UMD Banneker Key Scholarship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it only for MD students? thanks

No, it's open to all incoming freshmen, IS and OOS.

[Anonymous]

"Interviews" are not really "interviews" per se. Only about 15 min or so. They just want to know your kid. Tell your kid to relax and watch your manner. Remember, UMD wants you as much as you want the full B/K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My asian/white kid from a magnet had near perfect stats, and also didn't get it. I think BK looks holistically, and not just stats.

Blair magnet has lots of perfect stats kids not even in honor, only in scholar including MIT accepted, so definitely not just stats,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My asian/white kid from a magnet had near perfect stats, and also didn't get it. I think BK looks holistically, and not just stats.

Blair magnet has lots of perfect stats kids not even in honor, only in scholar including MIT accepted, so definitely not just stats,

It's the same with other MCPS high schools where students have max rigor, excellent stats, and good ECs. My kid and her friends all got scholars. Fewer students (that she knows of) from her HS got honors. Only honors invitees are considered for BK.

[Anonymous]

Don't try to figure out how the BK scholarships are given because you might fall into a trap. Nobody knows the rules and you ended up in a frustrating state that is transmitted to your kid. UMD is great school that awards these scholarships for tens of years. They do not say they are purely academic merit based. Someone with lower stats but a significant volunteer activity that he initiated might get a BK but one with perfect score might not.

My son is also in a HS magnet and has almost perfect scores. He also got awards that only few in Maryland have. He didn't get the BK that he was 101% sure he will get. But that's ok! Maryland has done for him and the rest of the magnet kids way more than a BK scholarship. He was privileged to take advanced classes that other kids couldn't attend to. The MD state invested resources to provide these kids better education than others received. And, there is always a divine balance in life. You were already awarded in HS, maybe it is time for other amazing students to be awarded too. Right?

Most of these perfect score kids will end up going at other colleges with or without a BK scholarship. Just relax, wait for March admission results, and acknowledge that there are many, many great students outside magnets.

These are my 2 cents for those still looking for BK answers.

[Anonymous]

Also, UMd awards additional merit scholarships in early March, including presidential, which is very generous.