UMD decision 2026

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Rejected, but dc isn’t upset. It was not a top choice and they have much better options elsewhere for their intended major. Only applied because we’re in state.

So UMD figured that out and protected their yield

There’s no way UMCP can figure that out.

The reality is plenty of Marylanders can’t afford to send their high stats kids out of state and desperately want their kids to get into our flagship.

But the reality is certain kids from mcps are simply shut out.

A college counselor I know very well says UMCP is irrationally unpredictable. Pretty much sums it up.

They have the option for CC to flagship. I know that route isn’t as popular here in Maryland, but it’s not uncommon for people to start at community college or directional universities and later transfer to their state flagship. Or if they are DCUM middle class, look for the OOS schools where they have a chance of merit and it’s not the public ivies. It might be more than UMD but it it won’t be private school triple the cost more expensive. I will also add that my co-workers are amazing and we all went to different schools including UMBC and Towson. Some people could only afford to live at home and go to a college nearby or start at community college first. That didn’t mean they weren’t smart or hard working.

Sure.

But imagine having to tell your 4.0 UW kid they need to go to MC and transfer to UMCP when their peers with lower stats got into UMCP while your kid was rejected. It stinks.

And there’s a reason we have this same conversation on dcum year after year.

Every college has a range of GPAs and unless UMD has said 100% of their class has 4.0 UW, you have to assume kids get in with less than a 4.0 and some kids with a 4.0 don’t get in. I’m not sure what you’ve been telling your kids, but we’ve been clear from the beginning that UMD is tough, and even with high stats there are no guarantees. Have a back up plan whether that’s applying to colleges where you can get into the honors program and/or merit or be willing to go to CC and transfer.

The other thing is your kid should have safety schools on their list that they are willing to attend and the family can afford. So if they truly have safeties they are actually willing to attend, they should have already reconciled that they could be at a school where other kids didn’t have a 4.0 coming in and that also might be lower on prestige than where some of their classmates with lower GPAs end up.

Bless your heart.

We know this.

But you don’t understand what some of us are frustrated with when it comes to the ridiculously unpredictable admissions process at UMCP that seems to disproportionately impact a certain group of applicants.

Of course it's frustrating for so many MCPS students and families! It's just the way it is, and it will be that way until UMBC/Towson/etc grow in regard.

I imagine people in NJ feel the same about Rutgers. They have a similar sized population and one highly regarded flagship.

But UMBC is practically the same as UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to Bethesda Magazine, 32% of those who applied to UMCP were accepted from the top Bethesda area high schools. Compare that to my daughter's Bethesda area private school, where 54% are accepted. The sad part is the majority do not matriculate there because they are more interested in private universities and can afford them. In my opinion, UMCP should be more discriminating with private school applicants, but I suspect that is not feasible. Clearly these students are just checking the box to apply. For my daughter, Maryland was considered a "very likely" despite everyone claiming it is such a hard school to get into. Doesn't seem fair to me.

What exactly are the top Bethesda area high schools in this case?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected, but dc isn’t upset. It was not a top choice and they have much better options elsewhere for their intended major. Only applied because we’re in state.

So UMD figured that out and protected their yield

There’s no way UMCP can figure that out.

The reality is plenty of Marylanders can’t afford to send their high stats kids out of state and desperately want their kids to get into our flagship.

But the reality is certain kids from mcps are simply shut out.

A college counselor I know very well says UMCP is irrationally unpredictable. Pretty much sums it up.

They have the option for CC to flagship. I know that route isn’t as popular here in Maryland, but it’s not uncommon for people to start at community college or directional universities and later transfer to their state flagship. Or if they are DCUM middle class, look for the OOS schools where they have a chance of merit and it’s not the public ivies. It might be more than UMD but it it won’t be private school triple the cost more expensive. I will also add that my co-workers are amazing and we all went to different schools including UMBC and Towson. Some people could only afford to live at home and go to a college nearby or start at community college first. That didn’t mean they weren’t smart or hard working.

Sure.

But imagine having to tell your 4.0 UW kid they need to go to MC and transfer to UMCP when their peers with lower stats got into UMCP while your kid was rejected. It stinks.

