Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree with PP, am a research physician who went to Ivy undergrad and med school, but if UMD is the best financial deal to avoid huge debt by the end of med school, then go for it, particularly if the other option is UVA, from a med school perspective in terms of admissions, no difference (only HYPS, MIT, Caltech,or that caliber private would give any leg up in terms of getting into med school with slightly less stellar grades). UMD honors college in particular is excellent, and loads of research opportunities at UMD itself, or at NIH or other local places can be a big advantage. UVA area nowhere near as rich scientifically.

This is the OP. Thank you for your post. We have a bright, hard-working child and want to give him the best advice possible. It would be sad if our inability to pay for (or qualify for FA) at the more prestigious schools were to cost him a shot at med. school. We can definitely manage UMD. I learned a lot from your post.
(by the way, we are not really considering UVA as it is OOS but we were wondering whether middle class kids in MD like ours are at a disadvantage compared to middle class kids in VA)

Anonymous wrote:UVa has a very strong reputation in this region, but it is not well known in places like Chicago, Los Angeles, San Franciso or anywhere in Asia. If you plan to stay in the mid-Atlantic, UVa is a great value.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was not accepted to UMD with a 4.0 GPA, and I was told that the adv. GPA for this year was 4.2. I also attended the graduation and a good portion of the speakers, including Wallace Loh, mentioned they would not have been accepted if they applied today. My DS loved every minute a UMCP, a great value.

UMD

Fall 2015 admitted freshman profile:
GPA: 4.22
SAT middle 50%: 1260-1420
ACT middle 50%: 29-33

They use MCPS grading system for wGPA.

So that average GPA is weighted?

What are DC's chances?:

3.98 GPA weighted
MCPS magnet program
SATs 1600

Anonymous wrote:Actually I think it's really depressing that UMD is trying to move towards being like one of the big midwestern football schools. The focus should be academics, not sports.

Anonymous wrote:Actually I think it's really depressing that UMD is trying to move towards being like one of the big midwestern football schools. The focus should be academics, not sports.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was not accepted to UMD with a 4.0 GPA, and I was told that the adv. GPA for this year was 4.2. I also attended the graduation and a good portion of the speakers, including Wallace Loh, mentioned they would not have been accepted if they applied today. My DS loved every minute a UMCP, a great value.

UMD

Fall 2015 admitted freshman profile:
GPA: 4.22
SAT middle 50%: 1260-1420
ACT middle 50%: 29-33

They use MCPS grading system for wGPA.

So that average GPA is weighted?

What are DC's chances?:

3.98 GPA weighted
MCPS magnet program
SATs 1600

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was not accepted to UMD with a 4.0 GPA, and I was told that the adv. GPA for this year was 4.2. I also attended the graduation and a good portion of the speakers, including Wallace Loh, mentioned they would not have been accepted if they applied today. My DS loved every minute a UMCP, a great value.

UMD

Fall 2015 admitted freshman profile:
GPA: 4.22
SAT middle 50%: 1260-1420
ACT middle 50%: 29-33

They use MCPS grading system for wGPA.

Anonymous wrote:UVA is more prestigious in general, harder to get into, and superior to UMD for business or pretty much any of the liberal arts/humanities. UMD, however, has the edge in most of the STEM fields. A lot more science is coming out of UMD than UVA.

Anonymous wrote:UMD has greatly benefited from the growth and gentrification of the DC area over the last 20 years.

Anonymous wrote:My DD was not accepted to UMD with a 4.0 GPA, and I was told that the adv. GPA for this year was 4.2. I also attended the graduation and a good portion of the speakers, including Wallace Loh, mentioned they would not have been accepted if they applied today. My DS loved every minute a UMCP, a great value.