UMD EA Today?

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

Several possibilities:

1. Did not take AP exams or report 5s and 4s. For a high stats kid, admissions officers are going to wonder about their absence.

2. Note that MCPS weighs Honors the same as APs in the GPA, unlike some other school systems. Which means MCPS GPA can be inflated and all the colleges recalculate it - but perhaps for PP's kid with 11 APs, that's moot.

3. The personal statement did not show a clear direction and failed to directly reference UMD. Essays are VERY important for mid-level 30-50% acceptance rate colleges, most of which do "holistic" admissions and seek a diversity of student voices. They are deathly afraid of the high stats kid with a generic essay, because they immediately think "yield protection, this kid wants to go elsewhere". Make the college think they are your top choice, always. The Common App allows for a customize personal statement. Save your general statement elsewhere, then tweak it for each college before hitting submit.

[Anonymous]

^ I have three kids and have literally never heard it suggested that a kid needs to tweak the common app essay to personalize it for each school. My youngest was accepted last week to UMd and UNC with her common app essay, which was deliberately not school-specific.

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

Several possibilities:

1. Did not take AP exams or report 5s and 4s. For a high stats kid, admissions officers are going to wonder about their absence.

2. Note that MCPS weighs Honors the same as APs in the GPA, unlike some other school systems. Which means MCPS GPA can be inflated and all the colleges recalculate it - but perhaps for PP's kid with 11 APs, that's moot.

3. The personal statement did not show a clear direction and failed to directly reference UMD. Essays are VERY important for mid-level 30-50% acceptance rate colleges, most of which do "holistic" admissions and seek a diversity of student voices. They are deathly afraid of the high stats kid with a generic essay, because they immediately think "yield protection, this kid wants to go elsewhere". Make the college think they are your top choice, always. The Common App allows for a customize personal statement. Save your general statement elsewhere, then tweak it for each college before hitting submit.

Unless it’s new this year, UMD does not yield protect. Look at Scattergrams. I would guess one of the following: the parent meant they were not accepted into a competitive program (but still admitted to university), that the student completely blew off the sentences, there was something unseemly or incomplete in the application, that student intentionally tanked application, that it’s a troll, that student had a disciplinary action, or the LORs were bad.

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

Several possibilities:

1. Did not take AP exams or report 5s and 4s. For a high stats kid, admissions officers are going to wonder about their absence.

2. Note that MCPS weighs Honors the same as APs in the GPA, unlike some other school systems. Which means MCPS GPA can be inflated and all the colleges recalculate it - but perhaps for PP's kid with 11 APs, that's moot.

3. The personal statement did not show a clear direction and failed to directly reference UMD. Essays are VERY important for mid-level 30-50% acceptance rate colleges, most of which do "holistic" admissions and seek a diversity of student voices. They are deathly afraid of the high stats kid with a generic essay, because they immediately think "yield protection, this kid wants to go elsewhere". Make the college think they are your top choice, always. The Common App allows for a customize personal statement. Save your general statement elsewhere, then tweak it for each college before hitting submit.

Unless it’s new this year, UMD does not yield protect. Look at Scattergrams. I would guess one of the following: the parent meant they were not accepted into a competitive program (but still admitted to university), that the student completely blew off the sentences, there was something unseemly or incomplete in the application, that student intentionally tanked application, that it’s a troll, that student had a disciplinary action, or the LORs were bad.

Adding: or an error. In which case I’d reach out to counselor.

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

Several possibilities:

1. Did not take AP exams or report 5s and 4s. For a high stats kid, admissions officers are going to wonder about their absence.

2. Note that MCPS weighs Honors the same as APs in the GPA, unlike some other school systems. Which means MCPS GPA can be inflated and all the colleges recalculate it - but perhaps for PP's kid with 11 APs, that's moot.

