collageShould I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or University of Maryland College Park? Compare the two schools’ costs, SAT, ACT, GPA, admissions criteria and outcomes to help you determine if UMBC or Maryland is the better college for you.
In this college learners post you will find details related to umbc vs umd psychology, umd to umbc, umd acceptance rate and umbc vs umd reddit. Please read to find out all the
“Keyword”
“”
“”
“umd vs umbc computer science”
“umbc vs umd soccer”
“university of maryland”
“”
“”
“university of maryland college park”
Add a college to compare up to four schools
Comparable Facts
- University of Maryland College Park is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (41,200 students vs. 13,767 students)
UMBC vs. Maryland Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Maryland?
- University of Maryland College Park is 1.4% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($8,824.00 vs. $8,704.00)
- Out of state tuition is 43.5% higher at Maryland than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($34,936.00 vs. $24,338.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Maryland ($17,094 vs. $17,723)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 7.8% lower than costs at University of Maryland College Park ($12,350 vs. $13,315)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than University of Maryland College Park (81% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Maryland College Park students is 5.5% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($9,388 vs. $8,901)
UMBC vs. Maryland Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or Maryland? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Maryland or UMBC .
- The average SAT score at University of Maryland College Park (1315) is 106 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
- UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (61%) than Maryland (44.2%)
UMBC vs. Maryland Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMBC or Maryland? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Maryland and UMBC.
- The graduation rate at Maryland is higher that University of Maryland Baltimore County (82% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn on average $8,800 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($68,300 vs. $59,500)
- University of Maryland College Park students graduate with a $1,697 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,197)
- Maryland graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($201 vs. $219)
- More Maryland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/COLLEGESIMPLY
Public domain college data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics survey for academic years 2019/2020 and 2018/2019. This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.
Some Directory Data is copyrighted material which is reproduced in this publication by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. Copyright by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.
SAT® is a trademark registered and/or owned by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this site. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. and is not affiliated with this website.
© 2021 CollegeSimply.com. All rights reserved.
2021-03-15 18:52:10 – desktop – s:32ms j:6ms t:38ms
UMBC Vs UMD
UMD College Park vs. UMBC: Which One is For You?
A public research university offers students unique academic experiences and exceptional career opportunities. In the state of Maryland, two schools of such kind exist: UMD, College Park and UMBC. They are related to one another alright, but these non-profit public learning institutions are different from one another in so many ways.
While UMD has 41,200 students and UMBC only has 13,767 students, the former has a lower acceptance rate of 44%. UMBC’s acceptance rate is 61%. UMBC also has more than 100 majors despite having a small 530-acre campus. UMD, which has a large 1,335-acre campus at College Park, has over 90 majors only.
Both UMD College Park and UMBC are a part of the University System of Maryland (USM), which is composed of 11 schools throughout Maryland. This means that both UMD College Park and UMBC have shared governance that includes numerous system-wide representative bodies under the same chancellor and USM administrators.
Other schools that are a part of the USM include:
- Bowie State University
- Coppin State University
- Salisbury University
- Towson University
- University of Baltimore
- University of Maryland, Baltimore
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- University of Maryland Global Campus
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
In this article, we will put the spotlight on UMD College Park and UMBC. If you are planning on applying to only one of them, keep on reading to get to know both better, which is crucial in the decision-making process.
Overview of UMD College Park
Put simply, the University of Maryland (UMD) College Park is the flagship school of the USM. It is one of the country’s leading public research universities. Currently, it is home to more than 40,000 students.
UMD College Park is a regionally accredited school. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which is under the US Department of Education. The school’s accreditation was reaffirmed by MSCHE back in 2017 — its accreditation status is reviewed every eight years.
Established in 1856, UMD College Park is the largest university not only in Maryland but also in the Washington metropolitan area. It doesn’t really come as a surprise since its campus measures 1,335 acres and houses over 350 buildings.
UMD College Park offers more than 90 majors. Some of the most popular are Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Biological Sciences, Economics and Finance. The school is also known to have some of the country’s most recognizable and successful athletics programs.
Being a party school, UMD College Park has over 800 fraternities, sororities and clubs. As a matter of fact, according to the Princeton Review, it is the 17th best party school in the US.
UMD College Park is a moderately selective school, with an acceptance rate of 44%. As a test-optional school, it does not require its applicants to submit their SAT and ACT scores. The net price of going to UMD College Park per academic year amounts to $18,459 (in-state, off-campus).
