University of Massachusetts - Boston (UMB)

The University of Massachusetts Boston is a research university that students praise for its value: "a private school level education at a public school price." With its "prestigious educators" and "amazing resources," UMass Boston creates "an ambitious academic community for driven students" with "interesting research opportunities" in a wide range of fields, especially in science and engineering. There's also a focus on interdisciplinary studies giving students plenty of opportunities to find their academic niche and develop practical skills. Students praise and respect their professors because they are "extremely helpful" but also "considerate and fair." In the classroom students say that professors are "very knowledgeable," but they don't try to lecture "over your heads when teaching." Outside of class "most professors are very accessible. UMass Boston "professors are passionate about what they teach," so they "love to see us [students] be engaged as well." Undergrads find that if they are "interested in a field of study, there are opportunities to seek out" shared interests and research opportunities with these passionate and helpful faculty members.

As a commuter school that makes itself accessible to nontraditional students, UMass Boston has many enrolled students that "work full-time jobs and juggle academics and extracurricular activities as well." Consequently, UMass Boston attracts "very serious students who are well onto their way to developing good adult skills and possessing maturity." Students widely praise the diversity of cultures and experiences they encounter throughout the UMass Boston student body. "I don't think I realized how stifling a homogeneous environment could be until I left it," one sociology major tells us, "Not only do the students here come from all over the world, but people's experiences and opinions similarly shape an engaging discourse that allows me to challenge my own beliefs every day." "Since this is mainly a commuter school," it can be difficult for some to make a connection, but UMass Boston students are "hardworking, cooperative, [and] friendly and "everyone is always willing to help."

Because UMass Boston doesn't have dorms, students reside in the bustling, college-friendly city of Boston and find other ways to engage with one another on campus. "The food is good and the cafeteria is always full of students in between classes or after class," one student tells us. The new Campus Center "offers a lot of comfortable seating and hosts many fairs like job fairs or opportunities that kids can go and get access to jobs or clubs." Perhaps because students can't retreat into their dorms between classes, it is common to see students out enjoying the campus facilities throughout the day: "People play basketball in the gym, hacky sack and football and soccer on the plaza, or read on grassy areas. There are also non-stop events on campus, from movie nights to guest speakers, which students attend." Recreational and intramural sports are popular. "I see all our clubs and organizations putting on events, to engage our student body." While many students find a large chunk of their free time occupied with family and work, "they also take the time to stay engaged inside and outside the classroom."