FAQ for 2015

bulletandpima · August 12, 2010, 10:42am

So it is that time of yr again where people start asking what are my chances, and as a Mom of a Class of 12 I would like to assist by giving quick answers for the most common questions.

Is this a HOOK?
A hook is not URM* or legacy.

A hook is something truly unique. A hook should be seen as bragging rights from UMD regarding academia and diversity.

Publishing a book, or being a NMF is a hook, because they can say X% of our student are NMF within their recruiting process.

Eagle Scout is great, and will give you an edge, but it is not a hook. However, it does show the admission dept., that you show commitment and time management. Two aspects that are looked favorably upon for college success rates.

URM…being AA, Hispanic or Asian, does not necessarily give you an edge for URM, because they are not Under Represented Minorities when it comes to UMDCP. Being Afghani, or American Indian is a different story.

OOS Chances

NJ/NY are very competitive. Use Naviance at your school to find out historical information regarding their stats.

Hate to say it, but if you are from these two states, it will be highly competitive compared to people applying from TX, NM or OR.

The reason why, is due to the fact that UMD wants diversity, they don’t want to be UMD the satellite state university of NJ/NY. They want to expand and gain national exposure.

Here’s their choice, continue to take from there, where they have a foothold that is highly competitive, or take a student from TN with slightly lower stats, where the % of applicants is less, and they can expand their market share. Remember, this is also a business to UMD, since the only way to increase the caliber is to increase the pool.

IS Chances

Just because you are IS doesn’t mean you will get in with lower stats. UMDCP had @30K applicants for 4K spots this yr. This school should never be seen as a safety, even from IS standpoints.

If UMDCP states these are the avg stats, and you fall below them, don’t assume, that being IS will help you.

I would suggest to look up (google) the program UMDCP has right now regarding specific schools and scholarships from within the state

Smith or Phillip Merril chances

Not only is UMDCP ranked in the top 20 public universities nationally, but Smith and Phillip are internationally ranked. It is very competitive. For many students they will get into UMDCP, but not Smith or Phillip and before you ask chance me, make sure your stats are very strong.

Do Essays count?

YES! Logic prevails here, do yo believe they ask for them and then toss them in a garbage can without ever reading them? Do you want to live your life regretting that you got a
thin envelope because you thought it was a throw away?

This question is my pet peeve because I infer that the applicant wants to take a short cut and not put 1000% towards getting in. Why do you ask this question, do you honestly think people are going to say, NO, they never read it, thus you can type abcderfghijklmnopqrstuvwxy and z as your essay?

Priority Deadline
Priority exists to also make you eligible not only for ED, but scholarship purposes. Yr after yr there will be a student who states I submitted on Dec 2., knowing the cut off is Dec 1., will this hurt me?

Yes! Go back to my point on 30K applicants, they drew a line in the sand, and you loss. Now, if you say, I was in the hospital because I got my appendix removed on Nov. 25th, I bet they will give you a pass, but unless you have a viable reason for missing, the cliche…TOO BAD SO SAD will most likely apply. If you’re confident in your SAT/ACT, or even took them as late as Nov., instead of texting your friends all night or watching You Tube, get on line and complete it ASAP. It is not uncommon to get this follow on…

UMDCP missing items
Create a folder, and have duplicates of everything you send. Also to go back to the deadline issue, don’t wait until the deadline date, check in a few days early, and speak to them if something is missing.
Typically, it is SAT or transcript, something that can be worked with to rectify if you know 3 days before the deadline.
Their deadline is not a suggestion date, it is the date.

Merit Money/ FA

If you want Merit/scholarship money than see my previous statements regarding priority
IMHO, UMDCP is notoriously horrible when giving out merit compared to other colleges. Additionally, let’s go with they give you 5K a yr for 4 yrs. Here’s the problem, UMDCP tuition, room and board will continue to increase. I believe it was 2400 this yr from last yr. The same for the yr before. Now that 5K as a rising jr isn’t helping you at all because of their increases. If the only way you can swing it is with the 5K merit, by your sophomore yr you maybe facing a financial hardship. You need to address this

When will we hear
UMDCP in the past 3 yrs has always released very close to their on-line announcement. If they say Feb 8th, than you might start to find out around Feb 1st.