Check out the podcast interview of UMD student, who chose UMD over Northwestern:https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=agcgd-f8daae-pb&from=pb6admin&download=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&btn-skin=7
Overview of UMBC
Like UMD College Park, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a part of the USM. And similar to UMD College Park, UMBC is also a public research university. Over 13,000 students are attending it today.
UMBC is a regionally accredited school.
The accrediting body responsible for the school’s accreditation is MSCHE, which is one of the only six accrediting agencies recognized by the US Department of Education. The regional accreditation that IMBC has is considered more prestigious and widely accepted than national accreditation.
Established in 1966, UMBC was the last school to become a part of the USM. It is one of the smallest, too. UMBC’s campus size is only 530 acres, and it houses 70 buildings.
Despite being smaller campus size-wise than UMD College Park, UMBC offers more majors — more than 100. The school is well-known for majors such as Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Social Sciences and Engineering.
Unlike UMD College Park, UMBC is not a party school. Still, its students have more than 200 fraternities, sororities and clubs to choose from.
Also, Baltimore County (where UMBC is located) has a number of lounges and bars that UMBC students may visit each time they would like to unwind and hang out.
With an acceptance rate of 61%, UMBC is a moderately selective school. It also does not require the applicants to submit their SAT and ACT scores since, just like UMD College Park, it’s a test-optional school. The net price of attending UMBC for one academic year amounts to $$17,887 (in-state, off-campus).
Check out the podcast interview with a student, who preferred UMBC over Vanderbilt:https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=pejqz-ee1694-pb&from=pb6admin&download=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&btn-skin=7
UMD College Park vs. UMBC: A Quick Comparison
Most students apply to anywhere from eight to 12 colleges and universities. Applying to more schools can help increase one’s chances of getting accepted to at least one school.
However, it can also take up time and, in many instances, money — the average cost of applying to a school is $43.
It’s because of this why it’s a more sensible move to apply to no more than five to seven schools.
With so many choices, it can be challenging for many students to keep their list of schools to apply to short and sweet.
Sometimes, taking a look at a quick comparison of different schools is enough to give you an idea of which should stay on the list and which should be crossed out, thus helping to keep your list more manageable.
Let’s take a look at a table comparing UMD College Park and UMBC on various factors:
| UMD | UMBC | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | College Park, Maryland | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Year founded | 1856 | 1966 |
| Campus size | 1,335 acres | 530 acres |
| Number of students | 41,200 | 13,767 |
| Public or private? | Public | Public |
| For-profit or non-profit? | Non-profit | Non-profit |
| Party school? | Yes | No |
| In-state tuition (2020-2021) | $10,779 | $9,420 |
| COA (in-state, on-campus) | $27,807 | $27,118 |
| COA (in-state, off-campus) | $30,665 | $29,116 |
| Out-of-state tuition (2020-2021) | $36,891 | $25,054 |
| COA (out-of-state, on-campus) | $53,919 | $42,752 |
| COA (out-of-state, off-campus) | $56,777 | $44,750 |
| Students receiving grant aid | 48% | 81% |
| Acceptance rate | 44% | 61% |
| GPA (average) | 4.11 | 3.76 |
| SAT score | 1280 to 1470 | 1180 to 1360 |
| ACT score | 29 to 34 | 24 to 29 |
| Application deadline | 20-Jan | 1-Feb |
| Number of schools/colleges | 12 | 7 |
| Number of majors | More than 90 | More than 100 |
| Number of faculty and staff | 14,000 | 830 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 18:01 | 17:01 |
| Graduation rate | 82% | 57% |
| Median salary after 10 years | $68,300 | $59,500 |
| Clubs/fraternities/sororities | More than 800 | More than 200 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I | NCAA Division I |
UMD vs UMBChttps://72e7ff154a7e6b41d8366c5f5ec69d6e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Based on the table above, you will find it easier to choose between UMD College Park and UMBC according to certain factors, be it the campus size, number of students, acceptance rate, or student-faculty ratio.
However, it’s not really recommended to decide based solely on what you saw in the table above. In many instances, it’s a good idea to take a more in-depth look at each of the schools you have shortlisted.https://72e7ff154a7e6b41d8366c5f5ec69d6e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
As they say, never judge a book by its cover, and getting to know a school more will let you know whether or not it’s the right one for you.
