What Students Say
Likes
- The buildings on campus.
- Research opportunities on campus.
- Expert faculty who guide students as mentors.
Dislikes
- Lack of Part-time opportunities.
- Lack of Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships due to preference to students enrolled in specific majors.
- More than half of the companies that come in career fairs are interested to hire US Citizens.
Course Curriculum
- The difficulty level of my course curriculum is medium to high. Overall, it depends on the individual's prior knowledge in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Up until my first semester, it has been a mix of both practical and theoretical aspects.
- The most positive aspects of the course that stand out to me personally are the interesting lectures given my world renowned professors.
- The negative aspect may be that classes are scheduled in the late evening and it might be colder during winter.
- Three classes are scheduled in a week. Timings would be around 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM. Depending on the section, times may wary. Sometimes, one can enroll for a class between 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM
- The average number of students in my class are 50
- Around 165 Indian students are enrolled in my course for the Fall Semester.
Admission Experience
- Other than accepting my offer at University of Maryland, College Park, I applied to Northeastern University (admitted), Arizona State University (Admitted), University of Southern California (Rejected) and New York University (NYU) (Rejected)
- There was no specific reason that was provided to me in regards to why I was rejected from these universities.
- The ranking of the course was a primary factor. Moreover, as an international student, the fees are relatively better than at other public and private universities in the US.
- In regards to the admission process, I had to submit my IELTS score, undergraduate transcripts, SOP, 3 LOR's and answer 2 out of 3 essay questions. Minimum score in IELTS: 7 (Individual bands: Minimum 7 and 6.5 is minimum for Speaking Section)
- Minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 (According to the US grading scale for Graduate Students)
- There were no challenges that I have faced. Everything was smooth and there was no stress involved at any point in filling out the application form. I applied for Fall 2024. I always wanted to learn further and gain knowledge to upgrade my skills. The projects that I did during my undergraduate years resonate with the course that is being offered for Masters at my university. Moreover, Forbes has announced in 2024 that the University of Maryland, College Park, is a Public Ivy League. Hence, I took this decision after completing my undergraduate degree.
Faculty
- The faculty-to-student ratio in my course is almost 1:60. This is a healthy ratio that positively influences the quality of education and interaction with faculty is also simpler as there are fewer students per section.
- The teaching methodology of my faculty members is practical and hands-on. The course content and teaching approach are more than sufficient for the preparation of securing a job in my field.
- Some of the faculty members may assist students in finding part-time or full-time jobs, but it is ultimately the student's perseverance and dedication that result in securing a job.
- I admire Prof. Leonid Koralov, who teaches me probability and statistics. His classes are very interesting and the examples he provides in class help in visualising tough concepts in an easy manner.
Campus Life
- College Park: The flagship campus, which is Maryland's largest higher education institution
- Baltimore County: Home to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
- Baltimore: Home to the University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Princess Anne: A campus in the USM
- Towson: A campus in the USM
- Salisbury: A campus in the USM that has been a member since 1988
- Bowie: A campus in the USM
- Frostburg: A campus in the USM
- Hagerstown: A campus in the USM
- Rockville: A campus in the USM
- Cambridge: A campus in the USM
- Adelphi: A campus in the USM
- All facilities are available on my campus including libraries, sports facilities and medical services
- Homecoming, Halloween and Christmas.
- Geary F. Eppley Recreational Centre consists of several indoor sports and sprawling outdoor grounds are available for outdoor sports.
Part Time Jobs
- 50-75 students typically secure Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA), or Departmental Assistant (DA) positions.
- The pay range for TA/RA/DA positions varies from 14 to 15 USD per hour.
- Other on-campus jobs include driving, dining, grader, and tutor, and the usual hourly wages are around 15 USD.
- The maximum hours of work allowed per week is 20.
- It is difficult to secure on-campus part-time jobs.
- Students earn around 15 USD per hour. It is difficult, but securing part-time jobs in driving and dining is relatively better. Forms have to be filled out, and interviews have to be given. Depending on this, selection is made. Moreover, for TA positions, the IELTS score has to be on a higher scale, ranging from a 7.5 overall score and above. Being alert and submitting relevant documents on time with good skill level and knowledge will be helpful.
Placement
- The percentage of my graduating batch securing employment within 6 months of completing their course is unknown to me as it is still my first semester.
- The average salary range that most students in my program can expect to earn upon graduation is around 75,000-80,000 USD per annum.
- Students usually find jobs after graduation using LinkedIn and campus placements.
- No one has been selected for internships yet as it is still my first semester.
- Google, Deloitte and Amazon.
Accommodation
- I found my accommodation through my official campus website's housing. Moreover, I received help from a senior at UMD.
- The monthly rent for my accommodation is 675 USD and facilities include all utilities including Wi-fi, electricity and water bills.
- I faced no challenges while securing my accommodation
- It is good to connect with seniors and take their opinion regarding the areas best suited for accommodation.
- The distance is 1.5 miles from my house to the college campus. Most of the Indian students stay at apartments named "The Alloy", "Graduate Hills" and "Graduate Gardens".
Exams
- IELTS exam is required for admission. Minimum individual band score of 7 is required for Listening, Reading and Writing. Speaking requires an individual band score of 6.5. If these conditions are not met, a provisional admit is given and additional English courses are required to be enrolled and completed.
- SOP, LOR, Resume and answers to two out of three essay questions is mandatory.
- An interview is not part of the application process
Fees
- Tuition Fees for Data Science: 40,000 USD
- Health Insurance: 4000 USD
- Taxes and books: 4000 USD
- Cannot stay on campus for Graduate International students.
- Fees is charged semester wise.
- Monthly expenses: 1500 USD (Including rent)
- Additional costs may include rent, transportation and groceries.
- The transportation provided by the university is exceptional and all the timings of the buses can be found by installing the Transit App.
Scholarship
- I did not receive any scholarships for my course. For business courses, scholarships are available depending on the achievements of the candidate. Moreover, when students pursue teaching assistantships and graduate assistantships, they will have the opportunity to reduce the overall tuition fee for their course. It is also possible to waive courses by doing startup innovation at UMD X Foundry.