And there’s a reason we have this same conversation on dcum year after year.

Every college has a range of GPAs and unless UMD has said 100% of their class has 4.0 UW, you have to assume kids get in with less than a 4.0 and some kids with a 4.0 don’t get in. I’m not sure what you’ve been telling your kids, but we’ve been clear from the beginning that UMD is tough, and even with high stats there are no guarantees. Have a back up plan whether that’s applying to colleges where you can get into the honors program and/or merit or be willing to go to CC and transfer.

The other thing is your kid should have safety schools on their list that they are willing to attend and the family can afford. So if they truly have safeties they are actually willing to attend, they should have already reconciled that they could be at a school where other kids didn’t have a 4.0 coming in and that also might be lower on prestige than where some of their classmates with lower GPAs end up.

Bless your heart.

We know this.

But you don’t understand what some of us are frustrated with when it comes to the ridiculously unpredictable admissions process at UMCP that seems to disproportionately impact a certain group of applicants.

Of course it's frustrating for so many MCPS students and families! It's just the way it is, and it will be that way until UMBC/Towson/etc grow in regard.

I imagine people in NJ feel the same about Rutgers. They have a similar sized population and one highly regarded flagship.

But UMBC is practically the same as UMD.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/443598.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep seeing references to "MCPS W schools." What does that mean?

Montgomery County high schools that are white or wealthy, err, starts with a "W". But wait...not all that start with a W are included. They always leave out Wheaton HS for some reason. Then there's B-CC HS which doesn't start with a W but as someone once said it's an honorary W school. Sounds complicated who knows the membership rules

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected, but dc isn’t upset. It was not a top choice and they have much better options elsewhere for their intended major. Only applied because we’re in state.

So UMD figured that out and protected their yield

There’s no way UMCP can figure that out.

The reality is plenty of Marylanders can’t afford to send their high stats kids out of state and desperately want their kids to get into our flagship.

But the reality is certain kids from mcps are simply shut out.

A college counselor I know very well says UMCP is irrationally unpredictable. Pretty much sums it up.

They have the option for CC to flagship. I know that route isn’t as popular here in Maryland, but it’s not uncommon for people to start at community college or directional universities and later transfer to their state flagship. Or if they are DCUM middle class, look for the OOS schools where they have a chance of merit and it’s not the public ivies. It might be more than UMD but it it won’t be private school triple the cost more expensive. I will also add that my co-workers are amazing and we all went to different schools including UMBC and Towson. Some people could only afford to live at home and go to a college nearby or start at community college first. That didn’t mean they weren’t smart or hard working.

Sure.

But imagine having to tell your 4.0 UW kid they need to go to MC and transfer to UMCP when their peers with lower stats got into UMCP while your kid was rejected. It stinks.

And there’s a reason we have this same conversation on dcum year after year.

Every college has a range of GPAs and unless UMD has said 100% of their class has 4.0 UW, you have to assume kids get in with less than a 4.0 and some kids with a 4.0 don’t get in. I’m not sure what you’ve been telling your kids, but we’ve been clear from the beginning that UMD is tough, and even with high stats there are no guarantees. Have a back up plan whether that’s applying to colleges where you can get into the honors program and/or merit or be willing to go to CC and transfer.

The other thing is your kid should have safety schools on their list that they are willing to attend and the family can afford. So if they truly have safeties they are actually willing to attend, they should have already reconciled that they could be at a school where other kids didn’t have a 4.0 coming in and that also might be lower on prestige than where some of their classmates with lower GPAs end up.

Bless your heart.

We know this.

But you don’t understand what some of us are frustrated with when it comes to the ridiculously unpredictable admissions process at UMCP that seems to disproportionately impact a certain group of applicants.

Of course it's frustrating for so many MCPS students and families! It's just the way it is, and it will be that way until UMBC/Towson/etc grow in regard.

I imagine people in NJ feel the same about Rutgers. They have a similar sized population and one highly regarded flagship.

But UMBC is practically the same as UMD.

