UMD OR PENN STATE

alpaca97
Thu, 09 Apr 2015 23:32:59 +0000

I also think that UMD is a better choice because of its location. I know both areas well (I have relatives in State College and live near College Park), and College Park is overall a better place to be. Even though State College is less run-down, it’s fairly difficult to get to and isn’t close to big cities (2.5 hours from Pittsburgh, 4 hours from DC, 4 hours from Philly), and the town itself isn’t very exciting. College Park, on the other hand, has a metro station that can take you to DC, other parts of the area, and an international airport.

In terms of the universities themselves, UMD has a better reputation than Penn State, at least in Maryland. Where I live, a serious student who gets into both schools will probably choose Maryland, even without money as a factor. People I know seem to leave Maryland to go to Penn State to party.

[Disclaimer: I’m going to UMD next year]