St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM)

Students fortunate enough to attend St. Mary's College of Maryland receive a "toptier education" wherein they have ample "opportunity to try new things and explore their interests." That extends beyond the applauded "research-based curriculum" to the environment-"the campus is absolutely gorgeous"-and even the food in the "great dining hall." Where St. Mary's shines most, however, is in its academic offerings, which "reflect the challenges that [students] will face in the workplace," particularly for those in the STEM field who "can really get a leg up by doing publishable work even prior to grad school." In this, the faculty are routinely praised for "always [being] super helpful," noting that they "care about your experience and want you to understand the material" and "genuinely try to engage students during lectures." Enrollees feel they're able to properly assess their teachers because of the "small class sizes," which means "you get to know your professors really well, and build relationships and networks with them." This sort of backing makes the rigor tolerable, at least according to those who say "I've...definitely had to work hard but also had the support of professors when I needed it" and note that "They are willing to work with you, to enable and encourage you to have the best academic experience possible!"

Though the St. Mary's community isn't the most diverse campus around, students emphasize that they are very proud of the diversity they do have, describing their "very creative" and "unique" peers as "extremely accepting." Undergrads are quick to note that "minority communities [are] visible and present" and that the school is "super inclusive [with regards to] LGBT+ students." This applies to personal opinions as well; while many individuals identify as "fairly liberal," classmates are described as "very open to different cultural viewpoints." In fact, some even refer to the friendliness as "quite bold" in that "I've never been at a place where more people will randomly walk up to you and just start a conversation." Indeed, "You can't walk for five minutes in any direction without getting a friendly greeting from someone." Of course, you'll definitely find a range of personality types, "from the athletes to dancers to light-saber fighters" as well as "hippie/hipsters, and nerdy academic students." Ultimately, when it comes down to it, there "seems to be a place for everyone to fit into at St. Mary's."

There's never a dull moment at St. Mary's thanks to an "extremely active" campus life (and the potential for getaways to nearby DC). Undergrads have the opportunity to participate in "a wide range of clubs from windsurfing to student government to theater and sword fighting." Moreover, "there are multiple events on campus each week including guest magicians, comedians, and musicians," as well as "a murder mystery." The quality of those events has recently improved, as well, with the addition of "a brand-new stadium" which has led to an increasing number of students attending sporting events. And those looking to see a sillier side of their faculty appreciate the various "social events where you can play a game of Cornhole with your professors and get to know them more." St. Mary's gorgeous waterfront location also gets a lot of love: "During the warmer months the river center has free kayak and boat and paddleboard rentals for students and many students go swimming in the river or just sit on the docks." As for weekend-specific activities, it's not only common to find "parties [happening] all over campus," but "most of the time you can just walk [in]...and join...without an invitation."