Student Profile
JB
- Class: Alum
- Major: Other Interdisciplinary
- Gender: F
- High School:
- Transfer Student: N
Big Picture
I loved that I had the option to create my own major and that there were a huge number of courses to choose from. The quality definitely varied but you could find the really rigorous engaging courses hidden amongst the rest. Same went for the student population - yeah it's a huge school, but you find your kindred spirits somehow. And places to hang out - again, the trend continues - the selection isn't huge but there were definitely some great spots on and around campus, and the joys of DC are not too far away, especially if you have a car.
Academic Life
With a school so large, you find it all. Each department has a different flavor, so it all depends on what you want to study. I chose to create my own major, so I got to take the classes I wanted but did not have a community of professors or students. I took some great courses on Development, Foreign Aid, and Ethics, and on Medical Anthropology. I developed a couple of close relationships with professors which I found really meaningful - professors were accessible and interested in mentoring, as were graduate students I met through some of my classes.
Student Body
I went to a small homogeneous school growing up, so really appreciated the diversity at the University of Maryland - diversity at multiple levels - racial, ethnic, socioeconomic. State-wise though, lots of people from Maryland and New Jersey - especially if you're from Maryland, be prepared to run into random folks from different phases of your life. The student body is overall pretty apathetic - but dig a little deeper and you find active pockets of all sorts.
The Best Things
Variety of people and classes
The Worst Things
General apathy
