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College Park

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:38 am
by a bucket
So it seems College Park is where I'll be for the next few years. I'm just a little worried about going here since I've heard the town isn't so nice. So I'm contemplating between Maryland and Boulder. Anyone have input on this?

Re: College Park

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:07 am
by activegalaxybuff
I'm actually up in Baltimore, but I've been down to College Park (to visit the astronomy department actually) and it's not that bad. The area directly around the university is just fine. I wouldn't wander too far outside a 2-3 mile radius too late at night though, just to be on the safe side. The really nice thing is that College Park is on the D.C. Metro system, so it's only about $3 roundtrip to go to and from downtown D.C. From D.C., you can also take the MARC train at Union Station up to Baltimore. That's about $14 roundtrip, but it's nice if you want to go explore the Inner Harbor and such.

Re: College Park

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:41 am
by Peter
Hello,

I am a current graduate student at Maryland. I don't think you should place too much emphasis on the neighborhood that surrounds the campus. College Park is definitely not as bad as its reputation suggests and it seems to be improving. If you have a car or you take the metro, then you have so many amazing places to visit in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia. If you like the outdoors, then Colorado is probably a better choice. I had the best time of my life here, but this depends on so many factors...

Re: College Park

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:15 pm
by kaosgrace
I grew up right near College Park and went to UMCP for my first attempt at college. It's actually not a bad place to be. If you can get by on relatively basic college-town stuff within walking distance (a few bars, pizza, pasta, some little Asian restaurants, bad Chinese takeout) and don't mind taking the Metro down to DC for any high-end shopping and classy entertainment, you should get by fine there. The only thing is, as Peter mentioned, there's very little "outdoors" - the campus itself is one of the bigger expanses of green space you should expect to see, and there's really hardly any actual nature in the area, especially if you've lived out West before (you'd laugh at the things Maryland and Virginia call national parks). But if you like highly populated areas, it can be pretty fun.

If your concern is for safety, I was there in 1999 when I was 16. 16, slender, blonde, female, shy, frequently wandered around outside alone at night (occasionally extremely drunk). I always felt safe. Nobody ever bothered me. I never had anything stolen - first time I experienced being the victim of a crime was in a rich yuppie area of San Diego near SDSU, where someone stole my piece-of-crap car. Don't let crime statistics bother you, especially in the East; they're high because of population density, but most crimes are still among people who know each other, and in general you're pretty safe almost anywhere. Just be careful in Anacostia, unless there's a concert.

Re: College Park

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:36 pm
by WhatCanYouDoFermi?
kaosgrace wrote:16, slender, blonde, female, ..., occasionally extremely drunk
Could I get your number?

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:12 am
by kaosgrace
Heh :) that was 1999 - now I'm 26, married, and don't drink (much).

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:17 am
by blueeverest
haha.

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:59 pm
by blackcat007
you people really sound funny to me.. here i am dying to get a seat even in a below 40 university (forget about the campus).. and you people are discussing about which (top school to select) juggling the universities as if they were juggling balls :lol:

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:24 pm
by a bucket
blackcat007 wrote:you people really sound funny to me.. here i am dying to get a seat even in a below 40 university (forget about the campus).. and you people are discussing about which (top school to select) juggling the universities as if they were juggling balls :lol:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anybody. :oops:

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:30 am
by blackcat007
a bucket wrote:
blackcat007 wrote:you people really sound funny to me.. here i am dying to get a seat even in a below 40 university (forget about the campus).. and you people are discussing about which (top school to select) juggling the universities as if they were juggling balls :lol:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anybody. :oops:
no no it was in no way offending.. :D it was just a desperation... college park UMD is one of my dream colleges because of its gravitational physics group.. in case i get admitted there.. i wouldn't even think twice before accepting it... the location doesn't have any effect on me.. i am from india... :mrgreen:

Re: College Park

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:50 pm
by a bucket
blackcat007 wrote:
a bucket wrote:
blackcat007 wrote:you people really sound funny to me.. here i am dying to get a seat even in a below 40 university (forget about the campus).. and you people are discussing about which (top school to select) juggling the universities as if they were juggling balls :lol:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anybody. :oops:
no no it was in no way offending.. :D it was just a desperation... college park UMD is one of my dream colleges because of its gravitational physics group.. in case i get admitted there.. i wouldn't even think twice before accepting it... the location doesn't have any effect on me.. i am from india... :mrgreen:
Me too... but I've been spoiled. :P