<p>i used to go to UMD for computer science (way back in 98 however) … </p>
<p>Unless you live eat and breathe computers, it isn’t for you.
You might think, hey, I’ve programmed a website using html and asp, I installed and used a database, etc.</p>
<p>So let me explain something, at Maryland you will be learning not how to install a database (just pop the cd in and learn some sql), you will be learning how to develop the database software itself so someone else can just pop in the cd and install it!</p>
<p>– Analogies –
-Do you want to be the roughneck that extracts the oil from the ground (no university, some training required to be the “IT” guy)
-So do you want to be the mechanic who changes the oil? (regular university compsci program)
-Do you want to be the chemical engineer that invented the formula for the oil (Univ of Maryland education)</p>
<p>My advice? FIGURE OUT which one of those 3 you want to be BEFORE going to college.</p>