<p>It depends on the type of person you are.</p>
<p>UMBC is a small school, but has a nice population. The food is awesome and the staff are really welcoming and are nice. UMBC is also big on research and you can study aborad as early as you prefer (I don’t know the full details on that). Also, if you haven’t noticed (I think you have) they call students, talk to them, and get to know them rather than sending crap emails like other colleges. However, UMBC is not big on athletics and therefore you would miss out on the fun of going to games and cheering for your team. Also, most people who go there commute rather than live on campus, and most of the time the campus is really boring (you don’t see anyone playing outside/having fun). If you truly want a college experience (going to games, partying hard, etc.) then you shouldn’t go here. But know that you can still have a lot of fun if you go to umbc. </p>
<p>CP on the other hand is a big campus which means lots of opportunities. I don’t really know about Education, but I’m sure they have a really good program. CP is also big on research (bigger than umbc) and their professors (depending on major) will often stay with you and help you if you need it. I know there is even a 1 person class dedicated to research with a professors. There are also a lot of people, which means you can meet a lot of people who have the same interests as you. Also, if you are the party type, this is a great place to be! The downsides are that you’ll most likely run into drunk people and their mess a lot. Also, class sizes are a lot bigger and some get the feeling they a treated like ‘a number’ rather than a person. And crime outside of the campus is a little heavy (some people got their laptops stolen last semester). </p>
<p>There are pros and cons for both places, but the advice I can give you is to not let your scholarship make the decision for you. My friend got a full scholarship to UMBC but still chose CP because he loves it and does not regret his decision. My other friend got a scholarship to cp but chose umbc and doesnt regret that decision either. Sorry if I couldnt help much, but I had to make this same decision too, and I accepted CP (I am also spring’d).</p>