The University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University of Maryland System and one of the nation's top public research universities. Located in College Park, Maryland — just 8 miles from Washington, D.C. — UMD has exceptional programs in computer science, engineering (A. James Clark School), business (Smith School), journalism (Philip Merrill College), public policy (School of Public Policy), and criminology. UMD is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Big Ten Conference. Maryland's proximity to Washington, D.C. is one of its defining advantages.…