After yrs on this site, I can say TRUST ME, the forum will light up like the 4th of July. You will know that they started their mass admittances. If you don’t get an answer right away, remain patient, because 30K applicants take a long time to input and process.

No, none of us here have yet to figure out the method to their madness regarding releasing acceptances and rejections.

** Comparing UMDCP to other schools**
We can all give our opinions, but in the end of the day, you have to ask what is your gut telling you. You need to remember, that this is not a prison sentence where you are forced to stay for 4 yrs., you can always transfer!

To the class of 15 I hope this helps. To other posters please feel free to add on or paste to give more info that will assist in understanding this process.

lb801 · August 12, 2010, 12:39pm

Just to clarify, the priority deadline for UMDCP is now (as of this past year) Nov. 1, not Dec. 1.

bulletandpima · August 12, 2010, 1:24pm

Thanks for the clarification!

astrophysicsmom · August 12, 2010, 1:37pm

Great list. A couple of suggestions, as we usually see the same questions over and over… Use the SEARCH tool on the UMD forum here on CC to see if your question has been asked before… dorms, greek scene, how big are the classes, etc. are all out there.

Also, if you’re really interested in UMD, GET FAMILIAR with their website. UMD.EDU is not the easiest site to find things, but by using the search tools, usually you can find what you need. By going into college or department sites you can get a lot of info, and the sites by departments such as ResLife and Financial AID have most of the info you’ll need. JUST AS IMPORTANT is Testudo.umd.edu. There you can actually see the lists of classes offered each semester, figure out how big the classes are, etc. It’s where the heart of day-to-day life as a terp is located, including grades, financials, etc. Smaller universities may have a lot of classes listed in the catalog, but when you actually look at the schedule, you may find that there are only some classes offered each semester (e.g. the only time you can sign up for underwater basketweaving is spring semesters of even years…) UMD does that to some extent (especially in classes that have to be taken in order, like language classes, etc), but the actual list of what is offered each semester (in conjunction with the online catalog which can give you a detailed description of the course) is outstanding.

bulletandpima · August 13, 2010, 11:08am

One More for the list

IS UMBC A SATTELITE SCHOOL OF UMDCP?

No, UMUC, is it’s own separate school. The feel of it and the school itself are night and day.

ginab591 · August 13, 2010, 1:15pm

Your typo in that post is probably the only one you could have made to make that post confusing.

bulletandpima · August 13, 2010, 1:25pm

Sorry, forgot there is also a UMUC. I meant UMBC.

Now, yes there is a UMUC, at UMDCP, and that would be most likely classified as a sattelite, especially since it is basically a night school for UMDCP.

SO for clarifcation.

UMBC is in Baltimore. It is not the sattelite for UMDCP, it is a separate college. UMDCP is not like UNC or PSU. They don’t have many campuses, with one ultimate campus like Chapel Hill or College Station.

There is one campus, and that is CP.

shamrock · August 14, 2010, 8:27am

After perusing various sites that offer reviews of UMDCP, I noticed some recurring themes: excellent academic reputation, great proximity to major cities, very good opportunities for internships and study abroad - all great features. However, other frequently mentioned comments on these sites (many from former students) have raised some concerns in my mind. Comments please.

1) Party School - Almost every reviewer mentions the prevalent party atmosphere. Would a student who is a non-partyer feel out of place?

2) Housing - Is it true that only freshmen and sophomores live on campus? Are there lots of options for safe off-campus housing? Is the quality of housing (facilities and cleanliness) sub-par in any way?

3) Very large school - I realize that large classes can be expected for introductory courses in a school this size. What can students do to feel less like a number or get to know their professors?

