Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS applied to CS and alternate major was undecided. The acceptance letter says that he is admitted to Letters & Sciences and into the FIRE program. There is no mention of CS or first choice. Can anyone tell us what this means? Can he transfer to CS later? We are planning to contact UMD next week.

what is FIRE program?

https://www.fire.umd.edu/clusters
This is what we found. We are also trying to figure out what this is. Definitely, this is not something we applied to.

But your kid is a science major?

Sounds interesting

Anonymous wrote:My DE from Whitman with high stats was rejected. She has friends with similar stats who were also rejected. Very surprised.

Sorry to hear that but she will end up at somewhere better. There was a classmate of DS at Sherwood last year who was rejected at Maryland and Florida and ended up at UNC. Luckily for him the admit to Chapel Hill came about an hour before UMD rejection so the sting wasn’t too bad. Good luck to you-I am sure it isn’t a fun night.

Anonymous wrote:My DE from Whitman with high stats was rejected. She has friends with similar stats who were also rejected. Very surprised.

Sorry - DD

My DE from Whitman with high stats was rejected. She has friends with similar stats who were also rejected. Very surprised.

In Biological Sciences, Scholars invite. OOS FCPS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

What were your kid's AP scores? What HS and what is the unweighted GPA.

I feel like the entire college process can be a crap shoot. I’ve heard of one high stats kid who didn’t fill out the application correctly and got denied for that reason. But every year there are highly qualified kids who for some reason aren’t accepted.

I’m a scientist. I’d want to see national standardized test scores to better compare kids, especially the ones with strong gpas and advanced courses. Otherwise who knows what grade inflation and easy teaching went on. I’m want know they can hack it in exam conditions too, given MCPS did away with finals.

See what I mean? Test optional isn’t really test optional when you’re competing for limited seats.

I'm an engineer. I believe that plenty of significant and noteworthy observations are not numerically quantifiable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 3.7 UW, 4.3 weighted, test optional. No hooks. I figure it’s a long shot and kid is already in at Salisbury and UMBC with merit. But I’m still hopeful….nervous….

Updating this. He did not get in.

Ah well. It’s nice that he will get to go somewhere with merit

Sorry to hear it. Can always transfer if really set on a UMCP degree, just keep the grades reasonable and its not that tough to do.

Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

What were your kid's AP scores? What HS and what is the unweighted GPA.

I feel like the entire college process can be a crap shoot. I’ve heard of one high stats kid who didn’t fill out the application correctly and got denied for that reason. But every year there are highly qualified kids who for some reason aren’t accepted.

I don't know if it's a crap shoot so much as knowing how to present yourself on the application. I'm the mom of the test-optional direct admit to Smith. At least two of my child's friends were outright rejected this year. It doesn't make sense to me that my DC got into an LEP while friends didn't even get in as spring admits. I'd recommend reading Who Gets In and Why and paying attention to social media chatter. In the case of UMD, we knew why they were T/O for 2023, and we had at least some hints about their values and goals for building their class. DC did not fabricate anything on the application but emphasized experiences and aspects that seemed to fit well with the holistic review process. Also, in lieu of paying a college counselor, we (parents) read and critiqued and talked through the essay and short answer questions with DC before the application was submitted.

I will also note that DC had a friend get into honors last year (now a current freshman) as a T/O applicant while a friend with very high SAT was rejected last year. I'm guessing the T/O friend looked like a better fit in holistic review. I think the admission counselors want to see who the student is as a person and a potential member of the university community. They don't need 90% of their freshman class to be introverted techies with SATs over 1500. They need student leaders, artists, activists, athletes, and techies coming together to create a scholarly community.

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

My DC’s good friend in same boat with basically same stats. And 2 other less objectively qualified friends were admitted, although one as spring admit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 3.7 UW, 4.3 weighted, test optional. No hooks. I figure it’s a long shot and kid is already in at Salisbury and UMBC with merit. But I’m still hopeful….nervous….

Updating this. He did not get in.

Ah well. It’s nice that he will get to go somewhere with merit

Sorry to hear it. Can always transfer if really set on a UMCP degree, just keep the grades reasonable and its not that tough to do.

Anonymous wrote:PP here with high-stats MCPS kid who was rejected. No, not going to reach out to a counselor in case there was a "mistake." DC is in at Pitt, and thought UMD was a safety... Now awaiting a bunch of RD decisions from more selective schools. Good news is that they really liked Pitt. (Parents are just mad that the in-state school rejected our kid, with those stats.)

Ridiculous. Does MCPS rank or give percents? I know MCPS kids are disadvantaged but geez.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

What were your kid's AP scores? What HS and what is the unweighted GPA.

I feel like the entire college process can be a crap shoot. I’ve heard of one high stats kid who didn’t fill out the application correctly and got denied for that reason. But every year there are highly qualified kids who for some reason aren’t accepted.

I’m a scientist. I’d want to see national standardized test scores to better compare kids, especially the ones with strong gpas and advanced courses. Otherwise who knows what grade inflation and easy teaching went on. I’m want know they can hack it in exam conditions too, given MCPS did away with finals.

See what I mean? Test optional isn’t really test optional when you’re competing for limited seats.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honors. CS. UMCP. Yaay! Hope the kiddo takes it. will save us some money.

FCPS accepted to same programs. Parents are thrilled!! I actually wouldn't mind paying some more if DS would be fortunate enough to have to make among UMD/UVA/W&M.

Yeah. UMD CS is a great school!

PP, definitely but there is something to be said for a school that appears to really "want you" (direct admit and honors) as opposed to one that is doing you a favor. Not naming names.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rejected. In total shock. High stats (4.6 W, 11 APs, 34 ACT), great ECs, MCPS. We're hoping it's a yield thing, and this doesn't bode badly for DCs RD applications

What were your kid's AP scores? What HS and what is the unweighted GPA.

I feel like the entire college process can be a crap shoot. I’ve heard of one high stats kid who didn’t fill out the application correctly and got denied for that reason. But every year there are highly qualified kids who for some reason aren’t accepted.

I’m sensing that the high stats kids who went test optional were not considered on the same level as the similar kids who submitted high scores (SAT and AP scores).