Banneker Key Decisions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar: 1570 SAT, 4.86 W, 8 APs, 8 upper level magnet classes at or beyond AP. At least we're not alone

My kid has similar stats, and didn't get into honors, but got accepted to the engineering school. Got invited to Scholars program, which my kid is not hugely excited about. This process is a mystery to me. Older DD didn't even get accepted to UMD engineering school as an undergrad, yet got accepted to an extremely competitive grad engineering program. Go figure.

"Similar" PP here. I am sorry about not getting Honors, but Engineering admit is quite an achievement. Congrats! Also, I've heard great things about Scholars. I remember a thread a while ago about merit at UMD, and one person with great stats did not get BK while another one w/ good stats did. Who knows. Mine got into music school and honors, but I think essay could have been tighter and awards better presented. Hopefully, both of ours will be offered scholarships. It is a tough college app circuit this year. We are learning to be grateful for what DD gets and not to sweat what she doesn't. She will do well wherever she lands. I'm sure yours will too. Congrats, again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar: 1570 SAT, 4.86 W, 8 APs, 8 upper level magnet classes at or beyond AP. At least we're not alone

My kid has similar stats, and didn't get into honors, but got accepted to the engineering school. Got invited to Scholars program, which my kid is not hugely excited about. This process is a mystery to me. Older DD didn't even get accepted to UMD engineering school as an undergrad, yet got accepted to an extremely competitive grad engineering program. Go figure.

"Similar" PP here. I am sorry about not getting Honors, but Engineering admit is quite an achievement. Congrats! Also, I've heard great things about Scholars. I remember a thread a while ago about merit at UMD, and one person with great stats did not get BK while another one w/ good stats did. Who knows. Mine got into music school and honors, but I think essay could have been tighter and awards better presented. Hopefully, both of ours will be offered scholarships. It is a tough college app circuit this year. We are learning to be grateful for what DD gets and not to sweat what she doesn't. She will do well wherever she lands. I'm sure yours will too. Congrats, again.

I hope everything works out.
Couple of things we learned about UMD admissions. It does seem to be stats driven to a large extent in that it is rare for a high stats (sat 1530+) student to get rejected.
Otoh getting into an honors program or a highly competitive lep is more holistic and they might put more emphasis on ECs, recs, awards etc.
one more thing- there are merit scholarships besides BK. It is possible to get a $5000 tuition merit scholarship for instance. I would assume that these awards also involve a more holistic review.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:tough for white/asian kids getting bk with stats driven app. for URMs much easier and do not require same level of stats. before anyone jumps on me, keep in mind banneker/key used to two separate scholarship - one solely focused on black students and the other "purely" merit. some white kid sued and won and UMD ended up combining two but still live by the spirits of original intent

It was an Hispanic kid who sued.

Podberesky was not an hispanic kid. he is as white as it comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar: 1570 SAT, 4.86 W, 8 APs, 8 upper level magnet classes at or beyond AP. At least we're not alone

My kid has similar stats, and didn't get into honors, but got accepted to the engineering school. Got invited to Scholars program, which my kid is not hugely excited about. This process is a mystery to me. Older DD didn't even get accepted to UMD engineering school as an undergrad, yet got accepted to an extremely competitive grad engineering program. Go figure.

"Similar" PP here. I am sorry about not getting Honors, but Engineering admit is quite an achievement. Congrats! Also, I've heard great things about Scholars. I remember a thread a while ago about merit at UMD, and one person with great stats did not get BK while another one w/ good stats did. Who knows. Mine got into music school and honors, but I think essay could have been tighter and awards better presented. Hopefully, both of ours will be offered scholarships. It is a tough college app circuit this year. We are learning to be grateful for what DD gets and not to sweat what she doesn't. She will do well wherever she lands. I'm sure yours will too. Congrats, again.

I hope everything works out.
Couple of things we learned about UMD admissions. It does seem to be stats driven to a large extent in that it is rare for a high stats (sat 1530+) student to get rejected.
Otoh getting into an honors program or a highly competitive lep is more holistic and they might put more emphasis on ECs, recs, awards etc.
one more thing- there are merit scholarships besides BK. It is possible to get a $5000 tuition merit scholarship for instance. I would assume that these awards also involve a more holistic review.

She got one of those- yay! Add whatever she gets from nmf, and it's a great deal.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone's student been through the Banneker Key interviews this year? What do they focus on? When do they let the applicants know which scholarship they are awarded? Is it at the interview or sometime later?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone's student been through the Banneker Key interviews this year? What do they focus on? When do they let the applicants know which scholarship they are awarded? Is it at the interview or sometime later?

The interview format is always the same. A 15 min with a faculty member. Reception is really nice even though I am not sure if they are doing that due to Covid. Final decision comes a few weeks later.

