Academics
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.”
Student Body
“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.”
Campus Life
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.”
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