3. The personal statement did not show a clear direction and failed to directly reference UMD. Essays are VERY important for mid-level 30-50% acceptance rate colleges, most of which do "holistic" admissions and seek a diversity of student voices. They are deathly afraid of the high stats kid with a generic essay, because they immediately think "yield protection, this kid wants to go elsewhere". Make the college think they are your top choice, always. The Common App allows for a customize personal statement. Save your general statement elsewhere, then tweak it for each college before hitting submit.

Unless it’s new this year, UMD does not yield protect. Look at Scattergrams. I would guess one of the following: the parent meant they were not accepted into a competitive program (but still admitted to university), that the student completely blew off the sentences, there was something unseemly or incomplete in the application, that student intentionally tanked application, that it’s a troll, that student had a disciplinary action, or the LORs were bad.

99.99% of high stat kids are accepted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD accepted. FCPS 4.3wgpa, IB diploma candidate. Solid ECs, didn’t submit test scores. Didn’t get direct admit to Smith, but LEP. Also a legacy.

Happy, but it’s a backup as we wait on UVA and VT.

Is it easier to get in OOS? My 4.5 weighted gpa kids d got rejected

DP. Does OOS admits to the Honors program receive strong merit awards?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ I have three kids and have literally never heard it suggested that a kid needs to tweak the common app essay to personalize it for each school. My youngest was accepted last week to UMd and UNC with her common app essay, which was deliberately not school-specific.

This. My kid with mediocre stats and the same common app essay he used at all schools was accepted. It might be a nice touch, but not required and why go to all of that effort when you are applying to so many schools. Better to have one solid one, than pander to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ I have three kids and have literally never heard it suggested that a kid needs to tweak the common app essay to personalize it for each school. My youngest was accepted last week to UMd and UNC with her common app essay, which was deliberately not school-specific.

This. My kid with mediocre stats and the same common app essay he used at all schools was accepted. It might be a nice touch, but not required and why go to all of that effort when you are applying to so many schools. Better to have one solid one, than pander to the school.

It may be worth the effort for the HYP ED application, not beyond that

[Anonymous]

DC admitted to CS + honors.

I thought merit scholarships and financial aid come later but another parent said her child received a full-tuition merit scholarship to UMD with the acceptance letter. Did I miss an application somewhere? Is that possible?

[Anonymous]

DC admitted to CS + honors.

I thought merit scholarships and financial aid come later but another parent said her child received a full-tuition merit scholarship to UMD with the acceptance letter. Did I miss an application somewhere? Is that possible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC admitted to CS + honors.

I thought merit scholarships and financial aid come later but another parent said her child received a full-tuition merit scholarship to UMD with the acceptance letter. Did I miss an application somewhere? Is that possible?

Maybe UMBC?

[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.

Are you okay with altering your retirement? If not, you need to have your kid apply to UMBC right away to meet the Feb 1 RD deadline unless they’ve already applied somewhere EA/rolling and gotten in with enough merit to bring it close to in-state. My kids had to apply to two in-state because we knew UMD isn’t guaranteed and we needed at least one admission and financial safety.

I agree with this advice for the PP whose DC was rejected from UMD.

I also didn't realize this was the reason UMD (and UNC too) released EA decisions early enough to give students time to adjust for other in-state schools in case they hadn't already....that's actually a thoughtful decision on their part. Kudos to UMD admissions for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC admitted to CS + honors.

I thought merit scholarships and financial aid come later but another parent said her child received a full-tuition merit scholarship to UMD with the acceptance letter. Did I miss an application somewhere? Is that possible?

Check again. AFAIK merit info goes out late Feb.

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

what is the kid UW GPA? 50% mcps kid have weight gpa of 4.5 and above so that 4.6 may not be a good indicator? any C's on AP classes?

[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 don’t understand how this individual did not get into UMD? What is going on?

what is the kid UW GPA? 50% mcps kid have weight gpa of 4.5 and above so that 4.6 may not be a good indicator? any C's on AP classes?

That’s untrue about the weighted gpa percentage.