Keep on reading if you want to get acquainted with both UMD College Park and UMBC better!
Rankings
First things first: Always take college ranking guides with a grain of salt. College rankings are based on subjective criteria.
So, in other words, what’s exceptional for one company that dishes out rankings may be unexceptional for another. Although many students check them out, ranking systems are not well-respected in academia.
There is one phenomenal college ranker out there, and it’s none other than you!
However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should steer clear of ranking guides. Especially if you are torn between two or more colleges and don’t know what to do, you may use popular college rankings as starting points.
Let’s take a look at the ranking of UMD College Park and UMBC by seven different companies:
| Ranking System | UMD | UMBC |
|---|---|---|
| US News and World Report | 58 | 160 |
| QS World University Rankings | 154 | 701 |
| College Factual | 117 | 335 |
| Forbes | 14 | 262 |
| Money | 168 | 253 |
| College Choice | 3 | 5 |
| Ranking Web of Universities | 215 | 375 |
UMD vs UMBC Rankingshttps://72e7ff154a7e6b41d8366c5f5ec69d6e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Based on the table above, it’s clear that UMD College Park consistently ranks higher than UMBC. The differences between the rankings of the two Maryland-based schools are substantial, too.
The only time when the two are almost neck and neck is on College Choice’s ranking for the 15 Best Colleges in Maryland in 2021.
Just because UMD College Park always ranks higher than UMBC doesn’t mean that it’s the school for you.
It’s also important to consider other things.
For instance, if you are not that confident with your admission essay, GPA, and SAT and ACT scores, it’s a good idea to consider applying to UMBC. That’s because, as indicated earlier in the table comparing the two schools, UMBC has a higher acceptance rate — 61% vs. 44%.
Admissions
Many students find it daunting to apply to very selective colleges. That’s because they fear that their chances of getting accepted are very small, especially if they apply together with bright students. When it comes to determining the selectivity of a school, the acceptance rate is taken into consideration.
As a general rule of thumb, the smaller the acceptance rate, the more selective the school.
The most selective US schools accept lower than 15% of all applicants. According to US News and World Report, some of the most selective schools, based on the fall 2019 entering class, are the following:
| UNIVERSITY | ACCEPTANCE RATE |
|---|---|
| Stanford University | 4% |
| Columbia University | 5% |
| Curtis Institute of Music | 5% |
| Harvard University | 5% |
| California Institute of Technology | 6% |
| Princeton University | 6% |
| University of Chicago | 6% |
| Yale University | 6% |
| Alice Lloyd College | 7% |
| Brown University | 7% |
Luckily, both UMD College Park and UMBC have acceptance rates that are considerably higher than the acceptance rates of elite US schools included in the table above.
With an acceptance rate of 44%, UMD College Park is a moderately selective school. The same is true for UMBC, which has an acceptance rate of 61%. But between the two and based on the acceptance rates alone, it’s clear that it can be easier for any student to get accepted to UMBC.
But just because the acceptance rate of UMBC is higher doesn’t mean that you will surely get accepted. Similarly, just because the acceptance rate at UMD College Park is slightly lower doesn’t mean that you will not get accepted.
To get accepted, you should meet or submit all admission requirements. They include the application form (both UMD College Park and UMBC accept the Common App), transcripts, letter of recommendation, and admission essay. Similarly, you should also impress the admissions officers.
Currently, both UMD College Park and UMBC are test-optional schools, just like many other US schools. So, in other words, submitting your SAT or ACT scores may or may not be done.
Cost
According to a 2021 survey, up to 71% of high school students say that it’s not likely for them to go to college because it costs too much. Many undergraduates are quitting college, too.https://72e7ff154a7e6b41d8366c5f5ec69d6e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
It cannot be denied that the cost is one of the most important considerations when it comes to choosing a school.
There is no point in going to the perfect college if you cannot afford to go there in the first place. Making matters worse is that many students take a look at the sticker price only, overlooking the net price in the process.
Put simply, a school’s sticker price is the total expense per year. It’s also called the cost of attendance (COA).
Tuition, books, room and board — these are the things that make up the sticker price of a school. In many instances, also included are other fees that the school may charge its students.
When applying to a school and your budget is an important decisive factor, don’t just focus on the sticker price. It’s a much better idea to put emphasis on the net price, which is what you will end up paying.
