Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anne Arundel HS kid stats

4.1W (3.7 UW) (all honors with the exception of some electives)
top 10-15% in class (can't remember exact rank - probably top 12%ish)
9 AP/IB/DE courses
TO
Varsity sport (captain)
NHS
3 years working

Undecided major

Rejected

wow.. I wonder if it was the TO, or if it was because they selected undecided major.

I think it was the GPA. Both UW and W are low for the typical admit. If there had been a strong test score to balance it out, it would have helped. My son is on target to graduate with that GPA and UMD is a definite reach for him. The big state schools like UMD don’t give as much weight to the extras unfortunately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anne Arundel HS kid stats

4.1W (3.7 UW) (all honors with the exception of some electives)
top 10-15% in class (can't remember exact rank - probably top 12%ish)
9 AP/IB/DE courses
TO
Varsity sport (captain)
NHS
3 years working

Undecided major

Rejected

wow.. I wonder if it was the TO, or if it was because they selected undecided major.

I don't know. TO because his scores weren't great (ADHD and not a great test taker..) Not sure about the undecided part. He got into the rest of the schools as being undecided...

But 4 of his closest friends with similar stats/activities didn't get in either.

Blair magnet kids didn’t even get in this year- I know of three. It was a tough cycle- maybe the new normal?

With those stats, I think there’s a good chance of admission. He has great grades and rigor. I’d suggest retaking the SAT because that’s the one area of concern. He has plenty of time to gain 100 points. There’s no guarantee it will be TO in the future so don’t count on that. The fact is UMD isn’t a safety for anyone. We have heard of many surprise rejections over the last few cycles but my niece was also a surprise acceptance. It was a complete reach for her. DS is in the same grade but has lower stats and will still try in hopes of getting freshman connection. Like your son, it’s his top choice. He’s been wanting to attend since he was tiny. It has surprised me how difficult UMD has become. It really doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

UMD is now considered one of the "public ivies" according to Forbes.

Anonymous wrote:Anne Arundel HS kid stats

4.1W (3.7 UW) (all honors with the exception of some electives)
top 10-15% in class (can't remember exact rank - probably top 12%ish)
9 AP/IB/DE courses
TO
Varsity sport (captain)
NHS
3 years working

Undecided major

Rejected

wow.. I wonder if it was the TO, or if it was because they selected undecided major.

Anonymous wrote:OP, what is your child's weighted GPA and are they in the top 10-20% of the class? Nine AP classes with only 1 B and assuming other classes are honors except art/PE should mean that your child has a high weighted GPA. I suggest taking the SAT one more time or going TO to increase the odds.

Also, as the PP noted, county and major/college do matter. Even though UMD doesn't admit by major, they do consider major in the final admissions process when shaping the final round of acceptances. In other words, AOs make sure all majors are represented. Some majors, such as CS, engineering, and business, are much more competitive, and the competitive students accepted have high stats (SAT/ACT and GPA).

? I thought they do admit by major.

In the admissions letter from UMD for DC, it states the major and advising college.

If you don't get into that major, then it won't state the major.

Anne Arundel HS kid stats

4.1W (3.7 UW) (all honors with the exception of some electives)
top 10-15% in class (can't remember exact rank - probably top 12%ish)
9 AP/IB/DE courses
TO
Varsity sport (captain)
NHS
3 years working

Undecided major

Rejected

1/3 of applicants were admitted from Walt Whitman High School this year. In past years 1/2 got in. Kids with very high GPAs and test scores were rejected. UMD is a very competitive school to get into for Whitman students, most of whom would be very successful at the Ivy Leagues and other top tier schools. Not sure what other MCPS and PG County admit rates were this year to UMD. I would be interested to know.

OP, what is your child's weighted GPA and are they in the top 10-20% of the class? Nine AP classes with only 1 B and assuming other classes are honors except art/PE should mean that your child has a high weighted GPA. I suggest taking the SAT one more time or going TO to increase the odds.

Also, as the PP noted, county and major/college do matter. Even though UMD doesn't admit by major, they do consider major in the final admissions process when shaping the final round of acceptances. In other words, AOs make sure all majors are represented. Some majors, such as CS, engineering, and business, are much more competitive, and the competitive students accepted have high stats (SAT/ACT and GPA).

Their admission statistics look somewhat more friendly in the version where they include spring admission / Freshman Connection students. But it’s still not a sure thing for anyone in MoCo or Howard, as noted by PP. As a state university, they are obligated to admit kids from all counties.

But yeah, it’s rough. Towson, UMBC, and Salisbury are all becoming more popular with kids at DD’s high school.

It really depends on his high school. It is definitely not a shoo in. Make sure he has other options but hopefully UMD will work out.

Depends on what he is going to major in. CS is hard to get in.

MoCo? What major/college?

Those stats would be an easy admit from like Garrett County or wherever but from MoCo, it’s harder since they try to balance admits across the state.

It’s certainly possible but not definite.

I have a student in class of 2025. UMD told our school that the middle 50 percentile of SAT scores for accepted students was 1400-1520 and that their acceptance rate last year was 31 percent. They didn’t say how many applied TO though. They said this is a safety school for no one.

Our kid really wants UMD. Will end up with one B on transcript. As of end of sophomore year had taken 4 AP classes (only 3 exams) and earned 3 s on them. This year is taking 5 APs and senior year 5 more tentatively so plus MV.

SAT score is almost at the “bottom” of their range high 1300’s. Not URM.

Class of 2024 is it really that competitive? Is this a big reach for my kid?

No major ECs or sports.