University of Maryland, College Park (UMD)

Overall

The College of Education was excellent. Faculty were helpful in steering students toward graduating in 4 years (in th 60s, 4 years was the customary length of an undergraduate degree). In those days, dining options were limited, but have improved. The high rise dorms were new and offered a very fine on campus housing option. Expect to walk a lot as the campus is huge. Some majors are better than others, so be sure to check on the current reputation of a specific department.

Academics

Although the situation in the 1960's was significantly different than today (e.g., there were few "non-traditional students and the concept of diversity had yet to be embraced), the academics were rigorous and thorough. Some classes were huge (100s), others were delightfully small. Any faculty with whom I would have studied are retired or deceased, so my comments on faculty quality would be outdated. As I progressed in academia (i.e., earning a Ph. D. and ranked faculty position at a well regarded east coast university), I developed collegial relationships with many contemporary faculty members in the College of Education. To a person, each was bright, well educated, an excellent researcher, and widely published. It is a great university, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the breadth and depth of an academic experience.

College Life

The range of social options was huge. Athletic events, dance performanes, parties, clubs, etc. were readily availale. The student union provided multiple venues for socialization. Dorms, commuter clubs, Greek organizations, and other groups offered opportunities for like-minded people to interact.