Question about UMD College Park

[Anonymous]

It never hurts to apply. Just be realistic about the odds. At my kids’ W school, there were some kids with good stats who didn’t get in. It will really depend on the SAT and how many classmates are applying. Does it look like your child took a challenging course load? That matters.

I have 2 kids there. We were told that major doesn’t affect acceptance to the university. They accept to the university and from there you either get your major or letters and sciences (undecided). One of my kids applied to a limited enrollment program (LEP) with a 4.3 wgpa and SAT in the lower end of their accepted range for that year. We figured it was a maybe school but DC wanted it, so why not try. They got a spring admit but that was better than a flat out rejection. They were placed in freshman connection and not directly into the major. They went anyway and it was a great choice. They got good grades in the gateway classes and transfered into the LEP and will graduate on schedule. The other applied with a 4.7 wgpa and 1480 SAT to an LEP major. They got directly in. Both will have the same degree at the end of 4 years. It doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you finish.

[Anonymous]

My son got into the letters and science program for CS, finished freshmen year with 3.93 GPA and was automatically admitted to the CS program, he is now a sophomore at UMD CP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. All very helpful advice. Much appreciated.
I’m going to encourage him to apply. He thinks he has no shot of getting in so feels like why bother to apply.
His weighted GPA is 4.1. SAT scores are average. Teacher recs should be strong.
We know it is a reach and not counting on it in any way. Freshman connection would be ok as well.

Will also apply to UMBC along with Virginia Tech and JMU
Does Towson have a decent CS program? Someone mentioned Salisbury in an earlier post which is intriguing but I don’t know anything about that school

In your original post, OP, you said:

"My son is a senior at a MCPS middle of the road HS.
He is very smart but matured on the later side so his overall grades are middling.
Junior year was good and senior year is going great. He is finally challenging himself and getting all As. He had a bad 10th grade virtual year."

Since when is a 4.1 GPA "middling"??? How could he possibly have had a "bad 10th grade virtual year"? By "Bad" you mean he got a B+ or two?

At my daughters HS 30+% had a 4.51 or above, and close to 70% had over a 4.0. The grade inflation at MCPS high schools is insane. So a 4.1 is probably the 50th percentile give or take.

[Anonymous]

UMD seems to be really pushing the Information Studies degree as an alternative degree for potential CS majors. The starting salaries they publish for IS majors is pretty good (80kish).

Maybe soothing your DC might be interested in pursuing.

[Anonymous]

https://irpa.umd.edu/CampusCounts/Admissions/apps_ug.pdf
Undergraduate application Summary UMD

[Anonymous]

https://www.usmd.edu/IRIS/?view=UMCP
UMD dashboard

[Anonymous]

I'd also think of applying to SMCM for their CS program as a safety depending on scores. I know some people who got great jobs out of that program. It's also smaller which could be helpful to your kid with getting more attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. All very helpful advice. Much appreciated.
I’m going to encourage him to apply. He thinks he has no shot of getting in so feels like why bother to apply.
His weighted GPA is 4.1. SAT scores are average. Teacher recs should be strong.
We know it is a reach and not counting on it in any way. Freshman connection would be ok as well.

Will also apply to UMBC along with Virginia Tech and JMU
Does Towson have a decent CS program? Someone mentioned Salisbury in an earlier post which is intriguing but I don’t know anything about that school

In your original post, OP, you said:

"My son is a senior at a MCPS middle of the road HS.
He is very smart but matured on the later side so his overall grades are middling.
Junior year was good and senior year is going great. He is finally challenging himself and getting all As. He had a bad 10th grade virtual year."

Since when is a 4.1 GPA "middling"??? How could he possibly have had a "bad 10th grade virtual year"? By "Bad" you mean he got a B+ or two?

This is OP. I am not trying to mislead anyone.
This is our oldest child applying to college so we are new at this. Also moved to MD just a few years ago so not that familiar with MD universities.
My son is smart but a bit of a slacker. This year he finally seems more focused and interested in thinking about his future. It is a welcome change.
I have friends with kids who have a weighted GPA of 4.3 and 4.4 which is why 4.1 didn’t look that great. And my son is convinced he will never get into UMD so I guess I assumed he knew what he was talking about. I appreciate all the advice and I plan to insist he submits an application. No harm in applying.
Should I make him apply EA or is regular decision fine as well?

[Anonymous]

Most MCPS classes are weighted by 1.0. So he could have many Bs and a 4.1. What’s the unweighted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. All very helpful advice. Much appreciated.
I’m going to encourage him to apply. He thinks he has no shot of getting in so feels like why bother to apply.
His weighted GPA is 4.1. SAT scores are average. Teacher recs should be strong.
We know it is a reach and not counting on it in any way. Freshman connection would be ok as well.

Will also apply to UMBC along with Virginia Tech and JMU
Does Towson have a decent CS program? Someone mentioned Salisbury in an earlier post which is intriguing but I don’t know anything about that school

In your original post, OP, you said:

"My son is a senior at a MCPS middle of the road HS.
He is very smart but matured on the later side so his overall grades are middling.
Junior year was good and senior year is going great. He is finally challenging himself and getting all As. He had a bad 10th grade virtual year."

Since when is a 4.1 GPA "middling"??? How could he possibly have had a "bad 10th grade virtual year"? By "Bad" you mean he got a B+ or two?

This is OP. I am not trying to mislead anyone.
This is our oldest child applying to college so we are new at this. Also moved to MD just a few years ago so not that familiar with MD universities.
My son is smart but a bit of a slacker. This year he finally seems more focused and interested in thinking about his future. It is a welcome change.
I have friends with kids who have a weighted GPA of 4.3 and 4.4 which is why 4.1 didn’t look that great. And my son is convinced he will never get into UMD so I guess I assumed he knew what he was talking about. I appreciate all the advice and I plan to insist he submits an application. No harm in applying.
Should I make him apply EA or is regular decision fine as well?

NP: I think you are asking good questions. Good luck to your kid.
I would have him apply, but also have back ups (UMBC, stmcm, &/or Towson).