Covering 1,335 acres, the suburban campus of the University of Maryland is one of the largest in the state. With its own stop on the Washington, D.C. area Metro transit system, the school is usually considered a commuter school, and freshmen aren’t required to live on campus. Still, 40 percent of students choose to stay on campus.

The campus is divided into the North Campus and the South Campus, and each has its own set of neighborhoods. Students who wish to live on the North Campus can live in three neighborhoods known as Cambridge, Denton, and Ellicott, with a total of 12 residence halls. The South campus consists of South Campus Commons, Leonardtown, North Hill, and South Hill. With a total of 42 buildings, the South Campus can accommodate up to 5,500 students.

With 60 percent of the student body commuting to school, parking isn’t always easy to find. Students can obtain a parking pass at the university’s Department of Transportation Services, with a price of $293 per year for commuters and $567 for resident students.

The campus is bike friendly and has a bike share program, but with most of the campus spread out, many students utilize the Shuttle-UM. With 75 buses, Shuttle-UM is one of the biggest university transit systems in the country.

With 20 varsity sports, the University of Maryland athletic program is one of the best in the country. Basketball and football are the most well-attended sports, although the school has numerous championships in men’s soccer, men and women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. The school competes in Division I as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

Students at the University of Maryland can join one or more of the 800 clubs and organizations on campus covering a variety of interests.