I went to UMBC as an undergraduate and now I am a 5th year graduate student working toward my Ph.D. I have a very high opinion of my university, I wouldn't have put in 9 years of my life in to it if not. The school itself has not changed much over the past 9 years and actually that is one thing that I really like about the school. It is easy to get in to the swing of things and everyone is so helpful (from other students to faculty to staff). The campus is beautiful and they have been working on beautifying the campus even more. The campus is also just right in size. It is classified as a medium size campus. You can walk everywhere and you have enough time in between classes to get from one to the other even if they are on opposite sides of the campus. UMBC is actually a big circle, so it is easy to find your way around. They are also working on building more space for classrooms and labs. As for the classes, they are not easy but you really do learn the material. UMBC is known for being a school very focused on academics, definitely not a party school. You have to study and you have to go to class. As an undergrad, I got 2 degrees, biology and psychology. The science classes are difficult, I can't lie, they do try to weed out those who are not interested in science or simply will not to do well, but if you have a real interest in the subject you will love it. With that said, when I say that I have been going to UMBC, they say wow, isnt that an honors university, the classes must be difficult. I tell them yes they can be difficult and a lot of work, but they are enjoyable and interesting. As a graduate student, I am getting my doctorate in clinical psychology, and I have LOVED allllll of my psyc classes, from undergrad through grad. They have been wonderful. And now I am a teaching assistant for many undergraduate psyc classes and even that experience has been great. I enjoy interacting with the students and helping them learn. When on campus, most students spend the majority of their time in the commons or the RAC. The commons is where all the "fast-food" places are, there is also a bank, a little convenience store, and plenty of tables to sit and be social. The RAC is the gym. There are 2 pools, a track, basketball courts, group fitness classes, cardio decks, and it is all free to students. The library is also a very popular place to study. There are 7 levels to the library, it is huge. When not in class or on campus, a lot of people are out in the city. Although we do not have the feel of being a "college town", we are about 10 minutes away from the Inner Harbor and there is always things to do around town. The campus is also really safe. The Baltimore police is actually on campus as well as the baltimore courthouse. If it is late at night you can even call and get a police escort if that would make you more comfortable. As mentioned before the students are great, there are some frats and sororities but there are much more organizations and things to volunteer for. We also have many sports and club sports to participate in. There is a lot of school pride even though we do not have a football team. Most of our sports are division 1 and do very well, even the chess team! There is nothing really unusual about UMBC and the administration is great, always wanting student input to see how to make the campus better, but one thing that is complained about a lot, even from myself and the one thing I would change is the amount of parking on campus. There have been times, if I had to come in the middle of the day, where I would drive around and around for about an hour before I would find someone leaving. That can be frustrating, but they are trying to make the situation better. They started making special color tags for better assigning who can park where and building more lots. I will always remember my experience at UMBC and it will always be a part of my life.