University of Massachusetts-Lowell Top Questions

The best thing I learned from UMass Lowell is how to network. I am in interaction with a diverse group of people. I learn from everybody. I am very involved on campus. I am vice-president of the Association of Students of African Origin. We do various events on campus like poetry nights, cultural nights, and panel discussions that talk about various topics that relate to young people today. The administration is trying their best to turn UMass Lowell into a world-class university. I like what they are doing. There is going to be more housing on campus, new facilities, and more events in general to do on campus. UMass Lowell is definitely going in the right direction.

UMass Lowell can be compared to our current parking situation. Some days you get that perfect spot right in front of the door to your first class... and some days you're driving in circles for forty-five minutes; punching your steering wheel and grinding your teeth down to painful pearly nubs. Let's start with the bad. With so many students needing four language classes to graduate, it's a common problem of the classes filling up almost immediately, and stranding students here for an extra semester because they were left in the cold. We need more teachers for foreign languages, and we need a stronger tutoring center for said program. Oddly enough, I had more trouble with my Spanish class than my senior thesis. To tie in my little parking analogy with UMass, you only need to ask a North campus student about their parking ordeals. Many students are forced to miss some of their first class because there are simply not enough spots. This frustration is compounded because we have to pay for the parking privilege too. Luckily, the school is building a new parking garage, so that problem has been noticed, and dealt with by the school. Those are the most frequent complaints I've heard, but parking is parking in any college. Now that the glass is half empty, I want to show you that not all is bad with UMass Lowell. Far from it, actually. When I tell curious folk about where I go to school I am always met with a nod, and an approved sound from them. UMass Lowell is such an iconic school for anyone who grew up North of Boston, and almost everyone I have talked college with in my past three years have all had some tie in with the university, be it family, friend, or their own life there. The school is located near a bustling downtown area, full of bars, beautiful water front walking tracks, and A GREAT MUSIC SCENE. "See, I told you the music scene was a big deal in Lowell." The school recently bought the Tsongas arena, which hosts world famous musical acts and sporting events. These aren't small fish shows either. We just had Judas Priest play their farewell concert right here on Campus. Tell some student living out in the woods that and watch the jealousy spread over them. Students are constantly emailed about upcoming shows and events in and around Lowell, many times given discounted prices and VIP opportunities to boot. Being a student in Lowell definitely isn't boring. If you are new to the area, or are just a bit unsure of where to go, just ask anyone around campus. Everyone is quick with a suggestion here, as we all know the best spots for a strong, "cheap" beer, or where to get the best Mexican food in Lowell.

When I tell people that I go to Umass Lowell, the reactions are mixed. There is the half that tells me what a great school it is and I should expect a job right after graduating. Then there is the half who gives me a look like I just spit on their food. They make assumptions, usually false, about what a bad city Lowell is, and how they could never go there for fear of being attacked walking to class. These people are naive and have probably never stepped foot in Lowell. Umass Lowell is extremely safe. It is true that there are areas of the city that are rough, but that is true of most cities. The campus is spread out along the river, you need to take a bus to get around. There is a lot of new construction that is going to be beautiful when completed. The school just recently bought the Tsongas Arena which brings a lot of school spirit to the events there, especially the hockey games. There is a lot of school spread through most of Lowell. The classrooms are modern and the dorm rooms are average. The school is constantly updating and rebuilding to make it more efficient. The administration is putting a lot of money into the school to make it better for the students who go there without affecting the cost of attendance too much. I personally like the school. I spend the majority of my time in the brand new south campus library. It is one of the most modern libraries I have ever stepped foot it. They did a great job renovating. Overall I do not think that people give UMass Lowell enough credit. It is an expanding school with a lot of diverse people it is a great place to go to school.

I feel UML is a great school and perfect for myself. I very much enjoyed the classes and the people I have met my 5 semesters here. People always assume Umass Lowell is a 'dump' of a school in a crappy city, but I have found that if you look, you can find quite a lot of beauty within the once industrious town. I feel the size of the school is great, (around 14,000 students), but I dislike the separation of campuses. I realize the difficulty in having a university within a city, but traveling distances between classes and resident halls can be cumbersome. Perhaps a revamping of the school's transportation could help with this issue. Lowell is slowly becoming more and more of a college town. UML is slowly buying up properties expanding and improving the school which is great to see. I strongly like the school and respect all those who attend and are currently employed there.

My overall opinion of UMASS Lowell is that it is a great school. The professors are very helpful and most classes have a great student to teacher ratio. There's a wide range of classes so whatever you're interested in, you'll most likely find a course about it. The campus is very nice, there's a lot of places to study, eat, and do homework. The size of the school is perfect. Both campuses where classes are located, North and South, are not too big and not too small. They are also very close to each other which it makes it convenient to drive, take a shuttle or a bus. When I tell people I go to this school they say that this school has made so much progress through the years and it is now a very great school to go to. I spend most of my time in the library which is filled with many computers so I can work on my homework or projects. Students take pride in UMASS Lowell and they show this pride by supporting our hockey team, all other teams, and by wearing clothes that have the University name. Overall, this school has a very nice campus, atmosphere, great professors, and a lot of activities always going on to keep a student occupied and make them feel like an asset to the UMASS Lowell community.

