University of Maryland

The University of Maryland has been a rising star for the last 15 years.  The school credits their ascension with a concentrated effort to improve the quality of education provided.  One strategy to achieve this has been the creation of smaller learning groups 

providing students with smaller class sizes and greater opportunities to connect with students and faculty.  These groups include the Living and Learning Programs with sub specialties in journalism, life science and more.  Students are invited into this program as part of the admissions process.  There is also an Honors Program, College Park Scholars, Civicus and global communities.  

Other strengths of the school points to include a new core curriculum that starts Fall 2011 and focuses on how to learn rather than collecting information.  The classes are called the I Series and included classes in Investigation, Inquiry and more.  The school offers over 100 majors through its 12 colleges and schools.  73 of the school’s programs rank in the top 25 and 24 of the programs rank in the top 10.  The school is best known for its engineering, physics and computer science programs as well as the schools of business and journalism.  With such strong academics, students do not need to worry about outgrowing the faculty.  UMD is a world class research institution and one of the fastest growing universities in scholarship.  All of these strengths however can be linked to the schools sheer size, over 25,000 undergraduates, and like most large public research institutions, the best research opportunities are often taken by graduate students.  Similarly, in these institutions Professors are recognized for their research not their teaching with predictable outcomes. In particular, students complain about math and science professors.

The school is like its own city, enriched by diversity (34% students of color) which the schools contends helps prepare the students for their careers and the real world.  Students learn how to negotiate different perspectives, values...  Like a city, there is not an average citizen or students.  It’s a big melting pot.  Campus life centers around Greek life, local bars, house parties and football and basketball games.  Off campus, it’s easy to take the metro and go down to DC.  Whoever you are and whatever you like to do, there is a community of students for you.