College Guide: University of Maryland University College

Choosing a four year school that meets your needs is often a time-consuming, challenging and overwhelming process. The maze of finding the right school for you can sometimes be compounded by living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I know, I speak with a voice of experience.

Not too many years ago, I was in the same boat as you. Upon completing my Associates Degree at a local junior college, I was looking for a four-year school where I would transfer to finish my Bachelors degree. My search to find the right college for my needs focused on these four important criteria. The school that I transferred to needed to be located in the state of Maryland, offer Communications as a program of study, be financially affordable and provide students with flexibility in the scheduling of classes.

No matter where I completed my degree, it was very important that I make the best choice to increase my chances for learning, personal growth and long-term success. As I continued in my search to find the best four year college for me, little did I know, that the perfect college for me was only a short, twenty-minute commute from my house!

After applying online to the University of Maryland University College, I was thrilled to be accepted as a transfer student for the Spring, 2001 semester. Much to my surprise, not only had I been accepted, but all of my credits transferred! Maryland's acceptance of all of my coursework at my junior college was due to a reciprocity agreement which existed between UMUC and each of the junior colleges in the state of Maryland.

When I was a student at UMUC, forty-seven undergraduate degree programs were offered. The degree programs focused on five different areas of study. Available areas of study included: Business and Management, Communications, Arts and Humanities, Computer Information Systems and Technology, Legal Studies and Criminal Justice, and Psychology, Science and Social Science.