Maastricht University is THE WORST

Hey! I'm planning on going to Maastricht for MSP this September and got onto TSR to ask how the visa procedure works for A level applicants and saw this - i haven't had so many breakdowns in 15 mins ever lol.Are these problems still just as prevalent? I was really excited for PBL but I was under the impression that professors would conduct those too. I'm very confused about my choice, so any guidance would help! Also has anyone tried transferring to another uni from UM for bachelors'? Is that advisable?Thanks for your help!

Yeah same here, I did the Bachelor (Psychology), as well as the Research Master Cognitive Neuroscience and I'm now finishing the Ph.D. at the same faculty. I've also studied at Universities Tübingen (Germany), UC Irvine (USA), and Oxford (UK) as an exchange student.It is true that the bureaucracy in Maastricht tends to be somewhat stiff and almost Kafkaesque at times. I've had many problems over the years that would leave me in a pinch. However, all could be resolved when you kept talking to the people in a friendly way, and in person. There are always people you can go to and I've never seen someone fail because something wasn't resolved. Personally, having taught in Maastricht for several years, I honestly have my suspicions that you might have come across as somewhat entitled, which is something that will lead to exactly the kind of problems you describe.There is a big difference between the universities I visited when it comes to how much independence and self-reliance is required. My experience was that American universities cater more to students as a teaching institution, whereas European universities are more focused on research. When you go to a University like Boulder, (or UC Irvine) you get a lot of time from the professors, that was really surprising to me. Also, you get the amenities on on-campus living and such. The teachers at European Universities I think spend more of their energy on research. As a teacher, I expected my students to be self-organized in a way and my impression is that your problems were, at least in part, caused by a mismatch in expectation and reality with regards to what the University will do for you. You're right that UM is definitely overselling itself when it comes to the quality of their stewardship. You will not get as much help with housing and organizing your coursework etc as promised. Also, I've seen many problems with the organization. Also, the problem-based-learning approach needs some getting used to if you haven't done your undergraduate in Maastricht as well.Plus, and I include myself in that group to some degree, some teachers have a very low tolerance for students that bicker over problems like yours because we have actual research to do. That doesn't mean that our problems are more important than yours, but it's a hard reality of working in research today. As a Ph.D. student (which comprises the majority of TAs) you have to publish. That is your main concern. And I'm sorry if your professors didn't give you your grades on time, found place for you to live, or helped you fill out formst, that was surely an unpleasant experience. However, if this is the tone you used when voicing concerns or asking for help, I suspect that the organizational structure of UM is the sole reason for the lack of quality of your experience. That being said, having spent a long time in Maastricht and also having visited other Universities I know that UM was the right university for me. The problem-based-learning approach definitely was a big advantage (for me) and the quality of the teachers in the RM program (with some exceptions for SURE) was top notch. Most of my professors were really enthusiastic about their field, loved teaching and you learned a lot. The program is very fixed compared to US or German universities, which is also something not everyone likes. For me, that was an advantage, as I could prove myself that I could also work myself through courses I wouldn't otherwise have picked on my own, and I grew a lot through this experience.It is clear that UM is not for everyone. But if you're motivated, self-reliant, and resource-oriented you can gain a lot from this institution. They ask a little more of you than you might like, and some challenges are just plain unnecessary, but they also work really hard at improving. I also know that UM graduates are highly regarded and able. I doubt that your experience would have differed had you gone to a different Dutch university.