Pros:

- Athletics: Games for all sports are a ton of fun and

school spirit/pride is extremely high.  We do get a

bad rep for cursing at games, which is unfortunate. 

Some students do take it too far but most are

respectful. 

- Academics: Challenging yet not too overwhelming. 

Professors are actually, for the most part, very

welcoming and willing to help.  Students are afraid

because the campus is large and there is a large

student body.  But after your first semester (when

pretty much everyone is new), you will see people you

know everywhere.  I am in my 4th and last year, and I

know at least 1 person in all of my classes.

- People/nightlife: The people are very friendly and,

though there are only really only 4(kind of 5 if you

include the Mark) bars within walking distance, they

have awesome specials and fun atmospheres.  They can get

kind of crowded, but are still worth it for the good

prices and fun nights like Power Hour, $1 domestics/$1

rails, etc...

The campus is beautiful, no matter what anyone says.  We have the longest collegiate mall lined with tall, shady trees. 

Cons:

- Safety: To be honest, there is a decent amount of

crime around campus, mainly robberies.  Though this is

unfortunate, I feel safe 95% of the time.  I also think

a lot of college campuses have crime, so it is not a

reason to not attend Maryland.  Hopefully the University

will improve on this in the future.

That is the only 1 real con I can think of...the dorms are not the greatest ever, but they are definitely liveable and have a fun, friendly atmosphere.

Check out UMD.  It will provide you with an awesome 4 years!