It's a UM with a C on the end instead of a CP. It's not as lively. Nor as big. But it is a UM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to Bethesda Magazine, 32% of those who applied to UMCP were accepted from the top Bethesda area high schools. Compare that to my daughter's Bethesda area private school, where 54% are accepted. The sad part is the majority do not matriculate there because they are more interested in private universities and can afford them. In my opinion, UMCP should be more discriminating with private school applicants, but I suspect that is not feasible. Clearly these students are just checking the box to apply. For my daughter, Maryland was considered a "very likely" despite everyone claiming it is such a hard school to get into. Doesn't seem fair to me.

What exactly are the top Bethesda area high schools in this case?

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/09/13/here-are-the-colleges-where-bethesda-area-high-school-grads-applied-got-accepted-and-enrolled/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep seeing references to "MCPS W schools." What does that mean?

Montgomery County high schools that are white or wealthy, err, starts with a "W". But wait...not all that start with a W are included. They always leave out Wheaton HS for some reason. Then there's B-CC HS which doesn't start with a W but as someone once said it's an honorary W school. Sounds complicated who knows the membership rules

Walter Johnson
Walt Whitman
Winston Churchill
Wootton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep seeing references to "MCPS W schools." What does that mean?

Montgomery County high schools that are white or wealthy, err, starts with a "W". But wait...not all that start with a W are included. They always leave out Wheaton HS for some reason. Then there's B-CC HS which doesn't start with a W but as someone once said it's an honorary W school. Sounds complicated who knows the membership rules

Walter Johnson
Walt Whitman
Winston Churchill
Wootton

Soon Woodward HS will make that coveted list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMCP has old, gross housing.

ICYMI: they just shut down the campus due to lack of heat and water in the prehistoric dorms.

And be sure to google recent criminal activity on Route 1. I personally know of two students who were assaulted, and I don’t even have student on campus.

Signed,

Terp alum who still attends sporting events but thinks the campus needs an upgrade

Kid rejected, huh?

Nope.

Kids had zero interest in staying local. They are out of state broadening their horizons rather than doing mcps 2.0 at UMCP.

But I follow this stuff closely for a variety of reasons (including professional reasons).

I still think UMCP offers a top notch education at a good price point. I’m definitely not a hater. In fact, we have season tix for two sports and are routinely on campus.

Its not that bad. Looks like a quarter of undergraduates are from MOCO.
https://www.usmd.edu/IRIS/DataJournal/Enrollment/?report=Headcount-by-Area-Of-Origin&Level=UG

[Anonymous]

UM College Park
41,000-42,000 students
30,000 undergraduates
~10,000+ graduate students
76% MD residents
50.6% male, 49% female

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Rejected for Biology major. Good MCPS high school. 4.8 weighted GPA, several 5s and 4s on AP exams. Multiple character awards for varsity sports. Accepted into Virginia Tech. Rejection is redirection!

White?

This is a trend: highly qualified/overqualified kids from mcps shut out. It prompted a scandal last year that included a professor to needlessly escalate it.

Yes, white. My daughter's friend that was rejected was Asian. The child that got in with a 3.0 was not white. I say all of this factually and without any feeling.

Unfortunately, this happens at a lot of univ.

My kid was rejected at MIT: ORM male, 4.0/4.92 1580 SAT (one and done) from a magnet program. A classmate of theirs who was LGBTQ and a URM who struggled in their MVC class that they had together got into MIT.

What does lgbtq have to do with it? My dd is as well and it is nowhere on the application.

you can put that in the personal essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are more than 60k graduating high school seniors in the state and only 5k spots for fall freshman at umd (which is higher - used to be more like 4k).

There are at least 13 public four-year universities in MD. Should in-state students be zoned by county to one of those 13? If you live in Montgomery or PG county UMCP,
upper or east Balt county go to Towson,
lower Balt county and Anne Arundel to UMBC,
northern PG to Bowie State
western MD to Frostburg State
eastern MD to UM Eastern shore
southern MD to St Mary's
and so on

[Anonymous]

Early Action (EA) acceptance rate approximately 40% for the 2025-2026 cycle. Looks like a decrease from previous years.

[Anonymous]

total annual applications exceeding 60,000 in previous years

[Anonymous]

university system requires at least 70% of undergraduates be MD residents