I don't know your personal situation, goals and motivation. 

Call the business phone number and ask to speak with the person rather than calling the number the applicant listed.- Minimum credit score of 650.- Rental History: screen for tenants who have a track record of owning or leasing property.

I think the privacy is high on my personal priority list as well, as i may have been going overboard by researching soundproofing solutions between walls and am actually in the process of adding another layer of drywall.

I am also getting leads where the person is saying they prefer to pay by card. 

Since you are just graduating college you may already realize that it's not what you know, but who you know (as a personal note, I had college friends that were barely passing their classes however they ended up with really good paying jobs due to "who they knew").

What site or course do you recommend to start the Maryland Real estate sales person journey?

I’ve heard of folks borrowing from their personal network for a down payment, but is this actually used in practice?

This really depends on your market, personal finances, and risk tolerance.

That’s a personal question, but time is money!

She handles our taxes now for many years and a personal friend.