<p>What do yuo all think: are UMCP’s Honor College students on par w/ Ivy League students in terms of academic ability? Chime off.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I don’t agree with the premise of your question. Any individual could be as talented as another individual in either an Ivy League college or a non-Ivy League college. Where you go to school depends on a lot of factors. And what really determines success is what you do with the education you acquire whereever you acquire it. :D</p>
<p>overall? no, not at all.</p>
<p>Alot of people have great academic potential. You just have to find it, and then harness it.</p>
<p>Impossible question to answer BUT, I would say that most of the “top” students I know either never considered UMCP (honors, gemstone, etc) or applied as just a safety and the majority attended Ivy’s or top 20 schools. The kids I know who are there, were rejected from most of their top choices. You can make a determination from that.</p>
<p>I think it has alot to do with the whole “college experience” issue, especially for in-state students. College Park isn’t the best place to live for 4 years.</p>
<p>dwhite might have hit upon it for IS, but for OOS many of these kids did get accepted by Ivy’s and selected UMD because of the merit money. Max’s son was accepted by Duke, but their FA was not as good. Our DS got accepted UNCCH, AFA and waitlisted for Notre Dame. He accepted UMD not for merit money, but for the whole school environment, plus they have a strong ROTC det. He was recruited by Stanford, Princeton, UVA and UPenn. He did not want to be in that type of environment, plus he will be commissioned into the AF as an officer the same day he graduates, so the actual program was what attracted him. He is a politics and govt major, and if that’s your thing, your better to be close to the action like DC than further away.</p>
<p>Look at not only the school, but the program too. If going to the sporting events means nothing to you, then dwhite is ride it isn’t the best place to be for 4 yrs, since the fall all of the kids are at the FB games, come winter they are all at the BBall games.</p>
<p>Plus, UMD has something no Ivy school has…black squirrels :D:D:D:D . I can never help myself, I always have to say, ooh look a black squirrel whenever I see one on the campus. DS now beats me to the punch with yes, Mom I know black squirrel, before I can even say it :p</p>
<p>D1 didn’t apply to any ivies, but I still maintain that she’ll be able to hold her own with any of them when it comes to grad school options. I’ll not bore you with her accomplishments, but to excel at a school like UMD, and take full advantage of the opportunities around you, shows more about who you are and what you are capable of than the name of the college on your diploma. Does UMD have prestige? Naw, not a lot, but it’s getting better. Can you get an outstanding education there? You bet.</p>
<p>fwiw, D1 had an early admit to Williams, and turned down $$ at Chapel Hill (we live in NC).</p>
<p>Our s didn’t much want to attend MD but discovered that he loves it. He thinks the campus is absolutely beautiful, finds a number of his profs to be brilliant and engaging, and enjoys the college life there immensely. </p>
<p>He’s mentioned that he hasn’t felt truly challenged in any of his courses but then again he’s a kid that isn’t challenged easily. He was awarded a major honor following his freshman year, landed a summer internship in NYC as a web journalist writing on music, style, fashion, architecture, cinema, etc. and secured a spot in a very selective minor at the Center of International Development and Conflict Management while majoring in Business and Economics and also minoring in Math.</p>
<p>. Next year he’ll be spending the Fall semester in Osaka and the Spring semester hiking the Himalayas and exploring India with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School).</p>
<p>He has great friends at Ivies and other top 10 universities, all of whom respect and admire him. I think he’s doing quite well at MD and he’s happy as hell there. BTW, he’s in the Honors Humanities program and is writing a screenplay for his keystone project. </p>
<p>He’ll be in San Miguel D’Allende, Mexico winter break doing research on his keystone project.</p>
<p>For some people it’s important to be in an Ivy League School for others it’s all about the opportunities and the education.</p>
<p>Well said, Max, and I appreciate what you had to say.</p>
<p>Any info on the Mentor-Mentee front that you know about?? ;)</p>