attend events.

If you do not want to go DI, don’t worry because there are many other opportunities to still play sports. There are many different club and intramural teams to join if you want to play a sport but not take on the commitment of DI athletics.

Food and other things to do:

There are many opportunities for food at UMD. Whether you are craving ice cream at the Maryland Dairy, fast food from Chick-fil-a, or a nice healthy salad, the options are there. There are options for most food needs, and they are all on campus. There is even food for vegetarian, vegan, and kosher diets.

Academics

UMD is a very selective school and only 45% of applicants are accepted. The average SAT scores range from 1260 to 1420 and the average ACT scores range from 29-33.

Summary:

I loved everything about this school. I love the large campus, proximity to D.C., school spirit, academics, and campus atmosphere. If you want a big school with endless opportunities, UMD is a school you should consider.

For more information about UMD visit there website: www.umd.edu

Adriana Guidi is an Entertainment Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.