Once a Terp, always a Terp! Welcome to the University of Maryland, a public university that has a ton of school pride and strong academics. From one end of the campus to the other, students rush around wearing Maryland gear, textbooks in hand. Even a few Hills graduates run around the 1,335 acres of hilly grounds.

Founded in 1856, the red-brick Georgian buildings and large, green quad are extremely appealing to those who search for the “picture perfect” college, and its location on the east coast lets students experience all four seasons. The main quad, McKeldin Hall, includes a rectangular fountain that school tradition states that students must swim in it before they graduate. The school was ranked #39 for the The 50 Most Beautiful Campus Quads, and the abundance of flowers and trees keeps it high on the list.

Some other key points on campus include the 4-point security system and the unlimited food services. To access the dorms, first you need to swipe in with your Terp Card to get in the building, swipe to call the elevator, swipe to pick your floor, and then use an actual key to get in your dorm room. The unlimited food is a difference for many colleges, which usually use a point system. Instead, you pay a flat fee and can eat at any of the three dining halls on campus as many times as you want.

This public research university is the state’s flagship university, but that doesn’t discredit its academics. There were 17 Fulbright Scholars in 2016-17 and about eighty College Park Scholars each year.

The faculty includes 3 Nobel laureates, 2 Pulitzer Prize winners, 3 Emmy winners and 2 Tony winners, and it seems like everyone at the University is excelling.

Labeled a “Public Ivy” by many newspapers and rankings, it’s clear that Maryland takes a lot of pride in its academics. With SAT and ACT averages of a 1370 and 31, respectively, and a 4.22 GPA, it’s labeled a “moderately competitive” school to get into, but 23 out of the 37 students who applied from Pascack Hills were accepted in 2018.

If entrepreneurship is something you’re interested in, UMD hosts a breeding ground of ingenuity. Famous alumni include: Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google; Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of under armour; and Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.

Only a 20 minute metro ride to Washington D.C., UMD is accessible for those interested in law, government, or history. Interested in D1 sports? This Big 10 university boasts 19 varsity teams and an abundance more of club and intramural sports you can join.

With about 30,000 undergraduate students attending the university, 85% graduate within the usual 4 year period from 90+ majors. Interested in something else? UMD offers Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Nursing, Pre-Physician Assistant, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Law, and Pre-Veterinary.

Could the University of Maryland be the perfect school for you? Apply by the November 1st priority deadline and you could just find out!