Anonymous wrote:What county?

I think my kid got in partly due to the obvious (GPA, etc) and also the county where we live. It's harder to get in from MoCo. Their admissions team says UMD is not the "University of Montgomery County."

The kids there are super smart.

My kid applied TO. They struggle big time with math due to LDs while their writing surpasses the college level.

Not MoCo, but that’s all.

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 think it's the TO. Their admissions team says they compare TO against TO applications and SAT applications against SAT applications.

My kid got in with

4.2
TO
PT job
4-year varsity sport
6 APs
Also top 12% ish like the PP's kid.
Excellent essays
Lots of involvement with UMD over the years

They did have some involvement with UMD before applying and that may have helped to show how they'd contribute to the community.

The TO didn't seem to matter. My kid did not crack 1400.

What county?

I think my kid got in partly due to the obvious (GPA, etc) and also the county where we live. It's harder to get in from MoCo. Their admissions team says UMD is not the "University of Montgomery County."

The kids there are super smart.

My kid applied TO. They struggle big time with math due to LDs while their writing surpasses the college level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Excuse my ignorance but has the SATs gotten significantly easier since the late 90s, early 2000? I looked at average scores at various colleges today and they all seem so high! No way back when I took it could that many people get scores in mid-high 1400s. Are we talking about the same test? My kids are nowhere near college age so I haven't paid attention to how the test has changed.

The scaling has changed to target around 1000 as average. There is around a 150 pt difference vs. the older test. There have been several iterations, but the scale change was in April 1995 (I just Googled it). So 1500 today might have been 1350ish back then.

The scale was changed again much more recently but the scores are normed nationally. Same with AP.

It’s just a USNWR/TO game.

Yes, it is.

S24 was offered spring admission with SAT over 1400 (700 or higher on both subsections) and a 4.0 unweighted GPA. APs/honors, varsity athlete, thousands of volunteer hours.

He chose another in state school because he doesn’t like the idea of evening classes to start college. I thought he was lucky to even get a chance because he goes to private school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had similar stats as yours, OP, and got in for spring admission (which they do for about 1/4 of the class now). It’s still getting in, though.

OP here- my older one was in Scholars with lower stats and yes I am hoping it might be Spring admit for my younger one with a 4.9 Weighted and 3.97 ish unweighted with 14 APs unless SAT goes up.

Yes, keep trying with testing. UMD really cares about numbers, weighted GPA, which your kid has, and scores. Have you tried ACT? Try a practice test and Princeton Review book. Mine took a practice, didn't score great, but liked the test better than SAT, so we got the Princeton Review book, and she worked through that and took several practice tests along the way. In the actual, she scored a 35 on the first try, which was awesome, since testing for her is like taking a roll at the craps table sometimes. Might be worth a try.

Maryland demographics in 2000:

5.2 million people, 200k asians.

mayland demographics in 2020:

6 million people, 384k asians.

so yes, it's a lot more competitive admissions landscape.

Anonymous wrote:Excuse my ignorance but has the SATs gotten significantly easier since the late 90s, early 2000? I looked at average scores at various colleges today and they all seem so high! No way back when I took it could that many people get scores in mid-high 1400s. Are we talking about the same test? My kids are nowhere near college age so I haven't paid attention to how the test has changed.

The scaling has changed to target around 1000 as average. There is around a 150 pt difference vs. the older test. There have been several iterations, but the scale change was in April 1995 (I just Googled it). So 1500 today might have been 1350ish back then.

Anonymous wrote:Excuse my ignorance but has the SATs gotten significantly easier since the late 90s, early 2000? I looked at average scores at various colleges today and they all seem so high! No way back when I took it could that many people get scores in mid-high 1400s. Are we talking about the same test? My kids are nowhere near college age so I haven't paid attention to how the test has changed.

They have gotten easier but umd also has gotten more competitive

A lot more gunners and gunner fams live in md in 2024 compared to 1998

Anonymous wrote:Excuse my ignorance but has the SATs gotten significantly easier since the late 90s, early 2000? I looked at average scores at various colleges today and they all seem so high! No way back when I took it could that many people get scores in mid-high 1400s. Are we talking about the same test? My kids are nowhere near college age so I haven't paid attention to how the test has changed.

Nothing to do with UMD.

Excuse my ignorance but has the SATs gotten significantly easier since the late 90s, early 2000? I looked at average scores at various colleges today and they all seem so high! No way back when I took it could that many people get scores in mid-high 1400s. Are we talking about the same test? My kids are nowhere near college age so I haven't paid attention to how the test has changed.

Anonymous wrote:UMD is not worth the stress, low QoL, and crazy admissions rates.

Been great for my kid.

Anonymous wrote:These days admission to most good colleges is a lottery.

I completely disagree. Schools are looking for a certain profile.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The GPA was too low.

UMD is not worth the stress, low QoL, and crazy admissions rates.