UMD Admissions 2024 Is it that selective now?

[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.

I grew up in maryland and went to UMD. Soon after kids were born I got a job in Alexandria. Colleges were part of the reason we moved to Virginia since we had family/friends still in MD. UMD is great, but if you don't get into that, the options aren't great. Virginia has UVA, VT, W&M, JMU plus GMU, VCU, and CNU which are about equivalent to UMBC/Towson. Maryland really needs another good public university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

They cannot accept every kid with over a 1450.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

What??? Do people "call their legislators & demand change" in their states over UVA, or Michigan, or UCLA? Your efforts should be redirected towards getting the state to throw resources at the other state schools to raise their national profiles up closer to UMD's, and perhaps adding/funding additional state school system options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what is your child's weighted GPA and are they in the top 10-20% of the class? Nine AP classes with only 1 B and assuming other classes are honors except art/PE should mean that your child has a high weighted GPA. I suggest taking the SAT one more time or going TO to increase the odds.

Also, as the PP noted, county and major/college do matter. Even though UMD doesn't admit by major, they do consider major in the final admissions process when shaping the final round of acceptances. In other words, AOs make sure all majors are represented. Some majors, such as CS, engineering, and business, are much more competitive, and the competitive students accepted have high stats (SAT/ACT and GPA).

? I thought they do admit by major.

In the admissions letter from UMD for DC, it states the major and advising college.

If you don't get into that major, then it won't state the major.

This is correct. UMD does admit students to their majors; they'll be placed in Letters & Sciences if the aren't admitted to their majors. For non limited-enrollent programs (LEPs), it's pretty straightforward to get into the major after meeting the gateway requirements, but for LEPs like CS, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to get into that major if not admitted the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anecdotal, however I'm hearing numbers from school sources of around 10% and under admission rates for CS and Engineering.

[Anonymous]

My kid had similar stats as yours, OP, and got in for spring admission (which they do for about 1/4 of the class now). It’s still getting in, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid had similar stats as yours, OP, and got in for spring admission (which they do for about 1/4 of the class now). It’s still getting in, though.

Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid had similar stats as yours, OP, and got in for spring admission (which they do for about 1/4 of the class now). It’s still getting in, though.

OP here- my older one was in Scholars with lower stats and yes I am hoping it might be Spring admit for my younger one with a 4.9 Weighted and 3.97 ish unweighted with 14 APs unless SAT goes up.

[Anonymous]

He does have time to improve his SATs and maybe pick up a cool activity this summer. And work on some really great essays. But yeah, it might nit happen and he needs to know that's okay, his worth is not based on what college he goes to. There are many good alternatives and paths. I know plenty of people who went to top schools and flamed out and plenty who went to less ranked schools but used connections and internships and have great careers.

You get into this mental bubble in high school where there's this hyper focus on where you go to school. But it doesn't pan out like that as an adult.

[Anonymous]

OP, does your kid have an IEP or 504 for the ADHD? Did they take the SAT with 1.5x time?

I think test over TO is the way to go for most kids. TO means one fewer data points to compare your kids to others, and a lot of highly-ranked schools are bringing them back because test success does correlate with college success (with nuances).

If your kid can get 1.5x time, it's really worth it to prep again (perhaps with an individual tutor if possible??) and retake. It's also worth seeing how they do on the ACT -- the ACT's challenge is that it's long, but fairly straightforward. The SAT is more about tripping you up with tricky red herring answers.

[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.

It is because you went TO. You aren’t really a “high stat kid” if you are going test optional. Colleges want to see the test scores because GPAs are extremely inflated everywhere.

[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?

These new trends directly correlate to the cost/worth of private universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, does your kid have an IEP or 504 for the ADHD? Did they take the SAT with 1.5x time?

I think test over TO is the way to go for most kids. TO means one fewer data points to compare your kids to others, and a lot of highly-ranked schools are bringing them back because test success does correlate with college success (with nuances).

If your kid can get 1.5x time, it's really worth it to prep again (perhaps with an individual tutor if possible??) and retake. It's also worth seeing how they do on the ACT -- the ACT's challenge is that it's long, but fairly straightforward. The SAT is more about tripping you up with tricky red herring answers.

I don’t think TO is the way to go. My kid is above our school average at an almost 1400. I’d rather than know he’s upper 1300s than thinking he’s much lower. Hopefully prep will work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He does have time to improve his SATs and maybe pick up a cool activity this summer. And work on some really great essays. But yeah, it might nit happen and he needs to know that's okay, his worth is not based on what college he goes to. There are many good alternatives and paths. I know plenty of people who went to top schools and flamed out and plenty who went to less ranked schools but used connections and internships and have great careers.

You get into this mental bubble in high school where there's this hyper focus on where you go to school. But it doesn't pan out like that as an adult.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by “pick up a cool activity this summer?” (NP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I grew up in maryland and went to UMD. Soon after kids were born I got a job in Alexandria. Colleges were part of the reason we moved to Virginia since we had family/friends still in MD. UMD is great, but if you don't get into that, the options aren't great. Virginia has UVA, VT, W&M, JMU plus GMU, VCU, and CNU which are about equivalent to UMBC/Towson. Maryland really needs another good public university.

MD is a fraction of the size and population of VA. That's partly why it doesn't have great options.

CA, oth, is much larger than both, and they have a ton of great options.