Should DC apply to UMD? (and does it feel very "big")

[Anonymous]

UMD is a good STEM state school, so if she wants to be a doctor, it's a decent choice. She should apply early action because UMD takes most of its class from EA, and only considers merit aid for the EA pool.

BUT -

If she's a strong student with high stats, I would think there are more prestigious choices for your money, as well as less expensive safeties, right? Wouldn't UMD be an expensive safety, considering it's out of state for you?

We are MD residents and my son was accepted early action as an Honors student at UMD. For him UMD was a low target/safety. But since he wanted to major in International Affairs, and UMD doesn't really have a lot of strength in that area, he went to George Washington instead (in DC). Much more expensive, but ranked top 10 in that major. To give you an idea, he was also accepted at McGill (where we have reduced tuition because we're French), William & Mary, St Andrews. He was rejected from Georgetown and Swarthmore.

On the other hand, maybe you DO want to get her into a not very STEMmy college, so she can be a big fish in a little pond and get into med school more easily? I don't know about the strategy to get into med school.

[Anonymous]

UMD is a massive school of over 31,000 undergraduates in an undesirable area of the DMV and a meh campus. 77 percent of undergraduate are in state - and it’s a very small state. Many go home on weekends.

In 2024 it accepted 45 percent — nearly half — of OOS applicants and only 10 percent of those admitted enrolled. It’s not going to reject at valedictorian from LI. It’s a target school for her and there are better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

UVA is a lot further away and is in the middle of nowhere.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate the different perspectives. If you have any other suggestions for targets and safeties that may offer merit aid, please share them.

I guess part of the motivation is that she's not too excited about the possibility of going to Binghamton. Not not excited. Just kind of like, eh seems okay. (UMD is at least Big10, so maybe a better college experience, idk.) I would like her to have a Likely option that she's more excited about. So looking for other options that would give merit aid, potentially in other states.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but is W&M much better than UMD? -OP

Yes

LOL. It’s not. Two completely different schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate the different perspectives. If you have any other suggestions for targets and safeties that may offer merit aid, please share them.

I guess part of the motivation is that she's not too excited about the possibility of going to Binghamton. Not not excited. Just kind of like, eh seems okay. (UMD is at least Big10, so maybe a better college experience, idk.) I would like her to have a Likely option that she's more excited about. So looking for other options that would give merit aid, potentially in other states.

Thanks again!

Based on that, she probably will like UMD. Def apply and come see the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate the different perspectives. If you have any other suggestions for targets and safeties that may offer merit aid, please share them.

I guess part of the motivation is that she's not too excited about the possibility of going to Binghamton. Not not excited. Just kind of like, eh seems okay. (UMD is at least Big10, so maybe a better college experience, idk.) I would like her to have a Likely option that she's more excited about. So looking for other options that would give merit aid, potentially in other states.

Thanks again!

If she would be o.k. with Bing and UMD, she will probably like Pitt (I am an alum). I have been to the city of Binghamton recently and took a look around. I understand its role for New York in-staters. Used to live in Maryland and understand the College Park scene although it has actually improved a lot since I moved.

I have been to CWRU's campus and have an alum in my family and a former employee as well. Pitt and CWRU are similar but Pitt is more of a broad university and CWRU is more STEMmy/pre-MED/engineering. I prefer Pitt and Pittsburgh. My husband and I have humanities and social science backgrounds.

Just for you to look into...what about UMass Amherst?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate the different perspectives. If you have any other suggestions for targets and safeties that may offer merit aid, please share them.

I guess part of the motivation is that she's not too excited about the possibility of going to Binghamton. Not not excited. Just kind of like, eh seems okay. (UMD is at least Big10, so maybe a better college experience, idk.) I would like her to have a Likely option that she's more excited about. So looking for other options that would give merit aid, potentially in other states.

Thanks again!

If she would be o.k. with Bing and UMD, she will probably like Pitt (I am an alum). I have been to the city of Binghamton recently and took a look around. I understand its role for New York in-staters. Used to live in Maryland and understand the College Park scene although it has actually improved a lot since I moved.

I have been to CWRU's campus and have an alum in my family and a former employee as well. Pitt and CWRU are similar but Pitt is more of a broad university and CWRU is more STEMmy/pre-MED/engineering. I prefer Pitt and Pittsburgh. My husband and I have humanities and social science backgrounds.

Just for you to look into...what about UMass Amherst?

OP here

Thank you! What did you think of Binghamton?
UMass is on the list!

Also wanted to mention- it would be great to find schools with rolling, to maybe alleviate some of that anxiety while she's waiting for the springtime results to come in.

A couple of fall acceptances would be really nice, especially from schools that are exciting to her... not necessarily because they are 'prestigious' but just, known. (That may be part of her ambivalence towards Bing - people outside of New York often haven't heard of it, will it not be looked well upon for med school, etc) UMass is such a contender, but I don't think it offers rolling.

And if she's able to get merit aid, she (and her parents!) will know it's a real option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but is W&M much better than UMD? -OP

Yes

lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but is W&M much better than UMD? -OP

It depends. W&M does far less research but its test scores are a bit higher and it's more of a nurturing environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but is W&M much better than UMD? -OP

It depends. W&M does far less research but its test scores are a bit higher and it's more of a nurturing environment.

How so?

[Anonymous]

UMD does not provide early admissions decisions until the last Friday in January.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many better options for a girl with those stats within 8 hours of Long Island.

Forgive my ignorance. I have a friend who loved her time at UMD so that's why I thought of it. Please give me some suggestions- I really appreciate it.

For starters, the Virginia state schools aren't much further away, are much better, and are smaller. UVA and William & Mary are both probably targets for a LI valedictorian. They're expensive though, and don't give a lot of merit aid.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but is W&M much better than UMD? -OP

It depends. W&M does far less research but its test scores are a bit higher and it's more of a nurturing environment.

"Nurturing"? So bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Big Time UMD

https://youtu.be/p060LdJodXQ?si=-ml5Ra0bIJiegHj8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UMD is a good STEM state school, so if she wants to be a doctor, it's a decent choice. She should apply early action because UMD takes most of its class from EA, and only considers merit aid for the EA pool.

BUT -

If she's a strong student with high stats, I would think there are more prestigious choices for your money, as well as less expensive safeties, right? Wouldn't UMD be an expensive safety, considering it's out of state for you?

We are MD residents and my son was accepted early action as an Honors student at UMD. For him UMD was a low target/safety. But since he wanted to major in International Affairs, and UMD doesn't really have a lot of strength in that area, he went to George Washington instead (in DC). Much more expensive, but ranked top 10 in that major. To give you an idea, he was also accepted at McGill (where we have reduced tuition because we're French), William & Mary, St Andrews. He was rejected from Georgetown and Swarthmore.

On the other hand, maybe you DO want to get her into a not very STEMmy college, so she can be a big fish in a little pond and get into med school more easily? I don't know about the strategy to get into med school.

I don’t think you understand the difference between a safety and a target. Maybe because you’re French.