UMD EA Today?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the name UMD.. like a med school. Sounds good.

Ha! Refreshing thought.

I went to grad school there and didn't particularly like the atmosphere and campus. My undergrad students were nice kids, but they complained about their dorms all the time - I hope the dorms have been overhauled! However UMD offered me the best stipend and I was grateful for that.

When I went to UMD we lived off campus in a party friendly house. A total blast! But now the kids all have granite and stainless apartments … is that really progress? To live in a better dorm than the first house you buy? We need to get back to the hardscrabble character building ..internal toughness hardscape needed for the genius alumni UMD churns out. The inventors and creators of Google, Underarmour, the Universal Price Code, Pulse Doppler Radar, Sirius Satellite Radio, Fortnite, the Hybrid Engine, Creator of Seinfeld, The Wire, The Muppets, FlavorX, the Octane System, Birth control pills, soft contacts, artificial pancreas, broke watergate, linear programming …

I think the coddling sucks.

Holy crap. In the 80s we all lived in southern md pg county mold basements in CP. Everybody was happy to be in party central. Nobody had allergies or got sick. What’s happened to the population? Why is everybody allergic, sick and weak immune systems? Something is wrong.

PP you replied to. Oh no. They were talking about mold. Serious things.

Over sterilization of everything, even the soaps are now anti-bacterial. Lysol wipes. Over use of antibiotics, both medically and in our food supply. Our bodies aren't getting a chance to develop stronger immune systems.

[Anonymous]

I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

they might have been thinking that "oh, it's just UMD, easy peasy.. my high stats will get me in".

But I thought they used common app. So, if they applied to other colleges with the same type of answers, how did they fare at those other colleges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

they might have been thinking that "oh, it's just UMD, easy peasy.. my high stats will get me in".

But I thought they used common app. So, if they applied to other colleges with the same type of answers, how did they fare at those other colleges?

I’m guessing you don’t have a senior — most colleges have their own supplemental essays or short answer questions in addition to the common app essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

they might have been thinking that "oh, it's just UMD, easy peasy.. my high stats will get me in".

But I thought they used common app. So, if they applied to other colleges with the same type of answers, how did they fare at those other colleges?

I’m guessing you don’t have a senior — most colleges have their own supplemental essays or short answer questions in addition to the common app essay.

+1. Incredible amount of work for supplementals. It was like having another class last Semester

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

Listen, bub. I'm not a big firm lawyer, bank manager or GS-15. I'm a middle class (poor by DCUM standards) single parent. Every single dollar that I spend matters.

Now that in state tuition is off the table, I'm going to have adjust my retirement and life plans accordingly while trying to get my kid the best education possible.

This is not some bragging rights issue for me. It's a life impact issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

Listen, bub. I'm not a big firm lawyer, bank manager or GS-15. I'm a middle class (poor by DCUM standards) single parent. Every single dollar that I spend matters.

Now that in state tuition is off the table, I'm going to have adjust my retirement and life plans accordingly while trying to get my kid the best education possible.

This is not some bragging rights issue for me. It's a life impact issue.

We don't make that much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

Listen, bub. I'm not a big firm lawyer, bank manager or GS-15. I'm a middle class (poor by DCUM standards) single parent. Every single dollar that I spend matters.



Now that in state tuition is off the table, I'm going to have adjust my retirement and life plans accordingly while trying to get my kid the best education possible.

This is not some bragging rights issue for me. It's a life impact issue.

There are other in state options beside UMDCP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

they might have been thinking that "oh, it's just UMD, easy peasy.. my high stats will get me in".

But I thought they used common app. So, if they applied to other colleges with the same type of answers, how did they fare at those other colleges?

I’m guessing you don’t have a senior — most colleges have their own supplemental essays or short answer questions in addition to the common app essay.

I do actually. DC just got into CS honors.

The PP didn't indicate which "short answer" they were referring to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

Listen, bub. I'm not a big firm lawyer, bank manager or GS-15. I'm a middle class (poor by DCUM standards) single parent. Every single dollar that I spend matters.

Now that in state tuition is off the table, I'm going to have adjust my retirement and life plans accordingly while trying to get my kid the best education possible.

This is not some bragging rights issue for me. It's a life impact issue.

I didn't say you were wealthy. My point was that you assumed that whatever donation you gave to UMD would grant your kid some leg up on other families who aren't legacies and aren't wealthy, either. If you did, you are no different to those wealthy legacy families who hope that they can buy their kid's way into college with their donations.

Honestly, how did you not know umd doesn't give a fig about legacy before you donated? Were you hoping some admissions person would give you a nod and wink seeing that you gave donations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

they might have been thinking that "oh, it's just UMD, easy peasy.. my high stats will get me in".

But I thought they used common app. So, if they applied to other colleges with the same type of answers, how did they fare at those other colleges?

I’m guessing you don’t have a senior — most colleges have their own supplemental essays or short answer questions in addition to the common app essay.

I do actually. DC just got into CS honors.

The PP didn't indicate which "short answer" they were referring to.

sorry.. I see that the PP did say "MD short answers". Yea, my DC tried to use up as much of the word count as possible, and DC is very high stats.

I do think some of those that PP referred to thought UMD was a true safety and that they didn't have to try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

I empathize. My kid had basically that same stats, except your ACT was better, and was denied. Ticks me off being an alum and now I'm going to have to shell out more money.

Think that I'll mention that fact the next time the University asks me for donations.

You are part of why legacy admissions won't die. If you only donated to give your kid legacy advantage, you are basically trying to buy your kid's way into college.

Didn't you know that UMD doesn't give a fig about legacy status? Didn't bother checking that out first before you tried to buy your kid's way in?

Listen, bub. I'm not a big firm lawyer, bank manager or GS-15. I'm a middle class (poor by DCUM standards) single parent. Every single dollar that I spend matters.

Now that in state tuition is off the table, I'm going to have adjust my retirement and life plans accordingly while trying to get my kid the best education possible.

This is not some bragging rights issue for me. It's a life impact issue.

I didn't say you were wealthy. My point was that you assumed that whatever donation you gave to UMD would grant your kid some leg up on other families who aren't legacies and aren't wealthy, either. If you did, you are no different to those wealthy legacy families who hope that they can buy their kid's way into college with their donations.

Honestly, how did you not know umd doesn't give a fig about legacy before you donated? Were you hoping some admissions person would give you a nod and wink seeing that you gave donations?

DP here.

Give the PP a break. She’s frustrated, and that’s a legitimate response to a rejection. I’m also an alum, and I know my kid likely won’t get in when she applies next year, in spite of her strong performance in high school. It’s totally acceptable to acknowledge the frustration.

Are the rejections understandable? Sure. Are we human, and do we have human emotions? Yes. Let her have her frustration without the typical DCUM hostility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

That’s helpful information and makes sense. There’s always a couple of rogue red Xs on Naviance in the high stats area.

Do they use the same sentences every year? Wondering how early my junior could get started. Do they release the questions in August?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m hearing from my DC that many of the high stats kids they know who were rejected gave one or two word answers for the MD “complete the sentences” when were allowed 250 characters for each. That would explain it in my mind. If you can’t be bothered to put in effort on the application, why should they take you.

DC got into Honors and gave humorous, tongue in cheek responses to those questions. He had just written a very serious personal statement and just felt like doing that. I don’t think you should look too hard into the sentence completion items.