4) Safety - Several reviewers mention crime being a common problem. Anyone agree or disagree?

Thanks for any input.

plumazul · August 14, 2010, 2:39pm

@shamrock,

Hi :)

1) I can’t think of anyone being more of a “non-partyer” than I. That is where the LLCs are helpful. If you are in the HC, then you will have no problem finding others like you. It’s the other side of the “big school” coin.
2) Housing is getting better. Oakland Hall will open next year, and even now many find ways of staying on campus (RAs) if that is what you wish. I have no personal knowledge of the off campus housing but many have told me there are nice choices. I plan to stay on campus all 4 years (a perk of my scholarship).
3) Once again, being in the HC can make a huge difference. I’m taking calc III this fall in a classroom of 25 instead of the standard auditorium because I’m in the HC. As for how to “get to know their professors”, I’ve been told by others that this really depends on the professor and can vary greatly. Also, all professors have office hours. So if the student is determined enough, they should be able to get to know his/her professors.
4)A “common” problem? I know many current students and have not been told of any problems. UMd is BIG, so the number of incidents my be large, but on a per capita basis, no different than any other public school …

bulletandpima · August 14, 2010, 5:19pm

To chime in as a Mom.

<ol>
<li>UMDCP does have parties, but just like any other university it really is up to your child. Our DS socializes, but it is with his group, he is not in a frat, he doesn’t go searching out parties within the campus. He is more of 10-15 people getting together and hanging out.</li>
<li>Housing is getting better, but the reality is by jr. yr., it is no biggie if they live on or live off campus. There are many great places to rent from that are on the UMDCP shuttle route. Our DS is a rising jr. and he is living in a TH that is not even a yr old, right off of campus. By the time we pay rent and utilities he is costing us less than living on campus (room cost). </li>
</ol>

I stressed about this too, especially as an OOS parent, but it really isn’t a big deal at all.

<ol>
<li> There will be large classes, there is no way around it (unless HC). However, instead of fearing it, embrace it. This is a rite of passage. The classes that are incredibly large will also break down to seminar sizes with TA’s. Believe it or not it is also a bonding issue for students, because they learn to rely on each other and create study groups.</li>
</ol>

Like I said it is a rite of passage.

<ol>
<li> Safety also comes up. Here is the deal. UMDCP is a small city. The crime rate is going to be like that of a small city. USE LOGIC!</li>
</ol>

For example: Don’t walk around campus at midnight by yourself. If you are get on your cell phone and talk to someone as you are walking.

It is true go 3 or 4 blocks from UMDCP and you can be in a bad area, but then the logical question is why are you so far from campus?

LOGIC!

As a Mom, who has a DS at UMDCP and now one going to VATECH, I can’t worry about things like that. No parent at Tech 3 yrs ago would have thought their child wasn’t safe, but in the end, there was a horrific day at the school.

I have to say, I am more concerned about our DD at Tech than I am about our DS at UMD. At UMD, they have tighter dorm precautions even now than Tech does. At UMDCP you need to swipe your card to get in the dorm and on the elevator or in the stairwell. At Tech, once you get in the dorm, you are free and clear to go. Plus, at UMDCP to get to the girl side of the dorm wing, you need to swipe again for certain dorms. At Tech girls and guys room on the same floor, in other words, her next door neighbor is a guy.

Additionally, every kid gets alerts on their phones and computers if something occurs, stating when and what. If they use LOGIC, then they know to be on the look out.

You have to believe in fate and what is good, otherwise you will make yourself insane.

Look at UMDCP not only for what is written about them on line or in reports, but the other things. Look at the campus, where else could you see black squirrels? Look at their camaraderie regarding football and basketball. Look at the beauty of their campus or how close they are to DC.

If you only look for the bad, you will find a 1000 reasons to say no to UMDCP, but those 1000 reasons will exist for every other college too.

nickkim · August 15, 2010, 4:03pm

Thanks this was very helpful!

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