See University of Southern Maine reviews submitted by students. Find out what students have to say about various aspects of attending University of Southern Maine. Read about academic experiences and campus life in these free University of Southern Maine reviews, or contribute your own University of Southern Maine review if you're a current student there.
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4 out of 4 people found this review useful.
Alyssa
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Am learning a lot I am learning so much! College is awesome, I can't believe how many different classes are offered here that you can take. I am an accounting major, but Im interested in everything. I get to take super cool philosophy classes and pyscology courses that count toward my major requirments, but really don't have that much to do with accounting. Only being a second semester freshman I feel like I am already a very well rounded student. The teachers are all unique in their own ways, but they really do care about every one of their students. They know every student by name. USM is a big school with a little school feeling.
Am enjoying being here My first two weeks of college life were honestly hell. I didn't have any friends, my boyfriend and I broke up the first week I was there, and I missed my friends at home more then anything. I lived in a single room and felt as though I were in prison. After a few weeks, a friend of mine from high school suggested we move into a double together. We slowly became really close to the people we lived. Now we have become a family. I had originially dreaded going to college and having to live with a bunch of strangers, but not I am dreading going home for the summer. Although it took the majority of the first semester to settle in, I am really happy with where I am. I have met so many amazing people, a have awesome classes, some pretty cool teachers, and a campus that's close to home.. but also feels like home.
Bang for the buck The Univeristy of Southern Maine may not be the cheapest school around, but you definetely get what you pay for. Compared to alot of other schools, USM is pretty cheap. Although sometimes the food isnt gourmet, you can usually find something that you like. The dorm rooms are very good size, and theres a variety of places to live. You definetely get your pennys worth for the education, and thats really all you need.
Tips for prospective students If I could go back in time and repeat my first semester, I would. I hated the majority of my classes and I started off living alone. This semester is about a million times better. I picked classes that fit my requirments that I was interested in, and I love all of them. Having a roomate, even if you sometimes cant stand them, is the best idea in the world for first year college students. I knew my roomate in high school but we weren't very good friends. We were the only people eachother knew, and we were both insanely lonely, so we moved in together. I personally suggest making sure you and your roomate will get along. Nothing is worse then having to live with someone you cant stand. Pick classes you will enjoy, and make friends in every class. Get a work study on campus and meet as many people as you can. Get involved in anything that strikes your fancy. College is supposed to be the best time of your life, and the people you meet here are the people you will have in your life for at least the next four years. Make the best of your college experience!
Great for these types of students I hate the city. I hate driving in the city, I hate the smell of the city, I hate city water. But I love the city campus. The University of Southern Maine has a split campus. All of the dorms are in Gorham, ME, and a large majority of the classes are in Portland, ME. The Portland campus is right in the hub of Portland. Growing up I never knew there was a school there. The Old Port is about 10 minutes away from campus, and there are some very unique little stores right next to the Student Center on Campus. Both campuses feel like home, and they both have great locations.
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4 out of 5 people found this review useful.
Anna
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Am enjoying being here I do enjoy being here, all of the campuses are really nice and all except maybe 2 of the people I've met have been the friendliest, most helpful people I can imagine. No questions asked, I thought the people would just treat me like dirt because I didn't know how to add/drop a class or maybe didn't know where to go. But all in all, the people really step it up here at USM, and not just the teachers, but the students as well.
Bang for the buck You do get your bang for your buck with the classes, I know that for sure. However, the food system is really confusing, and sometimes isn't particularly great. The rooms are okay, and usually have a good view, but it depends on where you are, really. But I can definitely say that I am enjoying the classes I am taking, for sure, and they are worth the money.
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2 out of 2 people found this review useful.
Jenae
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences usm is a great school that is often taken for granted. there are tons of opportunities available once you become involved in the community. usm is also known to have some of the best programs around, in certain majors.
Tips for prospective students life on campus is great, the meal plans are a bit over-priced, but in the long run you do save money.
Academic Rigor almost all classes are small, and you're able to speak to your professor if you need assistance. classwork and homework depends on the class/ major, but this is college after all, don't expect it to be a breeze.
Dorm Life i love living on campus. the dorms are in good conditions, and while the atmosphere isn't always the best for studying, there is plenty of social life and fun to be had.
Food and Dining over-priced cafeteria food. enough said.
What to do for fun if you live on the gorham campus, there are events planned every week. portland is a short car/ shuttle bus ride away, with unlimited access to the maine mall, and all that old port and the art's district have to offer. the 1st friday of every month is art walk in portland, everything is open late, with tons of freebies and street performers/ vendors, makes for a very fun evening. a long with your typical: movie theaters, bowling allies, ice arenas, beach, etc...
