UMD Admissions 2024 Is it that selective now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair magnet kids didn’t even get in this year- I know of three. It was a tough cycle- maybe the new normal?

couple of years ago RMIB students didn't get in. I don't know about this cycle.

[Anonymous]

These days admission to most good colleges is a lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These days admission to most good colleges is a lottery.

agree.. After a certain threshold, it becomes a lottery. And I say this as a parent of a current UMD student who had super high stats from an MCPS magnet.

[Anonymous]

Problem in part is the grade inflation in MCPS. A very large portion of MCPS seniors graduate with over a 3.9 UW.

[Anonymous]

My DD from a MoCo magnet high school (but not in the magnet):

3.97 uw, 4.7something w
13 AP/IB classes
TO
Chemistry major
2 varsity sports, captain of 1
NHS leadership position
500+ SSL hours
Minor Awards
Other minor activities
Summer internships related to her major

Rejected

I know other high stat kids from her high school were also rejected.

I do believe if she had those same stats and major but was applying from Garret County (to use someone else's example), she would have gotten in.

Of if she had those same stats, high school but a different major (let's say pyschology) she would have gotten in.

Or if she had same stats, same county, same major, but let's say from Watkins Mill or Kennedy or Gaithersburg, she would have gotten in.

Nothing is guaranteed if you are applying from certain high schools in MoCo with certain majors.

There are so many kids and UMD can't accept an entire class from the W/high performing schools in MoCo. They have to spread the love around.

[Anonymous]

OP- we are in the same boat. I heard UMD has committed to TO for at least another year. My kid is retaking the test but not expecting miracles there since he did do prep work for the first try.

We are looking at all of the other in-state options as well as neighboring states’ schools that might give merit as a plan B. Kid doesn’t want to be far and I want to keep costs in line with instate. I feel Virginia has more options for those that don’t get into UVA but that is water under the bridge at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- we are in the same boat. I heard UMD has committed to TO for at least another year. My kid is retaking the test but not expecting miracles there since he did do prep work for the first try.

We are looking at all of the other in-state options as well as neighboring states’ schools that might give merit as a plan B. Kid doesn’t want to be far and I want to keep costs in line with instate. I feel Virginia has more options for those that don’t get into UVA but that is water under the bridge at this point.

Towson and UMBC are decent choices. SUNY schools are also good options; their oos cost is pretty low compared to other colleges.

I have one kid at UMD now who graduated from an MCPS magnet with super high stats.

I have another HSer DC with much lower stats, and I'm thinking this DC won't get into UMD, unfortunately. So, we are looking at other options.

[Anonymous]

Our kid got accepted into CS from a DC public

1520 superscore
3.97 / 4.82
15 APs - mostly 4,5
varsity soccer, other ECs

Essays decent (I guess so)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Problem in part is the grade inflation in MCPS. A very large portion of MCPS seniors graduate with over a 3.9 UW.

Does "very large portion" mean quarter, half, or even more than that?

[Anonymous]

My DD from a MoCo magnet high school (but not in the magnet):

3.97 uw, 4.7something w
13 AP/IB classes
TO
Chemistry major
2 varsity sports, captain of 1
NHS leadership position
500+ SSL hours
Minor Awards
Other minor activities
Summer internships related to her major

Rejected

I know other high stat kids from her high school were also rejected.

I do believe if she had those same stats and major but was applying from Garret County (to use someone else's example), she would have gotten in.

Of if she had those same stats, high school but a different major (let's say pyschology) she would have gotten in.

Or if she had same stats, same county, same major, but let's say from Watkins Mill or Kennedy or Gaithersburg, she would have gotten in.

Nothing is guaranteed if you are applying from certain high schools in MoCo with certain majors.

There are so many kids and UMD can't accept an entire class from the W/high performing schools in MoCo. They have to spread the love around.

Did your kid apply EA? That REALLY matters at UMd. If so, I would add to your list that may have been admitted with same stats and a corroborating test score. I do think the grade inflation in MoCo makes it hard to distinguish who is really at the top (for example, over 60% of Churchill students graduate with a GPA above 4.0).

[Anonymous]

Your kid should still apply, but they should also have some backups. There's really no other answer here. It's hard to face potential rejection by a school you really want to go to, but, unfortunately, every student needs to be prepared for that. You just never know with school profile, majors, essays, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My DD from a MoCo magnet high school (but not in the magnet):

3.97 uw, 4.7something w
13 AP/IB classes
TO
Chemistry major
2 varsity sports, captain of 1
NHS leadership position
500+ SSL hours
Minor Awards
Other minor activities
Summer internships related to her major

Rejected

I know other high stat kids from her high school were also rejected.

I do believe if she had those same stats and major but was applying from Garret County (to use someone else's example), she would have gotten in.

Of if she had those same stats, high school but a different major (let's say pyschology) she would have gotten in.

Or if she had same stats, same county, same major, but let's say from Watkins Mill or Kennedy or Gaithersburg, she would have gotten in.

Nothing is guaranteed if you are applying from certain high schools in MoCo with certain majors.

There are so many kids and UMD can't accept an entire class from the W/high performing schools in MoCo. They have to spread the love around.

Did your kid apply EA? That REALLY matters at UMd. If so, I would add to your list that may have been admitted with same stats and a corroborating test score. I do think the grade inflation in MoCo makes it hard to distinguish who is really at the top (for example, over 60% of Churchill students graduate with a GPA above 4.0).

Yes - she applied EA.

UMD was just tough this year for high stat kids from MoCo. My DD wasn't the only high stat kid from her high school who was rejected. It is not a sure thing.

[Anonymous]

Incredibly shortsighted of Maryland to reject kids with SATs over 1450. The state is shooting itself in the foot. Call your legislators and demand change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Problem in part is the grade inflation in MCPS. A very large portion of MCPS seniors graduate with over a 3.9 UW.

Does "very large portion" mean quarter, half, or even more than that?

I don't know if MCPS publishes this data, but you could make an educated guess by looking at each school's individual school profile. There are definitely schools where over 50% of the class has over a 4.0. I would guess overall maybe 30% of MCPS graduate with over a 4.0 GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Problem in part is the grade inflation in MCPS. A very large portion of MCPS seniors graduate with over a 3.9 UW.

Does "very large portion" mean quarter, half, or even more than that?

I don't know if MCPS publishes this data, but you could make an educated guess by looking at each school's individual school profile. There are definitely schools where over 50% of the class has over a 4.0. I would guess overall maybe 30% of MCPS graduate with over a 4.0 GPA.

Your original statement was that a "very large portion" graduate with a 3.9 unweighted GPA. I was asking about that specifically, not weighted.