University of Southern Maine

You are better off going to another University if you are set on the city of Portland. While Portland is a great city, the University is one big disaster that is apparently getting worse with massive layoffs due to «budget shortfalls» even as much of the administration at the top get raises (one financial officer got a 40K raise bringing her salary to 250K)…figure that one out. Which brings me to my next point, if you are coming to this place for an education, think twice, this is run more like a business, it is an embarrassment to higher education. Great faculty members have been laid off left and right in certain majors deemed «unneeded» by the current higher ups.
Even if you find a major you want that is not being downsized or terminated, there is still the issue of money. No one from the business office will help you. They are unsympathetic to the average students needs. Because of that, and other reasons I will explain, you will likely graduate here with debt. Even if you try to find ways to make the experience more affordable as it should be, you are likely to meet with denial. For example, and from my personal experience, I lived in Maine for 3 years. I rented there, worked and paid taxes there, got mail there. By all accounts I was a resident of Maine but the University never granted me instate, after several pleas, they still rejected me with no reason given. I went to the financial aid office, the only advice I got was «take out more loans». Great advice to give a 20 year old. No advice or attempts to help me find scholarship I might be eligible for by the financial aid office. I did try to look on my own but there are so many scholarships, especially ones that are under the radar that nonetheless might be suitable to me, that I find it hard to believe that avenue was never explored with me when I visited the office. They just want a quick, easy fix/​response to students with legit questions (on how to make UNI more affordable, etc.) — like take out loans. Great, but USM offers little help after graduating with job placement which is not good considering the advice you got for three years, «take out loans». Considering the money you pay, this is not acceptable. But considering the advice I got from fin. aid and apathy I got from the business department I guess I should have seen it coming!
This is one bloated bureaucratic mess. Greed at the top with tons of unjustified raises while the talent «below» (great teachers) are axed because of «budget issues». Learn elsewhere!

I attended USM for three years as a full-​time commuter student before transferring. The University is one giant inefficient bureaucracy. In my time there I met a total of 5 professors who could be considered worthwhile teachers. The rest of my professors were lazy, unfocused, unprofessional, disorganized, and flat-​out incompetent. It is the poster child of everything that is wrong with the current system of secondary education and academia.
The advisory staff, inaccurately dubbed «Student Success Counselors» were even worse. One semester I had to schedule 4 separate appointments before my adviser actually showed up to one. She routinely gave me inaccurate advice as far as which classes I was required to take which ended up costing me thousands of dollars.
While taking an online class during the short Winter term, my laptop was knocked off of a desk, ruining my hard drive. I used my phone to email the professor about what had happened and to ask him what he wanted me to do. He took two weeks to get back to me (remember, this was an ONLINE class) and only did so to inform me that he had failed me with an incomplete and there was no way for me to change this grade unless I took the class from him again.
As previously stated, many of the professors are completely unprofessional. One professor refused to call on me for the remainder of the semester after I questioned why we were studying an out-​dated book that had numerous inaccuracies. (I actually brought in studies arguing against the points made, and offered to present the information to the class so we could discuss it.) She thought it would be appropriate to fail me on the basis of a «lack of class participation.» You can’t make this shit up.
USM: Where dreams and competence come to die.

USM is my home away from home. Even as a commuter student, I still feel like I am a part of this warm, welcoming and diverse student community.