Syracuse is fairly highly ranked, but it's not THAT much to write home about.  As an urban laboratory, it's not that inspiring.  I wouldn't exactly call UMD no name.  It's not prestigious, but it's not bad. It's more of a regional school. I think that, after graduating from UMD with a  M.Arch., if you do well, you can find employment in Del-mar-va, as a minimum.  From Syracuse, you will HAVE to move.  I think that Syracuse probably has a better alumni network, since it's private. 

I intend on moving after graduation, so that is not really a problem. As far as the studio work goes, do you have any information? UMD has some aspects of urban design integrated into the program. From what I've researched it's partly due to Steven Hurtt being on the staff. It seems to be a bit out of style nowadays, but I enjoy contextualist theory.  Does Syracuse have the same type of attitude towards design?

I'm from the east coast and went to school in California. For several reasons I needed to move back to the east coast after graduation. I had to leave behind almost all the arch connections I made that were worth having including a job offer or two. If your network is the most important thing about your professional life I would try and go to school where I thought I wanted to work afterwards.

I would try and go to school where I thought I wanted to work afterwards.

Agree.  The big problem is that some people CAN'T do that.  That is, if you think of the handful of popular markets and think of the schools that are located there ... and their applicant pools.  We just went through the Commiserate M.Arch. thread.  Everyone wants the same 10 schools.

I've recently been looking at Dessau Institute of Architecture for grad school. Does anyone have any information on the program. How hard is it to get in? How's their career opportunities?

What's so LOL about it? Like observant said "everybody wants the same ten schools", and Maryland is just not one of them (think Cornell, Harvard, Columbia, Rice, etc...). If its not apparent, I really do respect the program, but I meant more in terms of going to a not so well known school (like University of Kansas, UT Arlington/San Antonio, UNC Charlotte, etc..)