I came to Maritime with high expectations. They quickly left when I found the school is mediocre and very unorganized. No one knows what going on, and I mean to sound vague because it is about everything! If there is a problem with your account it is automatically your fault.For example when I came back for my sophomore year they refused to give me a key to my dorm and said I owed the school over $3,000! I was stuck without a key for 3 days by the time I was able to get the$3,000. Then three weeks later I get an email saying that I have a refund check because I over paid $3,000. Student accounts never helps you here and there are many more stories about the registrar, its not just me.
I am part of the regimented program here on campus and not a fan. I am personally not into the whole military idea, but they make you do it if you want a license. I don't mind putting up with having to wake up early and having to dress a certain way everyday. And MUG year sucks, but it's supposed to, so if you come here get ready to not have fun during the week nights as a Freshman. What really annoys me is the cadets in charge of the regiment. Half the time they are complete morons who couldn't even lead a fat kid to a dessert table. They purposely try to screw you over with undeserved demerits. At Maritime you are guilty unless you have witnesses to prove your innocence! You will learn how to avoid the law, and it is common practice to know someone(the other half of cadets in charge who just want to graduate this semester) to get you out of Extra Duty. ps if you get caught drinking or drunk on campus I hope you like being restricted for 2 months if not longer.
The housing situation on campus is awful. My room this year has a 1.5" gap between the windows, the heater is hanging off the wall, and the pole in my closet is about to collapse. Those problems probably won't be fixed for another 5 years. My floor did not have working water fountains for 2 months. The urinals in the bathroom broke for about 3 weeks and to enter the bathroom you had to step over a puddle of toilet water. Multiple floors regularly smell like there is standing toilet water on the floor. And if you think that is bad wait till you get on the ship it's twice as bad!
By the way there are certain housing rules you have to abide. Obviously fire codes but also regimental rules. For instance your bedroom must follow certain MUG codes during Freshman year. Sophomore year doesn't get much better you can use your own sheets and hang 2 posters on the wall. It isn't until Jr. year you are allowed a rug, rearrange your room, T.V. and maybe refrigerator. So you won't have a home feeling in your room until then. They just passed a new rule this year where if you forget your key you can not just go to the R.A. on duty during the day the to open your door. You have to go to the housing building, wait for a guy to show up, pay $10 and then your door will be opened.
Most people that go here are from Long Island(50%), then 35% from the surrounding 100 miles, and the rest from everywhere else. About 60-70% of the school leaves on the weekends (for good reason). It gets boring especially since Maritime is strongly against you having fun on campus. Lots of kids start becoming bros and working out during the week. Lots of kids here are on the military track so be prepared to meet a lot of yut-yut army and navy dudes. On the weekends Maritime searches for kids drinking or making too much noise at night. Be prepared to leave campus a lot to have fun, don't forget its NYC so a beer at a bar can range from $2(if your lucky) to $9.
This school is geared towards people who live close to the school. All of the holiday breaks screw kids who live far away. Fro example Thanksgiving break doesn't start until after your last class on Wednesday. This year there was the brilliant idea to make spring break Thursday to Sunday and on Monday Finals begin. Showing that they don't want you to have fun as well as if you have to travel hope you are awake the next morning for you final.
Hopefully you live close or become friends with someone that does so you can eat a decent meal every now and then. The food can be good some times, but at other times there can be a 3 week stretch of bad food.
The academics are mediocre. I am in the MT department and the Gen. Ed. subjects are awful. I come from one of the top High schools in the nation and was appalled by the academics here. My general knowledge has decreased since I have been here. As for the license classes it is different. All of the instructors know what they are talking about. Some are bad professors but at least they have expertise in the field.
My advice is; you really have to want an unlimited license to come here. You might as well go to another school for a year and transfer here. It's one less year in this hell, and if you don't you'll realize this at the end of October your MUG year. And if you don't mind going to school for six years go to a regular four year school, and if you still want that license come here for grad school. I'm not sure but I think its a two year program and you can get you license. This school definitely does not offer 100% job placement anymore, but it is still very high. And the pay when you leave is still decent, but you will learn here that most of the maritime jobs are being out sourced... Just have to see what the future brings.Just to give you a sense of who I am I get above a 3.5 GPA every semester, have a nearly clean demerit record, I am a license MT student, non ROTC, I took IB and AP classes in high school for 3 years, and live far away out of state. I am a positive person, but this place definitely lowers your happiness.
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