Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:23     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
How will admissions to UMD CS change with the new boundary magnet proposals in MCP schools in MD? More competitive for students applying from a MCPS SMCS magnet?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:21     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:OP here:

I just went to my common app practice account, and selected UMD. When I selected a LEP for my first choice, it opened a drop box for second choice majors, but none of them were LEP's.

So, it seems that the answer is that you can't apply to 2 LEP's.


DP. And not on the CA right now but are all of the LEPs listed under the same drop box?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:18     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
OP here:

I just went to my common app practice account, and selected UMD. When I selected a LEP for my first choice, it opened a drop box for second choice majors, but none of them were LEP's.

So, it seems that the answer is that you can't apply to 2 LEP's.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:16     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it mean that UMD may put you in another major although you applied for CS? Any random major?


OP here:

My understanding is that you can list a second choice major, and if that major isn't an LEP, they'll put you there. My question is if you can list a major that is also an LEP. So, for example, could a kid list CS as first choice, and then list Accounting as second choice?

If your kid doesn't get into either of the majors they listed, or only listed CS and didn't get in, then they get put in Letters and Sciences as an undecided major, and can pick any of the majors that aren't LEP. Or they can apply again for an LEP, that isn't CS.

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong about the second part.


Yeah even if you put second major (regardless of LEP or not), they probably don't look at it. It will go straight to arts and science.


No, that's not correct. I'm the poster above who heard from admissions that it goes to the next major. If an LEP, and not admitted to that, they won't be considered for arts and science.


Have you seen examples of this? I have my DC picked non LEP as second major but ended up in arts and science.

Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:11     Subject: Re:If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:UMBC has a better program anyway, plus a better campus. Why not just go there?


How is the program better than at UMD?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:11     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it mean that UMD may put you in another major although you applied for CS? Any random major?


OP here:

My understanding is that you can list a second choice major, and if that major isn't an LEP, they'll put you there. My question is if you can list a major that is also an LEP. So, for example, could a kid list CS as first choice, and then list Accounting as second choice?

If your kid doesn't get into either of the majors they listed, or only listed CS and didn't get in, then they get put in Letters and Sciences as an undecided major, and can pick any of the majors that aren't LEP. Or they can apply again for an LEP, that isn't CS.

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong about the second part.


Yeah even if you put second major (regardless of LEP or not), they probably don't look at it. It will go straight to arts and science.


No, that's not correct. I'm the poster above who heard from admissions that it goes to the next major. If an LEP, and not admitted to that, they won't be considered for arts and science.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:09     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it mean that UMD may put you in another major although you applied for CS? Any random major?


OP here:

My understanding is that you can list a second choice major, and if that major isn't an LEP, they'll put you there. My question is if you can list a major that is also an LEP. So, for example, could a kid list CS as first choice, and then list Accounting as second choice?

If your kid doesn't get into either of the majors they listed, or only listed CS and didn't get in, then they get put in Letters and Sciences as an undecided major, and can pick any of the majors that aren't LEP. Or they can apply again for an LEP, that isn't CS.

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong about the second part.


Yeah even if you put second major (regardless of LEP or not), they probably don't look at it. It will go straight to arts and science.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 13:10     Subject: Re:If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
UMBC has a better program anyway, plus a better campus. Why not just go there?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:53     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it mean that UMD may put you in another major although you applied for CS? Any random major?


OP here:

My understanding is that you can list a second choice major, and if that major isn't an LEP, they'll put you there. My question is if you can list a major that is also an LEP. So, for example, could a kid list CS as first choice, and then list Accounting as second choice?

If your kid doesn't get into either of the majors they listed, or only listed CS and didn't get in, then they get put in Letters and Sciences as an undecided major, and can pick any of the majors that aren't LEP. Or they can apply again for an LEP, that isn't CS.

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong about the second part.


Is your kid deciding between Computer Science and Accounting? I'm not sure what they would do, but, there are going to be a lot of people applying to accounting that are putting it as their first choice. Seems like a longshot. If your kid wants CS they need a backup school to apply to. Do not accept some other major at UMD and expect to transfer into CS. That is not going to happen.


No, I just picked the first LEP on a list I found, which was alphabetical. My guess is he'd pick a program in the Engineering school for a second choice.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:52     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:No, i don't think so.

Nowadays cs is virtually impossible to transfer into. Business is also tough, though not impossible. . Other LEPs are accessible by completing some reasonable prerequisites.


Business is not nearly as difficult of an admit at UMD. At a business school admissions event a few months ago they said that every kid that was admitted to UMD and wanted business last year was admitted to business because it happened to be the number of requests and number of spaces available were almost identical. Separately if you have over a 3.6 college GPA it is an auto-admit into the business school, no review necessary.

I think Smith is a great program, but it seems like it isn’t nearly as hard to get into as CS.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:39     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:Just went through this with my senior. He put down CS as first choice and info Sci second. Did manage to get into CS but is from a mid-ranked MCPS school. I do believe UMD when they say they review the applications major blind.

UMBC and Towson were backups. While UMBC seems to have a better CS program, I think Towson location / campus is better.


Your kid was competing with other kids at the mid ranked HS. Chances are, if they went to a W school, your kid would not have gotten into UMD let alone for CS if they did not have super high stats.

I know a couple of RMIB magnet kids a couple of years ago who were rejected at UMD for CS and engineering. They had great stats, just not great for the RMIB magnet cohort.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:35     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Just went through this with my senior. He put down CS as first choice and info Sci second. Did manage to get into CS but is from a mid-ranked MCPS school. I do believe UMD when they say they review the applications major blind.

UMBC and Towson were backups. While UMBC seems to have a better CS program, I think Towson location / campus is better.

Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:25     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:For CS, UMBC would be a good alternate in-state option.


Is there a reason why students seem to (maybe it's only on this forum) Towson over UMBC?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:23     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
For CS, UMBC would be a good alternate in-state option.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 11:59     Subject: If your kid’s first choice is UMD CS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it mean that UMD may put you in another major although you applied for CS? Any random major?


OP here:

My understanding is that you can list a second choice major, and if that major isn't an LEP, they'll put you there. My question is if you can list a major that is also an LEP. So, for example, could a kid list CS as first choice, and then list Accounting as second choice?

If your kid doesn't get into either of the majors they listed, or only listed CS and didn't get in, then they get put in Letters and Sciences as an undecided major, and can pick any of the majors that aren't LEP. Or they can apply again for an LEP, that isn't CS.

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong about the second part.


Is your kid deciding between Computer Science and Accounting? I'm not sure what they would do, but, there are going to be a lot of people applying to accounting that are putting it as their first choice. Seems like a longshot. If your kid wants CS they need a backup school to apply to. Do not accept some other major at UMD and expect to transfer into CS. That is not going to happen.