University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

I was told that the memories would be priceless, that the friends would last a lifetime, and that the investment of attending college would secure me a substantial job in the future. I can now understand that college provides an atmosphere where students can learn to stand independently, work diligently, and make decisions that affect our long term plans and the community at large. Our personalities are being shaped while our dreams are being realized, and I think having the experience of living on my own has impacted my view on the real world and the assets that I will bring to the workforce upon graduation. Qualities such as confidence, intelligence and perseverance were thrust upon me when I enrolled at the University of Maryland, which proves to me that college is a significant time period in our lives where the abundance of possibilities allows us to recognize our full potential. While college tuition may be exceedingly expensive, the price we pay cannot compare to the value of a diploma with irreplaceable experiences. I have gained more than my bank account has lost because of the journey that college has begun for me, and for this I am eternally grateful.

I've learned a new way of thinking, becoming both more academic and more open to others. I've learned more about the world and also more about myself.

When I first started my college career I was eager to discover more about the subjects that I was interested in, but through the years I found myself increasingly loving the learning process in itself. Eventually, what I got out of my college experience is the liberating feeling of the endless possibilities of acquired knowledge. The incredible feelings of being able to understand and explain complex phenomena inspired me to keep searching for answers to my endless stream of questions. Only after I allowed myself to fully immerse in the academic life, I began to fully understand the value of my college experience. It not only taught me how to think for myself, but it also cultivated a deep passion to keep exploring the world around me.

I am a transfer student from another university so my college experience has been eventful. It would be best to make sure you know what college you want to attend before you accept their offer. Then stick with that school until you graduate. College has made me a more outgoing person. It takes you from a life of depending on your parents and puts you into a world where you need to make your own way. I have met many new people and have made new friends. I have learned more about myself and what my ambitions are. I have learned my limits and learned self discipline. There is no one around to tell you what you can and cannot do so I have learned to limit and motivate myself. I have also learned a lot in the classroom and from experiences just walking around campus. College has made me a more independent person and a stronger individual. It is a valuable experience that has taught me what i need to know for my intended proffession and for life.

I haven't been at this University long, but the time I have spent here has been filled with people I would bever never met in my tiny hometown. It's a valuable experience because I'm not only getting a great education, I'm also submersed in a world of new ideas and cultures.

I have learned that there is a very interesting, and sometimes scary world outside of the little bubble I lived in throughout my high school years. I lived in a town that is considered a white, preppy, rich town. Though I liked it there, I felt that I never got a real taste of America. At the University of Maryland I was able to experience diversity and actually live within the American mosaic again, as opposed to having to just read and learn about multiculturalism in school. We learn that America is a complicated nation, and that many people move here to get a better life with more opportunity. However, I never met many of these people because of my town’s insularity. I go to a college that has a range of people from various backgrounds and cultures, just like the first place I lived when I moved to America, Queens, NY. As I begin this new chapter in my life, I am able to get back to the diverse lifestyle I am familiar with and live in a place where I can learn and experience many new things.

Out of my collge experience, I have to say that what I have really gotten is myself. Unusual as it may be, I have really come to know myself, to identify my own personal weaknesses and strengths, and to find my passions. During my earlier education experiences, I just floated by. I did the work and performed as I was directed, but in college I have really come into my own and have been able to define myself as a human being. I have become in touch with the person I am and have made plans for what type of person I would like to end up as. The college experience, both at UMD and at my community college, has been valuable because it has been an oppertunity for me to learn about myself, to find my place in the mature world, and to be exposed to new things and new people from all walks of life that I might not have if I chose to enter into the work force straight right away. I've learned so many things in my college experience about academics and about myself as I individual. I wouldn't exchange them for anything.

Upon arriving to college, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The vast difference between a small town high school of 1,000 people and a huge state university of 30,000 people was, to say the least, daunting. But as I sit here typing this today, I can honestly say that college has been the most exhilarating and transformative experience of my whole life. Being thrust in an entirely new environment than what I'm used to has afforded me the opportunity to discover so many things about myself and the world around me. I came to school in search of an education but I never realized just how varied and comprehensive my education would be. The true value of a college education lies not only in what one learns in lecture halls and textbooks but also in what you might learn from your fellow students, an extracurricular activity or just from the everyday trials and tribulations of the average college student. My college experience has taught me so much about the person I was, the person I am, and the person I can be and that is why its value has been incalculable.

This is my first year..,and wow, I'm blown away. What you would learn academically...well, there are many classes you can take, that can cover many interests and have many amazing teachers teaching them. The catalog is, of course, much larger than High School's. But nevermind the academics. What I am truly benefitting from is the college "life". I've learned that there are all kinds of people out there...the enviroment is much more different than grade school's. People come and go and it's normal. For this, you realize the importance of developing friendships and connections. You learn that you really cannot risk being shy. Everything is too fast for you to wait to be approached. Not only do you have a responsibility in getting yourself heard, you have a general responsibility in everything. I have to approach the financial aid office if I want my aid. I have to set the counselor appointments, they won't look after me. I, in other words, am responsible for my own well being now, and no one else. The great thing about college is you learn this in a forgiving and sympathizing enviroment.

I have grown and matured greatly from my college experience so far! I am a single mother of two young children, a domestic violence survivor, and have been getting back on my feet since my ordeal with help from family and friends! Finishing school is a huge goal for myself and of course to be a great mentor/role model to my children is key as well. I couldn't be any of those without college! I am graduating as an RN in 2012 and can finally have a great career where I will never stop learning, where I can make a difference to a community, and that I can truly say that I will love! I am currently a peer tutor at my college and this experience has taught me leadership skills that I never knew I had, it has brought another side of me out that I am enjoying. Giving back to the community and helping others has always been my goal. I want to continue succeeding in school and I know a scholarship will help me more than anything!