Bang for the buck if you're from out-of-state, make sure that you're coming to usm because they offer a major or program that schools in your home state don't offer, otherwise out-of-state tuition might not be worth it.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus robie andrews, a residence hall that also contains the art department is rumored to be haunted.
Great for these types of students arts, music, theater, biology, business, etc...
Clubs and Activities everything you can think of! if you manage to think of a club or activity that the school doesn't have, you can start a petition to make it happen!
Greek Life greek life on campus has gone downhill, there are only 6 main fraternities and sororities, of which only 2 have houses. the school has banned the expansion of any additional greek life, but the current members do their best to keep greek alive in the usm community.
Campus Safety there are street lamps everywhere, campus is very well lit at night. there are emergency phones located around campus, and the on-campus police department is always on call and patrol.
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Elizabeth from Turner, ME
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences The University of Southern Maine is split into two campuses in nearby towns; Portland and Gorham. The campuses provide a huge variety of classes and academic opportunities. The University is very diverse with professors and students from many different cultures.
Tips for prospective students Prospective students should turn in financial aid forms sooner than later in order to get a decent amount of aid. Live on campus! Dorm life is a lot of fun and definitely worth the cost for the experience.
Academic Rigor The courses are average in rigor. Sometimes there is struggle but generally the classes are easy to manage and study for.
Dorm Life Dorm life is a great experience at USM. There are always residence hall events going which are a great opportunity to get to know people. The more people you meet the more likely you are to get involved, and getting involved is the best thing you can do.
Food and Dining The food tastes fine it is just often the same. There are a ton of places near to campus that accept Husky Bucks though (Burger King, Amatos, Gorham House of Pizza, Subway etc...). You are given Husky Bucks with your meal plan and they are stored on your ID card.
What to do for fun Get involved! We have Gorham Events Board and they set up weekly programs that are free for everyone! Movie Nights, T-shirt decorating, Game Nights, Comedians, and Musicians are some of our weekly programs. There is never a time where you can't find something to do.
Great for these types of students Its great for a diverse population of students. There are a lot of jocks, a lot of musicians, a lot of artists, theater majors, business majors, science and nursing majors. It can be great for anyone.
Clubs and Activities Any student can propose a club of there own at anytime if they have the interest level. There are many intramural sports and more than 40 clubs.
Greek Life I am a sister of Kappa Iota and there is another sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. There are three fraternities; Kappa Delta Phi, Sigma Nu, and Delta Chi. The Greeks do a lot on campus and we all do a lot of philanthropy work in the community as well. I think that it is a great idea to visit a Greek organization and see if it would be something you are interested, even if you hadn't thought of it before.
Campus Safety We have a campus police station and the officers are always available. There is not a lot of safety issues on campus at all.
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Meghan from Wells, ME
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences USM is a state school so it's not crazy fancy, but it's good enough for me! It's a cheap state school and the campuses are beautiful. I love the atmosphere.
Tips for prospective students Professors are hard but the material is important. They're understanding, especially with sports. (It's an athletic school) Just get your work done and put in the effort and ask for help if you need it. You should be fine, though it's nothing like high school work!
Academic Rigor It's a lot harder than high school was for me, but I think that's only because my high school didn't really challenge students. I am also a nursing major so all my classes are science and math intensive so that makes it harder. But Butch Fenton is a great professor for nursing and makes it all worth while!
Dorm Life They're not the nicest dorms we could have and they're pretty expensive but the atmosphere is great. Everyone is very nice and involved. That's what I was hoping for in college.
Food and Dining The food is great, most of the time, and the dining area is so cool. All you can eat? Yes please! Hello freshmen 30!
What to do for fun Like I said it's an athlete school so if you like sports you're set. Lots of clubs and intramural sports to do. Also, RAs and students and sororities put on events all the time which is fun.
Bang for the buck It's a cheap school, but not as cheap as it could be. Atmosphere, classes, and dining seem to be up to par, but the living spaces (which is usually most important to students) really isn't.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus We have a second food service place on the Gorham campus and it's open late. So every one calls it the Crack! You know, because druggies get the munchies?! Great food though!
Great for these types of students Athletes, students who want a small school, can roll with whatever they're given, likes to be outdoors.
Clubs and Activities There are so many diverse clubs and activities to do almost every day! I can almost guarantee you will find something you find interesting!
