University of Southern Maine Top Questions

Lack of funding for arts programs, lack of funding at all. The inability to make real changes to an outdated system.

The worst thing about USM are the residence halls; they are based on the satellite campus in Gorham and students are prevented experiencing life and becoming cultured. Although it is indeed safe, there is absolutely nothing to do in Gorham,Maine; unlike the fascinating and fun activities that are available in Portland, Maine.

The food service is terrible, the Cafe is fill with carbs and there is no selection. Also most of the student service employees lack care for the USM students so we are often mistreated

Sometimes it's hard to schedule tutoring. It's first come first served, and if you want to get tutored for an exam, sometimes it's just not an option.

The worst thing is book prices, with all we pay in tuition, books need to be more cost friendly.

The worst thing at my school is just dealing with financial aid office and loans, which I feel is probably the worst at every school.

being able to smoke on campus but our school is currently working on terminating this problem.

I live on the Gorham campus of the university and it is difficult to get to performances and classes outside of the school because I do not drive. There is a shuttle from portland to Gorham, but other than that I can't find a city bus schedual.

The Financial Aid department, Student Billing, and Registrar are the three weakest departments at my school. They are very disorganized and have ruined a lot of students academic careers because of faults on their part. They have personally put me through a lot of excess stress and have guaranteed me more debt than I will be able to handle when I complete my college career.

Lack of diversity and sense of community. These things are essential to a healthy university and USM is falling behind financially, academically and spiritually because of it.

The amount of instate students who go home on the weekend.

financial aid because the people working there are very rude and don't help

Too many students who don't care about their classes. Lack of real course content.

the worst thing about USM, would be the number of students who dont really care. The ones who have no problem paying for school and all of the expenses that come along with it. They act like they dont care and forget that it is a struggle for some people. I also dont like how in some classes you need books or this fee or that fee, and the school, teacher, classes forget that not everyone can pay 20 here 50 there... they forget we are not all upper class people.

There is so sense of community at this school. Mostly everyone comutes. The school is split up between 2 campuses, on campus housing is in Gorham but most classes are in Portland, so you have to either drive there everyday or take a 45 min bus ride.

Theres not a whole lot to say about the university in a negative light, but the opinions do exist. Most students, myself included, find it a hassle to travel between the two campuses which are about twenty minutes away from each other. The tuition has also just gone up to cover a budget shortfall, and I do not qualify for financial aid even though I am one of five kids, four of whome are in college.