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Summary
University of Maryland--College Park is a public institution that was founded in 1856. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 26,876, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 1,250 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Maryland--College Park's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 55. Its in-state tuition and fees are $8,655 (2011-12); out-of-state tuition and fees are $26,026 (2011-12).
Located between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, the University of Maryland offers students a suburban lifestyle within easy reach of big-city experiences. The flagship campus in College Park, which has its own subway stop on the D.C.-area Metro transit system, is often considered a commuter school. Accordingly, freshmen do not have to live on campus. There are more than 500 clubs and organizations on campus, including about 35 fraternities and sororities that involve approximately 15 percent of the student population. Students looking for additional activities can visit the university’s “Free Stuff @ Maryland” website, which offers a comprehensive listing of presentations, events, and movie screenings with no admission charges. Sports also offer year-long distractions, as the Maryland Terrapins are notorious competitors in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference. The mascot, Testudo, is a Diamondback terrapin—a species of turtle that is the official state reptile. One of several Testudo sculptures on campus sits in front of the graduate library, , and rubbing its nose is thought to bring good luck, particularly before exams.
The University of Maryland has a highly ranked graduate program in education and the noted A. James Clark School of Engineering, as well as well-regarded offerings through the Robert H. Smith School of Business. The university regularly earns accolades for its sustainable and clean energy initiatives, such as its plan to be carbon neutral by 2050 and campus-wide efforts to compost dining hall waste. Famous Maryland alumni span the professional spectrum and include NASA scientist Charles Bennett, broadcast journalist Connie Chung, and Sesame Street and The Muppet Show creator Jim Henson.
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The University of Maryland, the State's flagship campus, is a comprehensive research university with a record of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics. We pride ourselves on the talent of our faculty, which includes three Nobel Prize winners and six Pulitzer Prize winners. Our stellar undergraduates have the choice of over 100 majors and 25 living-learning programs. The programs span topics such as entrepreneurship, global climate change, international studies, media and the arts. Students also have opportunities to work with faculty on research in state-of-the-art facilities or intern in outstanding federal labs, think tanks, and government agencies. Our Federal Semester program allows students to study health, homeland security, Middle East or environmental policy creation and then intern in federal offices that create policy. Honors programs challenge the most talented students in small seminars with like-minded classmates. All of our classes are complemented by the rich cultural offerings in Washington, DC and Baltimore. The resources of several national institutions are nearby: The Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, and the National Institutes of Health. Located on a beautiful 1,250-acre campus 9 miles from the White House, the University boasts new research, arts, and sports complexes, and state-of-the art recreational facilities. With dozens innovative environmental features, the campus has a thriving sustainability program and is designated as an arboretum and botanical garden with over 8,000 trees. This year UM was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at #6 among the Top 20 Colleges and Universities for the largest purchasers of green power. Several research centers on climate change make the University a hub for activity around environmental research and activism. UM is top ranked as a public university for exceptional academics and affordability. Its financial aid programs work to maintain this affordability: One provides a zero-debt-at-graduation opportunity for students from poverty-level circumstances, while another caps the accumulated debt at graduation for seniors from moderate income families. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1856 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2010 Endowment | $363,150,200 |
Applying
When applying to University of Maryland--College Park, it's important to note the application deadline is January 20, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 15. The application fee at University of Maryland--College Park is $55. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 44.1 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 44% |
| Application deadline | January 20 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | December 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at University of Maryland--College Park is 18:1, and the school has 35.2 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of Maryland--College Park include: Criminology; Economics, General; Accounting; Psychology, General; and Political Science and Government, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 93.8 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 18:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 62% - High | ||||||||||
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Student Life
University of Maryland--College Park has a total undergraduate enrollment of 26,876, with a gender distribution of 53.0 percent male students and 47.0 percent female students. 42.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 58.0 percent of students live off campus. University of Maryland--College Park is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at University of Maryland--College Park.
| Total enrollment | 37,595 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
University of Maryland--College Park offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, day care, health service, and health insurance. University of Maryland--College Park also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at University of Maryland--College Park, 47 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of Maryland--College Park.
| Students who have cars on campus | 47% - Medium |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At University of Maryland--College Park, 40.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $7,097.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $8,655 (2011-12) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $26,026 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $9,677 (2011-12) - Medium |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
