University of Maine (UM) Academics and Admissions

Academics

Founded in 1865, the University of Maine is the flagship university of the public University of Maine System, the largest university in the state, and the only institution in Maine to be classified as a research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The University of Maine is one of the best universities in New England; it boasts a wide variety of programs, nationally recognized research programs, and state-of-the-art facilities. The university offers 88 bachelor’s degree programs, 64 master’s degree programs, and 25 doctoral programs. The most popular majors at the University of Maine are Engineering, Business, Management, Education, Health Professions & Clinical sciences, and Social Sciences. Its library has been recognized as one of the best in the country, and it boasts one of the country’s oldest and best known Honors College programs.

The university offers small class sizes; nearly half of its classes have fewer than 20 students. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Information Summary

Ranks 4th in Maine and 452nd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	87.4
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$25,088
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	27 / 1250
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	16 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	78% / 31%
Enrollment Total (all students)	11,404

Admissions

Students who wish to apply to The University of Maine, must first complete an application form. Options include the University of Maine System Electronic Application, the PDF version of UMaine’s Application, the Common Application & the University of Maine supplement to the Common Application (PDF), and the Universal Application. Applicants must also submit an official high school transcript or a GED score report, an official SAT or ACT score report (only required for applicants who are under 21 years of age), an official letter of recommendation, and an official college transcript or an AP transcript (where applicable). The university utilizes a rolling decision plan, but there is a priority deadline for submitting an application under the Early Action plan, so prospective students should contact the school for specific dates. A nonrefundable application fee is also required.

Adult students, transfer students, home-schooled students, and international students may need to use different procedures, so they should refer to the university’s website or contact the Office of Admission for more information about the admissions process and application requirements.

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Financial Aid

The University of Maine offers a wide variety of financial aid programs. Nearly 80 percent of the college’s students receive some form of state, federal, private or institutional financial assistance. The average need-based scholarship or grant award is $6,826. Forms of aid that are available for students at The University of Maine include grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. The college also offers a limited number of scholarships and grants for students. Some are based on merit; others require applicants to demonstrate evidence of financial need. All students who wish to be considered for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible after January 1st each year. The priority deadline for submission of financial aid applications is in early March. If selected for verification, students will also need to complete a Federal Verification Worksheet and/or submit additional documents. Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office for more information and assistance with completing the financial aid application process.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 1149th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Maine.

Students

The University of Maine has a very diverse student body, with a gender distribution of 51 percent male students. About 40 percent of the students live on campus in the university’s four residence halls. There are traditional and suite style residences. Room assignments are made based on a first come first served basis. The university’s First Year Residential Experience program gives students the opportunity to live, work, and hang out together in select residence halls. The program also offers academic and social support services to help students make the transition to college. There are numerous diverse clubs, organizations, and activities that include academic, professional, political, social, talent, athletic, student government, media, religious, service, multicultural, special interest, and honor groups.

The university’s Campus Activities Board also sponsors free events six nights a week. On Mondays, there is Games Night, when students play games such as bingo or trivia for prizes. Tuesday nights feature live acoustic music at Java Jive. On Wednesdays, there are movie nights, and on Thursdays, students can relax at the Bear’s Den, the university’s pub. Friday nights bring The Maine Attraction, when big-name performers including hypnotists, comedians, bands, and other artists perform. On Saturdays, students can show off their skills at Karaoke Night.

The University of Maine also has a 600-acre forest, biking and cross-country skiing trails, fifteen miles of hiking, and the Stillwater River for kayaking and canoeing.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Known as the Black Bears, the University of Maine’s athletic teams proudly wear the school’s colors of blue and white. The university competes at the NCAA’s Division I level, and is a member of Hockey East for ice hockey, the Colonial Athletic Association for football, and the America East Conference for all other sports. In fact, the university is the only Division I school in Maine. The university’s official fight song is the “Stein Song,” which is the only college anthem to ever top the pop charts. The men’s ice hockey team has won two national championships.

Other intercollegiate sports for men include baseball, basketball, cross-country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and swimming and diving. Women’s sports include basketball, cross-country, swimming and diving, field hockey, ice hockey, soccer, softball, and indoor and outdoor track and field.

The campus recreation department also offers a variety of club sports that include tackle football, lacrosse, baseball, alpine skiing, cricket, fast pitch softball, crew, golf, cycling, field hockey, ice hockey, rugby, nordic skiing, shotokan karate, table tennis, roller hockey, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball.

Alumni

Lawrence Bender, film producer (best known for Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting)
Joseph E. Brennan, former Governor of Maine and member of the United States House of Representatives
Olympia Snowe, U.S. Senator
James A. Voteur, managing director of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
Bernard Lown, Nobel Peace Prize winner
Francis T. Crowe, civil engineer and chief engineer of the Hoover Dam
Mike Buck, NFL player for the New Orleans Saints
Gary Thorne, ESPN sports analyst and announcer

Bibliography

Snider, Mark. How to Get Money for College 2011: Financing Your Future Beyond Federal Aid. Lawrenceville: Peterson’s, 2010.

“University of Maine.” Education. U.S. News & World Report, 2011. Web. 15 May 2011.

University of Maine. University of Maine. 2011. Web. 15 May 2011.

University of Maine