UMBC versus UMCP - what's the difference?

ReadyToRoll · 08-18-2009, 09:57 AM

Can anyone tell me the differences between these two colleges? All I have are the promotional materials and would rather know the inside scoop.

Thanks!

Venkat89 · 08-18-2009, 11:30 AM

What aspects are most important to you for differentating these schools? Off the top of my head, CP is larger, "better" academically, stronger name recognition, better athletics, and just more highly sought after by high school students in Maryland. The only good things I hear about BC are in terms of life science programs like biology, pharm, and premed (though you can technically do premed most everywhere and have a shot at Harvard med school). That's not to say that BC doesn't have great programs, I just haven't heard about them. For less steallar students, they might be able to pick up some merit aid at BC while getting 0 at CP.

DougBetsy · 08-18-2009, 12:48 PM

UMBC fancies itself as an "Honors University." That's nice. Its student body certainly doesn't have a slacker rep. Until recently it was mainly a commuter school. But I think the residential campus has really expanded in the last decade. In spite of this, I think many kids head home for the weekend. It has a great rep in the Balt Metro region for tuning out highly capable science/math/tech grads. The grad school is well respected.

UMCP, as the state flagship, is an everything school. You name it, they probably got it. Its surrounding area is less safe than UMBC's. Its enrollment is 3X UMBC. Its athletics are household names.

UMBC is a stones throw from the Balt Betlway. UMCP is a stone's throw from the DC Beltway and has a Metro stop.

WealthOfInformation · 08-19-2009, 09:02 AM

UMBC is much more of the school for local kids that want a college degree. Tier III school.

College Park is the state flagship and definitely selective, Tier I school, ACC Sports.

Similar Comparisons:

UCLA & Cal State Fullerton
University of Colorado-Boulder - and University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

UMBC - It's kind of a watered down version of the traditional college experience that most people have in mind, way more commuters and local students. Don't misconstrue this as one is better than the other - that's certainly not the case. They just generally serve different populations of students.

GL

justaverage010 · 08-19-2009, 09:14 AM

Social life at UMBC is usually dull and pretty dead on the weekends, from what I've heard from current students.

CP is far more vibrant, lots and lots of partying -- and other stuff, of course.

and then, of course, CP is better known nationally.

I dunno CP students just seem happier and I known plenty who got to both.

Dad'o'2 · 08-19-2009, 10:11 AM

I've worked with a couple of kids who got a good education at UMBC (math, physics). I've worked with a couple of really sharp PhDs who "retired" and then taught there. It's certainly easier to get into then UMCP, and a few of my kids' friends have ended up going there, not necessarily first choice. UMCP is "too big" for my D, UMBC is "too close."

I know that they have dorms and all, but it just has that "feel" of a commuter school. I got the same feeling when we visited RIT. I think it's something to do with creating a ring road and parking lots, then cramming a bunch of buildings into a small space in the middle.

UMBC has a championship chess team, btw.

happymomof1 · 08-19-2009, 05:27 PM

Public transportation is better at UMCP with a Metro stop on campus, and multiple bus routes. UMBC is more challenging to reach without a car.

tom1944 · 08-19-2009, 06:15 PM

I was very impressed with the President of UMBC.

momreads · 08-19-2009, 08:36 PM

We toured UMBC two years ago and my son liked the school. Thought it was clean, safe and had good access to Washington and Baltimore. Students can have cars as freshmen, a nice perk. The scholarship program is excellent. The science/tech facilities are wonderful. He liked UMBC a lot, but was honest that it was not the school for him. As for College Park, our family friends went there many years ago. They actually discouraged him from attending, although he is a diehard Terp fan. They had some serious questions about the neighborhood. Also, one of the drawbacks to attend CP is the lack of dorm space for upperclassmen.

pumpkin65 · 08-19-2009, 09:00 PM

Agree with Tom1944, also know one of the Dean's personally - he is wonderful and personable, brilliant. This school is a gem for some kids. I am very impressed with some of my D's friends who chose honors program there. Most are science/tech, or heading for med school. UMCP is just too big for some, UMBC might be easier for some to find 'community'. UMBC does not have that 'campus' feel - the 'ring road' and parking lots describe it to a tee.

I don't know if I would classify it as tier III - but maybe it is. The kids I know going there got into tier one and two schools, just did not choose them for various reasons. From the looks of their communications with my D, they are enjoying life there - but they were very involved/active kids in HS. They are all in Honors - some are Meyerhoff scholars, I believe.

My d did not choose UMCP intentionally for reasons that momreads states.

pumpkin65 · 08-20-2009, 06:54 PM

This was in the local paper today regarding UMBC...

UMBC tops U.S. News 'up and coming' list -- baltimoresun.com

hatersunite · 08-20-2009, 07:07 PM

UMBC = no social life

rai_is_rad · 08-20-2009, 10:21 PM

I'm going to start this post by saying that I currently attend UMBC (rising sophomore, chemical engineering major) from OOS and had never visited UMCP before going over with a couple of my friends last semester so I cannot comment on the student experience there at all.

The academics at UMBC are top-notch, and not just in science related fields. I took several classes in the humanities (history, art, and a current events seminar) my first semester and all were well taught and interesting. All but one of my professors have been happy to help when approached during office hours and several of them were more than willing to just sit and talk or to help students find research opportunities if asked.

The scholarship program is also fairly generous. There are the normal merit scholarships as well as scholarship programs with specific goals and majors. These programs also have associated living communities in the dorms and the students in them tend to form close bonds with each other.

There are many commuters and the campus does tend to empty out a bit on weekends. There are students who stay, however, and there are things to do on campus. There are parties, but they are mostly relegated to the weekends. If you don't want to, you definitely don't have to, but they are there. There is also a Greek scene, and while it doesn't really dominate campus culture, many of the student leaders on campus are involved. We also don't have Greek houses, so members either live in campus housing or in their own apartments off campus.

The campus is enclosed in a loop. Personally, I like the campus, but I understand how some could feel that it is too small or isolated. The public transportation generally isn't bad as long as you check the schedule first, but it could be better. The only comment I will make on CP is that it felt WAY too big to me, but that is a personal thing and nothing against the school.

Our sports may not be recognized nationally in the same way CP's are, and we do not have a football team, but they are by no means bad. We compete NCAA DI in America East. Our lacrosse and swim teams are consistently good, and the basketball teams have done well recently as well. Some of the club teams (notably ice hockey) are also very good and well ranked.

I hope this helped a bit, and I would be glad to answer any questions I can about UMBC. I'm sorry this post got a bit disorganized, but I tried to address everything that was brought up before.
(and if it would help I was also accepted to Case Western, RPI, and UMinn for engineering all with significant merit money, and I know many other students who have gotten into top ranked schools who have come to UMBC instead as well)