University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

David

I wish I had known how expensive it would be and how difficult it is to get financial aid. I wish I had taken AP classes and applied for scholarships so I wouldn't be in such a bad place financially like I am now.

Erin

I wish I had known that it is okay to change your mind about your path in life. It would have saved me a lot of heartache.

Patchanun

Before coming to this school, I wish I knew more about the rivalries between this university and all others. School spirit is such a dominant feature to the university, as evident through the red, yellow and black colors all over campus; the signs on all the shuttles and even the extravagant designs on the football and soccer fields. By knowing more specifics about the rivals for each sport, I would have had even more excitement for all the games I attended.

Rebecca

n/a

Kiara

Before attending Maryland, I wish I had became more familiar with the arts. I wish I had already mastered drawing in different styles and using charcoal. For my first semester, I took Art110 to advance my art skills and to aid my goal of becoming an architect. Taking this course exposed to me that I had much to learn about the arts. If I had already used some of the media and drawn in the various drawing styles before attending college I would have been more prepared and created more sophisticated drawings in my art classes and Architecture courses.

michelle

I wish I had known how valuable time is. Instead of spending every moment on facebook, twitter, TV and with my friends, I should have tried to push myself to be more. When I read about people like Mark Zuckerberg and all the other young millionaires, it makes me regret how I spend my free time. The youth years are the best time to start an entrepreneurial project because you have the most connections to people your age and have endless amount of free time. I wish I spent more time firguring out what I want from my future.

Daniel

I would have wished that I had spent time in the university’s career center before selecting classes. That way I could have looked at the internships and jobs available for recent college graduates before I choose what semester classes I should take. That way I would have selected classes that I felt would have had more positive impact in helping me find the jobs that I wanted after I graduated from the university.

lynique

I wish I had gone on a real tour. My first tour of the campus was when I actually got here. The university is very large, however it depends on the major that one is involved in that would make all the difference.

Vivien

i wish someone told me how different college was from high school. it takes alot of effort and patience

Andrea

Reaching out to professors and learning how to create a teacher-student relationship is vital, especially at such a large school. Going to office hours and letting the professor know you care about your education and progress in the class can be the difference between a B+ and an A. Time management and study skills are vital. Studying for a high school exam does not compare to the way one should effectively study for a college examination. Professors test on different skills; focusing more on thinking outside the box and being able to apply what you learned to everyday situations.