I think that the school is wonderful. The professors I have had, for the most part, are very passionate about their jobs and about shaping and edifying the minds of their students. All of the professors I have had in my department have been more that willing to make time for me and work with me on any issue I have had. I feel that the campus is nice and getting nicer -- it is clear that a lot of money and work is being put into the school so that we have the technology and facilities that are in par with some of the better private schools in the state. I think the city of Lowell in general is relatively charming and that it is easy to get from place to place; campus transit is a very useful resource as well. So far I have had no issues with administration or the ISIS system. I have been able to get the answers I need and create my schedule painlessly. I appreciate the willingness of the staff and most work-study students to go above and beyond to help me with anything I am having an issue with.

The best thing about going to school at UMass Lowell is the diverse community. Campus is located near historic downtown where there are a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and bars. There is always something to do in Lowell. UMass Lowell as hosts many events at the Tsongas Center including concerts from pop stars like Drake and school sports. UMass Lowell is well-known for their outstanding hockey team, the River Hawks. Students go to all of the home games for free! One of the things that I would change about UMass Lowell would be the recent lack of parking on campus. As the student population increases, parking spaces are decreasing. But the University has been working out this issue by providing shuttles from different campuses and creating satellite lots throughout the city.

There are a lot of things to enjoy about the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. The best thing about this school would have to be that the class sizes, in my experience, have been kept small in order to have better instruction and make you feel more a part of the class. People have heard about UML because it ranks pretty decently for academics within the area and for a state school. I spend most of my time on UML South because I am an English Major and Philosophy Major, both majors which have classes mostly on South. There is a lot of school pride and you see many people frequently wearing the school apparel, but I would not consider it a college town really, the campus' are roughly three miles apart and it feels more open than other campus'. The school's administration seems to be doing very well with organization and expansion of the college. However, one thing I would like to see improved or changed at UML is the parking on both UML North especially, but South could improve as well. One thing that I will always remember from UML is going to the play, The Laramie Project, which was supposed to be bigoted by the Westboro Baptist Church; luckily they did not show.

The best thing about UMass Lowell is the wide arrange of extra curricular activities you can get involved with. There's many different type of clubs, intermural sports, and sport teams. There's something for everyone to get involved in. If you're looking for a particular type of club or sport, chances are you'll be able to find it. If I could change one thing about this school it would be the separate campuses. Sometimes it's a hassle to get from campus to campus. UMass Lowell is the perfect size school. It's not too small, but it's also not too big. There's enough people here for you to meet a wide arrange of people. It's also small enough that you become comfortable with the people around you. You get to know the faces around campus. When I tell people I go to school here people are usually surprised because I'm from Ohio. Most people are shocked when I tell them that I go to an out of state school so far from home. I spend most of my time on campus at the ICC, which is where I live. It's downtown so it's separated from the rest of the campus. It has its own dining hall so I don't have to leave unless it's to go to class. All my friends live there so we spend a lot of time hanging out or doing homework in each other's rooms. Lowell is becoming more of a college town, especially with the expansion of the school. Recently more buildings have been built and the school has been growing. Since the ICC is located downtown now, you see a lot more students outside of campus. Downtown has a good nightlife for college students with clubs, bars, cheap restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping. UMass Lowell has a good administration. They're fair and they make sure to accommodate all of the students that go here to the best of their ability. Since I've been attending UMass Lowell there hasn't been any controversial issues arise. The students at UMass Lowell have a lot of school pride. Hockey games are popular to go to on the weekends and students get pretty into them. You also see a lot of students walking around campus wearing the school's apparel. The one thing I will always remember about UMass Lowell is my experience being on the rowing team. There's nothing more unique than waking up at 4:45 in the morning as a college student to row on the Merrimack Rover and watch the sunrise. The most frequent complaint I hear students making is about the shuttle system. Sometimes the shuttles aren't on time which can cause you to be late to your classes.

In my opinion, the best thing about the University of Massachusetts Lowell is its wide variety of opportunities. There are so many majors and minors, not to mention tons of extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports. Anyone can find somewhere to fit in here. The school is a perfect size to me, especially because it is split up into three different campuses. It's organized according to specific classes, but there are always new people to see. When I tell people that I attend UML, I get a good reaction. The university has created a wonderful reputation for itself despite being located in a busy city. It's run well and has fantastic professors who are always open for discussions. I can tell that students are extremely proud of this school, based on their attendance at sporting events and the constant presence UML clothing. The most unusual thing about this school is the separated campuses, but once you get used to it, it's not really a problem. I'll always remember going to the UMass Lowell Symphonic Band Camp one summer. It was the experience that changed me and helped me to decide that this was the school I wanted. As for complaints, it's usually about the food (but hey, it's college), though they definitely have more choices than your average high school. There are a bunch of places to eat in the city within walking or bus distance, though. Overall, I love this school. It was my top choice and I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.