Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online chatter suggests only Business sometimes rejects students who pass the course-grade requirements.

This is what I've heard as well. Don't go to MD for business unless you get in direct admit.

This is very true!

DD was not a direct admit to Smith but she worked hard to keep up her grades and had a 3.9+ average and was able to transfer in. It’s been a great experience. I’m glad she went that route since it did work out for her. But it was a risk. There were two target GPAs provided for current UMD students wanting business at the time. The lower one (maybe a 3.5?) meant you would be considered but if you had a higher average (maybe a 3.8) it was guaranteed. Of course, that can be a lot of pressure freshman year.

I heard that CS and engineering are a lower GPA threshold and once you take the gateway classes you are in. But CS and engineering are grueling and even with the lower GPA required, many many bright kids might not achieve it due to the gateway classes being a struggle. The classes are meant to weed kids out and it’s not unusual to see posts in the parents group about the tremendous pressure the kids are under.

Anonymous wrote:Looking at the application now, so just so I am tracking. If DS is interested in business, he should apply to the limited enrollment program because assuming he could get into UMD generally, if they reject him, he just goes to the general program?

Just contrasting that with Cornell where the acceptance is separate for each school, and if you don't get into the specialty school, you don't go to Cornell.

Yes, he should apply to business if he knows he wants it. From what I see, there are different different types of admit:

1. he got admitted directly to business
2. he got in to the college (letters and sciences) not business
3. he got in to college but for spring enrollment (freshman connection?)

Looking at the application now, so just so I am tracking. If DS is interested in business, he should apply to the limited enrollment program because assuming he could get into UMD generally, if they reject him, he just goes to the general program?

Just contrasting that with Cornell where the acceptance is separate for each school, and if you don't get into the specialty school, you don't go to Cornell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first hurdle is admission to UMD. If your student has the scores, GPA etc getting into UMD (regardless of major) is going to be the tough part.

There are several limited enrollment degrees - like engineering, business and CS. Your student could be admitted to UMD but not to the major of choice. They would be put into Letters and Sciences. Once at UMD - depending on major - getting into a limited enrollment program could be a challenge. Business and CS are competitive admissions - you have to pass the gateway classes AND have a certain GPA to even be qualified to be accepted to these programs. If your student is interested in a specific degree, my advice is to try for admission to the program from the start.

If they are unsure, leave it as undeclared.

^this-

Thank you. I’m not the OP but my DC just applied undecided to UMD the other day and I’ve been wondering if this would hurt them, not having a major on the application. But they truly are undecided (leans towards STEM though).

Anonymous wrote:It is competitive, or merely qualified?

Can a student who satisfies the GPA/grade requirements (C to B, depending on major)
be rejected?

https://eng.umd.edu/apply

Does anyone fail to gain entry to an LEP who would have been admitted to the same major at any university?

Limited enrollment programs and competitive enrollment programs are different things. Engineering is limited enrollment. If you meet the GPA required for the gateway classes you will be admitted in a limited enrollment program. A competitive enrollment program means you have to meet the GPA in the gateway classes, AND then the program selects the top students applying for acceptance into the program (business and CS are like this)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online chatter suggests only Business sometimes rejects students who pass the course-grade requirements.

This is what I've heard as well. Don't go to MD for business unless you get in direct admit.

This is very true!

Anonymous wrote:Online chatter suggests only Business sometimes rejects students who pass the course-grade requirements.

This is what I've heard as well. Don't go to MD for business unless you get in direct admit.

Anonymous wrote:If you aren’t applying to an LEP, you should ask yourself why you want to be in a program that is so unpopular that it welcomes students who can’t maintain mediocre grades. You might just be propping up a failing, obsolete department. That’s fine if college is your hobby, but risky if it’s a career path.

I am not sure that is an accurate take on LEPs at UMD- it is just a matter of seats in certain majors. For example, education is not a LEP at UMD, but a needed major and an education major from UMD will get a teaching job.

If you aren’t applying to an LEP, you should ask yourself why you want to be in a program that is so unpopular that it welcomes students who can’t maintain mediocre grades. You might just be propping up a failing, obsolete department. That’s fine if college is your hobby, but risky if it’s a career path.

Online chatter suggests only Business sometimes rejects students who pass the course-grade requirements.

It is competitive, or merely qualified?

Can a student who satisfies the GPA/grade requirements (C to B, depending on major)
be rejected?

https://eng.umd.edu/apply

Does anyone fail to gain entry to an LEP who would have been admitted to the same major at any university?

Anonymous wrote:The first hurdle is admission to UMD. If your student has the scores, GPA etc getting into UMD (regardless of major) is going to be the tough part.

There are several limited enrollment degrees - like engineering, business and CS. Your student could be admitted to UMD but not to the major of choice. They would be put into Letters and Sciences. Once at UMD - depending on major - getting into a limited enrollment program could be a challenge. Business and CS are competitive admissions - you have to pass the gateway classes AND have a certain GPA to even be qualified to be accepted to these programs. If your student is interested in a specific degree, my advice is to try for admission to the program from the start.

If they are unsure, leave it as undeclared.

^this-

The first hurdle is admission to UMD. If your student has the scores, GPA etc getting into UMD (regardless of major) is going to be the tough part.

There are several limited enrollment degrees - like engineering, business and CS. Your student could be admitted to UMD but not to the major of choice. They would be put into Letters and Sciences. Once at UMD - depending on major - getting into a limited enrollment program could be a challenge. Business and CS are competitive admissions - you have to pass the gateway classes AND have a certain GPA to even be qualified to be accepted to these programs. If your student is interested in a specific degree, my advice is to try for admission to the program from the start.

If they are unsure, leave it as undeclared.

There are majors that have direct-admit to schools, so if you don't apply as that major and get admission to that school (engineering, CS, music, business) in addition to the univ, you may not be able to get in later.
It's tough for an undecided kid.

Does the school look at your chosen major and is that a big factor? My DD is undecided and trying to decide what to put down. I know business is one of their more competitive majors and I don’t want her to put it down if it’s going to hurt her chances.

Are there any majors that make admission easier?