University of Maine-Fort Kent (UMFK)

Boasting the “best known nursing program in the state,� the University of Maine-Fort Kent relies on “dedicated professors� and “a positive learning atmosphere� for its “very community-based learning system.� Because this “is not a huge school,� it is easy to have personal interaction with your professors. “Many will stop on the street and talk to you or sit at the lunch table and chat about life.� While most students find their teachers “academically and personally helpful,� some complain they “rely too heavily on students grasping the context without input or direction from their own lectures or plans.� Overall, though, the “incredible� academic experience is bolstered by professors who “make sure we are working hard to succeed in their classroom.� In addition to its strong nursing program, the school’s location makes study in the environmental sciences ideal. Overall, this is a school that “focuses a great deal on diversity and enriching student lives with culturally enriching experiences.�

“There are not always a lot of things to do� when your school is “a little out of the way� – which is to say, “on the Canadian border� and well away from any large-town environment. That is, unless you enjoy outdoor activities. In that case, “the school in general is a beautiful campus with a community full of activities, if you are looking and open-minded.� Hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, camping and more are all easily within a student’s grasp. Sports are also popular on campus, along with fitness endeavors like “Zumba classes and yoga classes,� as well as “art nights,� “movie nights,� and “tons of amazing student activities.� There is a party scene, and being close to the Canadian border means some underage students take the trip north where drinking is legal for them – some complain about “the lack of enforcing alcohol polices by college personnel� – but just as many other students enjoy UMFK because it is “great for peace and quiet.�

The student body is largely local, though “we have many international students,� too, who are often “more easy to approach and interact with then some local.� Being an outsider is hard to accomplish. “There are not many cliques,� and because of the school’s remote location and small size, “almost everyone knows everyone or knows of everyone.� Students here tend to be smart, maybe a little reserved, but “helpful� and friendly. There is a strong Catholic undercurrent in this largely Catholic community, but “others couldn't care less.� And that’s fine, because “a typical student at UMFK usually gets a long with anyone.� While “there are a few people here and there who think it is like high school and they like the drama,� most find that “it is very hard not to find a good group of people that you relate to.