Greek Life I'm not part of the Greek life but I hear they're great and really close-knit. There are quite a few sororities and frats.
Campus Safety Cops drive around all the time. Emergency buttons within visual distance of each other all across campus. Feels very safe, though no college is perfect. (you can't control everything and stop every crazy person.)
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Shannon from Auburn, ME
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences The University of Southern Maine gave me the opportunity to attend a college that wasn't too big, or too small. The professors take the time to make sure you understand what they are teaching, helping you to succeed.
Tips for prospective students A tip for a prospective student would be to apply for as many scholarships as you can so you don't have to pay as much in loans after you graduate.
Academic Rigor The professors here really care about your education and try their hardest to make sure you understand everything they teach.
Dorm Life The dorm life here is great, you get to meet new people. A couple dorms have a close living community, allowing you to make better friends faster.
Food and Dining The food and dining here is alright. They make food for a mass amount of people, but it could be worse.
What to do for fun Things to do for fun are the planned activities that they send out in a mass e-mail to your school e-mail.
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Jessica from Manchester, NH
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences i love it here! the hills on the gorham campus are tough on your legs but it's worth it. the community is very accepting of everyone!
Tips for prospective students get to know people right when you get to school.
Academic Rigor :)
Dorm Life the dorms are all good sized and the ra's are always nice. i have never had a problem with room selection here.
Food and Dining the cafe food could be better, but when they do something right.... it's amazing! there are also many cafes on all the campuses that you can get cheep eats
What to do for fun there is always something going on on campus, and there is a 18+ club called the church in gorham that is very popular.the portland campus is walking distance from downtown portland and the old port.
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1 out of 2 people found this review useful.
Melissa from Portland, ME
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences The Financial Aid office is very helpful. The Gorham campus isn't all that bad now that the library construction is complete. The shuttles are an excellent gas saving option for commuters.
Tips for prospective students Planning and preparation are good strategies for preparing yourself for upcoming semesters. Staying organized is key to a successful start and maintaining good grades. Stay on top of assignments and turn in your homework.
Academic Rigor Academic life can be challenging at times and it is how you meet those challenges that matters. USM is committed to its students success so utilize the resources provided. The student success office is a great place to start.
Dorm Life I cannot review something I do not take part in.
Food and Dining There are plenty of options for the most picky eater, someone with gluten-free requirements, vegetarians, or not. You will not leave the dining hall hungry, that's for sure!
What to do for fun If all else fails and you are bored out of your mind, the ice rink is always a good place to hang out and watch some ice skating action. Those little ice skaters sure are impressive!
Bang for the buck While I'm not into field hockey the games occur frequently enough that you won't miss them. Make sure you check out the learning center where staff are always there to help you out. It's a small university for sure but you will be challenged, I'm certain.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Got me on this one...
Great for these types of students Great for dedicated, technology oriented, inquisitive, students.
Clubs and Activities Plenty to choose from. You won't get bored. With weekly email reminders of current meetings, you certainly have no excuse for not attending.
Greek Life ???
Campus Safety Campus police are present this I know because their presence tells me so.
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0 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Abigail from Buxton, ME
Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences I have been on the campus many, many times for musical activities. Parts of the campus are pretty. The food is okay, and the dorms are okay.
Academic Rigor It seems that the academics are about average.
Food and Dining The food that I've had here wasn't that great, but it was okay.
Bang for the buck The school seems very affordable, especially for in-state students.
Great for these types of students Music majors
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0 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Sarah from Portland, ME
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences it is a commuter school, lots of activities to do on both gorham and portland campus and lots of diversity.
Tips for prospective students you are responsible for your education. take the first step and communicate with your professors. get involved with extra curricular activities to get to know people on campus.
Dorm Life i don't live in the dorms
Food and Dining i don't eat on campus
What to do for fun i do a lot of stuff off of campus with my friends, like sports events, go to movies, plays and out to dinner.
Bang for the buck it's a good program that i am in, but it's also a challenge.
Clubs and Activities join sports if you can
Greek Life i don't know anything about this
Campus Safety there have been problems reported but hasn't there been on every school campus?
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1 out of 3 people found this review useful.
Ben from Westbrook, ME
Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.
Categories Rating Comments Will learn a lot During my research, it appears that this college has good teachers and staff.
Will enjoy being here It also appears that it has a impressive campus.
Bang for the buck ........and also a good price for the services offered.
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2 out of 5 people found this review useful.
Corey
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Tips for prospective students For incoming Freshman it's easy to carried away with all the freedom but remember you are here to learn and get your degree.
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