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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]First, congratulations to the students who worked so hard to get in and to those who didn't, it's all going to work out great! This is one snapshot in a very meaningful and happy life for a wonderful person.
As someone with some very close insight into this process, it can be hard not to rely on stats and numbers when comparing who is 'in' and who is 'out'. But Maryland simply doesn't choose using those alone. Top SATs help. Test optional is not a demerit. Rigor OF YOUR SCHOOL is critical. AP test scores are visible but NOT relevant. Race is irrelevant (YES  TRUE). Essays, extra questions, letters of rec, activities that are ATYPICAL and GENUINE and not just fillers are vital. 
They have 60,000 applicants. They are trying to fill an entire state flagship of many fields of study with students from as many different parts of the state and backgrounds, interests and experiences as possible. After that, about 1,800 are from out of state. Maximum.
A kid with NHS and band and 2 sports and some sort of volunteering isn't that much different from others. How to differentiate?
They cannot do this if everyone comes from an MCPS 'W' school. They cannot do this if everyone is a CS or STEM major. That is not the function of a state flagship. Arts and humanities are also considered vital in a well-educated and modern society. They are. Watch TV? Read books? Go to a counselor? Listen to music? There you go. 
To the people who are minimizing how 'prestigious' or 'well-known' Maryland is to you or your friends: WHY? This is not a prestige race, despite the culture of this area. There are thousands of schools. People succeed at ALL of them. It's an academic institution. Most kids in this are are--brace yourselves--AVERAGE with lots of opportunities, well-educated, loving and slightly stressed out parents and the chance to really work hard in high school. I know firsthand and have seen it hundreds of times that these regular humans are IN DEMAND by employers of all kinds and NOT just STEM. For admissions officers, the entitlement and box-checking is wearying. They are thirsty for something beyond stacking typical accomplishments. 
Every student can have a lovely life via or without UMD. STEM or biz or whatever. Just be the best you, and you have already won! [/quote]

Rigor OF YOUR SCHOOL is critical? Can you please clarify? I hope you mean it is critical that you took the most rigorous classes at your school, and not that it is essential you went to the very best school. Some of us just have to send our children to the local high school and aren’t able to provide the very most rigorous school. [/quote]

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