The net price is the cost of going to school with the scholarships, grants, and aids deducted from the sticker price.
Needless to say, the sticker price is always higher than the net price.
In the table above, for instance, it was stated that the sticker price of going to UMD College Park is $27,807 (in-state, off-campus). On the other hand, the sticker price of going to UMBC is $27,118 (in-state, off-campus).
The figures mentioned are not the amount of cash that students applying to this school will have to shell out. That’s because receiving financial aid will lower the sticker price, giving way to a lesser net price.
With the average financial aid at UMD College Park amounting to $9,348, the cost of going to the school will drop to $18,459 (in-state, off-campus). With the average financial aid at UMBC amounting to $9,231, the cost of attending the school will go down to $17,887 (in-state, off-campus).
To help make going to college easier on the pocket, many schools offer institutional aids. Unlike federal aid that comes from the federal government, institutional aid comes from the colleges or universities themselves.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.487.0_en.html#goog_977440088
Also called university-based aid, institutional aid is actually a grant or scholarship, which, unlike a loan, doesn’t have to be paid back.
For instance, I know many families with children in both universities and some have received better scholarship in UMBC, and some in UMD. So, it does make sense to make decision which school is more affordable only after receiving an aid package from both institutions.
Academics
They may not be on the top of many college ranking guides alright, except on College Choice’s ranking for the 15 Best Colleges in Maryland in 2021, where UMD College Park ranked 3rd and UMBC ranked 5th.
However, it cannot be denied that both UMD College Park and UMBC are good schools. As a matter of fact, they are regionally accredited schools, which means that they were able (or continue) to meet or surpass the high standards set by the regional accrediting bodies that gave them their accreditation.
UMD College Park offers more than 90 majors. Back in 2019, some of the most popular majors for the school’s graduates are Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Biological Sciences, Economics and Finance.
Besides over 90 majors across 12 colleges, UMD College Park also offers more than 80 minors.
On the other hand, UMBC offers more than 100 majors. Some of the most popular majors among the school’s 2019 graduates include Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Social Sciences and Engineering.
UMBC also offers more than 70 minors and nearly 40 certificate programs.
When it comes to figuring out whether students are happy with their academic life, the freshman retention rate is considered. Put simply, the freshman retention rate is the number of freshmen students who return to the same school the following academic year instead of transferring to another school.
The freshman retention rate is an important number. That’s because it indicates how many freshmen students are happy enough to go back to the same school and enroll as sophomore students.
On average, the freshman retention rate of most US colleges and universities is 75%. If UMD College Park is on your list, you will be happy to know that the school’s freshman retention rate is 95%. On the other hand, the freshman retention rate of UMBC is 87%. Both freshmen retention rates are impressive.
Just Before You Apply to UMD or UMBC
Both UMD College Park and UMBC are respected public research universities and a part of the USM, whose 11 campuses are spread across the state of Maryland.
Although these schools have certain things in common, there are also many things that set them apart. It’s because of this why you may have a hard time deciding whether you should go to UMD College Park or UMBC.
If you live in Maryland, I strongly suggest applying to both and if possible tour both campuses to get a better feel. In the end, I know many students chose UMBC because they like smaller schools, and many chose UMD because of higher rankings.
umbc vs umd psychology
UMBC’s undergraduate psychology program has been named the #3 up and coming program in the East in new rankings by BestPsychologyDegrees.com. The rankings considered the presence of graduate degree programs, innovative and cutting-edge methods and resources, recent facility updates, research opportunities, internships, and student organizations and societies.
The website’s editors recognized the psychology department’s strengths in providing a variety of courses and research opportunities to prepare students for successful careers:
The Psychology program at University of Maryland Baltimore County gives students an excellent foundation in psychology that can be applied in many careers as well as graduate studies. Psychology majors pick a concentration in areas such as Biopsychology and Human Services to gain more in-depth knowledge that can be applied to their desired career. The program’s peer mentor program produces successful students and community through review and group discussion sessions. Internships and research opportunities are available to give interested students a chance to apply their classroom studies to a professional setting. Doctoral students also have the opportunity to get hands-on experience at the UMBC Psychology Training Clinic.
Best Psychology Degrees aims to provide assistance to aspiring psychology professionals in finding degree programs that best meet the needs of each individual. Visit the rankings website to learn more about the ranking system.
collage