[Anonymous]

It comes in early February each year, I think. Is MD's 2023 Baneker/Key invitation out yet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar to mine last year. No BK invite, but her presidential was half, plus 2 department awards, plus nms, would have made it essentially 3/4. But, she ended up choosing another school.

Congrats to all the finalists and other scholarships, and, honestly, all admitted because even at full price, it's a good deal!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if our DC hasn’t gotten one of these emails by now it’s not going to happen? Or is it staggered? (I’d had my hopes up)

I had my hopes up too. Straight As from MCPS, 11 APs, 4.81 and 1560. Is it justified to be surprised DD didn't get invite?

[Anonymous]

The B/K process begins in early February, but it goes on for a while, it seems, as per this message posted in this thread on 2/16/22:

"Getting the B/K letter means that you're a B/K Semifinalist. Showing up for the interview makes you a Finalist. Getting the results of the interview (either full or partial scholarship) makes you a B/K Scholar. The partial award is not half of the total cost of attendance. It is $8,000/yearly for in-state and $12,000/yearly for OOS, plus a book allowance ($1200) for both. -signed, mom of a B/K Scholar"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if our DC hasn’t gotten one of these emails by now it’s not going to happen? Or is it staggered? (I’d had my hopes up)

I had my hopes up too. Straight As from MCPS, 11 APs, 4.81 and 1560. Is it justified to be surprised DD didn't get invite?

I am surprised, too. Magnet, 1580 SAT, 4.0 unw gpa. Another kid I know with a 1600 SAT also 4.0 unw did not get the invite, either.

Much like college admissions, b/k seems to be a crapshoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

They may get the presidential award and merit aid. It comes later

Are you talking about my kid?
Our stats also include - Asian-American male. CS Honors. Prepaid MD Trust. 400K HHI. I did not think we would qualify in any way for UMD. And if he would have been given a merit scholarship, we would have declined the monetary part.

Is your dc accepted to honors at UMD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if our DC hasn’t gotten one of these emails by now it’s not going to happen? Or is it staggered? (I’d had my hopes up)

I had my hopes up too. Straight As from MCPS, 11 APs, 4.81 and 1560. Is it justified to be surprised DD didn't get invite?

Not if it it is a magnet or w school. Probably only one or two for the entire school get the invite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar: 1570 SAT, 4.86 W, 8 APs, 8 upper level magnet classes at or beyond AP. At least we're not alone

My kid has similar stats, and didn't get into honors, but got accepted to the engineering school. Got invited to Scholars program, which my kid is not hugely excited about. This process is a mystery to me. Older DD didn't even get accepted to UMD engineering school as an undergrad, yet got accepted to an extremely competitive grad engineering program. Go figure.

"Similar" PP here. I am sorry about not getting Honors, but Engineering admit is quite an achievement. Congrats! Also, I've heard great things about Scholars. I remember a thread a while ago about merit at UMD, and one person with great stats did not get BK while another one w/ good stats did. Who knows. Mine got into music school and honors, but I think essay could have been tighter and awards better presented. Hopefully, both of ours will be offered scholarships. It is a tough college app circuit this year. We are learning to be grateful for what DD gets and not to sweat what she doesn't. She will do well wherever she lands. I'm sure yours will too. Congrats, again.

Love this mindset, it has indeed been a tough year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is worthless without stats.

-HS type (private prep, parochial, public, magnet)
-In state or OOS
-W and UW GPAs
-SAT or ACT
-Where else were they accepted?

well, I can tell you who did NOT get one
public magnet
in-state
weighted 4.8 GPA
1580 SAT
14 APs

Similar: 1570 SAT, 4.86 W, 8 APs, 8 upper level magnet classes at or beyond AP. At least we're not alone

My kid has similar stats, and didn't get into honors, but got accepted to the engineering school. Got invited to Scholars program, which my kid is not hugely excited about. This process is a mystery to me. Older DD didn't even get accepted to UMD engineering school as an undergrad, yet got accepted to an extremely competitive grad engineering program. Go figure.

"Similar" PP here. I am sorry about not getting Honors, but Engineering admit is quite an achievement. Congrats! Also, I've heard great things about Scholars. I remember a thread a while ago about merit at UMD, and one person with great stats did not get BK while another one w/ good stats did. Who knows. Mine got into music school and honors, but I think essay could have been tighter and awards better presented. Hopefully, both of ours will be offered scholarships. It is a tough college app circuit this year. We are learning to be grateful for what DD gets and not to sweat what she doesn't. She will do well wherever she lands. I'm sure yours will too. Congrats, again.

I could have written this last year! Mine was looking at HoHum and got a presidential scholarship (with acceptance I think) and a music dept scholarship (a little later, I think). Dept offered a second scholarship to try to sway her when she hadn't committed in April. So, it may not be a bad idea to reach out and ask if yours might be considered for something. (And, maybe slip in a mention of other offers). Good luck!