UMD Thoughts?

[mangomaddness73]

I'm sure there's probably already a thread for UMD but I'm specifically curious about what current or past students have thought about the program, and living in/around College Park in general. I'm seriously considering going here and would love to hear what others have to say. Thank you!!!

[NeilM]

I don't go to UMD and I am not a speech pathologist, but I do live in the area! College Park is a college town (maybe that's obvious ?) that is full of apartments and restaurants and a pretty reliable shuttle and generally suited to student living (there's even an IKEA like 5 minutes away!). However, if you have a car, you have the opportunity to live in nearby/quieter towns like Takoma Park (which is in DC) or Silver Spring! My boyfriend is a PhD student studying engineering at College Park and he lives in TP, which isn't more than 15-20 minutes away I think?

If you haven't visited the school, the campus is very beautiful but also very massive. It takes up to 20 minutes to walk from one class to another sometimes, depending on the buildings you need. College Park itself is pretty... worn looking to me. It is off of Route 1, a long, winding, single-lane highway that gets super packed with traffic at rush hours. It's not as beautiful as the campus itself. And because the campus is massive, the amount of students is also massive! These numbers are public somewhere but when I was applying for undergrad (ended up going to a different university) there were close to 40k undergraduate students. I'm not sure about the graduate numbers.

In general, UMD-CP (be careful when referencing it, btw--there are other schools nearby like UMBC and UMB that often get confused by outsiders for College Park, because they're all technically UMD campuses) has excellent faculty and if you choose to go there I'm sure you would have a great mentor and a good experience in your degree.

[Laurenf131]

I'm a current UMD undergrad and agree with what was said above but can speak more from a student's perspective! Yes, the campus and student body are large but as a grad student, you will be spending most of your time in Lefrak Hall where the clinic is located and be a part of a small cohort (~25). Lefrak is one of the more dated and dark buildings on campus but isn't too bad. I think the department faculty are pretty great and you would see a lot of different disorders in the clinic. It's a rigorous program as you get multiple clients your first semester on top of your classes but I've heard it's worth it.

In general, College Park is pretty full of strip malls and chain restaurants so it's not THE BEST college town but with DC so close there is a lot to explore nearby when you have the time. CP apartments can get expensive (generally 800+) but houses and surrounding areas are cheaper. There's not THAT much to do in College Park itself but there are a few bars packed with undergrads (often freshmen) so I'd recommend exploring the area more. 

I have loved my time at UMD and am considering attending their grad program too. 

[mangomaddness73]

Thank you both!! I'm an undergrad coming from a large public university in a fairly boring college town, so I'm not too worried about the size of the school at all, mostly just wanted to hear people's opinions of the program!

[coffee4lyfe]

Hi! I went to UW-Madison for undergrad and am head over heals for the Madison area, amazing lakes, nature, charming city, very fun night life. I knew applying to grad school was going to be tricky and that other schools would be hard to compete with my love for Madison. But I am now considering UMD College Park for slp grad school and honestly think the program itself makes up for the not so ideal college campus feel. I obviously didn't attend undergrad there so my opinion is just from visiting for the open house and one other time to meet a proff. The program and people I have spoken with at UMD seem very genuine, very kind, and I know the program/research/training is top notch. The campus actually is kinda pretty too and driving through College Park and the surrounding neighborhoods, there were some cute areas. I definitely think the experience is what you make it! I remember a current student at the open house saying that she lives in DC and commutes (only about a 40 ish minute metro), and I am looking to do the same next year. I think rent is about the same in DC and College Park.