@Matt846 and @abbymcohiostate Don’t assume you (or your students) haven’t made the cut just yet. I’ve heard reports in the past of the emails going out in “waves”.
I’ve also heard of students who received the packet but hadn’t received an email. So don’t give up yet!
And even if this particular scholarship doesn’t pan out, Maryland has other merit scholarships – see my post on the previous page for some links.
There’s still lots of time left in this process, both at Maryland and elsewhere. Best of luck to both of you.
When my son didn’t receive honor or scholar he sent an email and asked if he was still eligible for the Banneker/Key scholarship. We are out of state. The reply said the honors and scholars list was final and there could be no appeal, but he was still eligible for the Banneker/Key scholarship. All who apply to the University of Maryland are eligible. However, he didn’t receive the email…so I don’t think he will get the invite. Maryland may be that lost dream for him, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the mailing! Good luck everyone!
@luv2sk8 D2 received the email last night; I think it came in around 5PM.
Some years, they’ve reportedly sent out invitations in waves, rather than all at once. And from time to time a student will receive the packet without having received an email first. So I wouldn’t worry about it yet.
In any case, B-K is by no means the only scholarship (merit or need-based) that Maryland offers. You can find much more information about financial aid on the UMD website.
@MzJCricket this is copied from something I posted last year that explains the merit scholarships for incoming freshman.
3 Scholarship Levels
Banneker/Key Scholarship: The University of Maryland seeks to identify and select some of the brightest high school seniors in the nation to continue their education as Banneker/Key Scholars. There are two award levels for Banneker Key Scholarships. The first award level covers the costs of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and a book allowance each year for four years. The second award level provides a partial scholarship to go towards tuition and a book allowance each year for four years. Scholarship recipients will also be admitted to the Honors College and will be afforded many other opportunities as they participate in intellectual enrichment programs. For full consideration, students must submit an admission application, application fee, official transcript, essay, recommendations, and official copies of SAT or ACT scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by November 1 for the following academic year. Selected semifinalists are given a personal interview by the Banneker/Key Selection committee. Factors such as a candidate’s involvement in community service, talents or skills, leadership, and character all play a part in the final awards.
President’s Scholarship: This award provides talented prospective freshmen with scholarship support for four years. Awards ranging from $2,000 to $12,000 per year are offered to incoming freshmen. Students are selected through the admissions process with primary consideration given to academic performance in high school (high school courses and achievement), results of standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), extracurricular activities, awards, honors, recommendations, and the essay. For full consideration, students must submit a complete application for admission by November 1.
Deans’ Scholarship: This award provides talented prospective freshmen with scholarship support for one to two years. Awards ranging from $1,500 for one year to $4,500 for two years are offered to incoming freshmen. To be considered, students must submit a complete application for admission by November 1.
Congratulations to all who will be interviewing for the Banneker/Key scholarship. A large scholarship to a top university like Maryland is a wonderful accomplishment.
FYI: If you receive the full B/K, and you have the opportunity to supplement it with another outside scholarship, be sure to follow through with all the requirements for them. For example: if you are a National Merit Finalist, make sure you follow all the directions in your NMS packet and select Maryland as your choice. The Maryland NMS is $2,000/year and will be paid in addition to the full B/K. You can receive up to the full COA in scholarship funds.
Does B-K scholarship choose people from certain majors? My field is not STEM. Am I not having a chance? I have 2270/2400, 1490/1600 SAT. and two 800 SAT IIs (Math II and World History). 4.0 UW GPA and many ECs. I like UMD but I will not go there if I don’t have a scholarship.
BK is more than stats, it really depends on the pool of the students and how they compare (more and more kids have near perfect SAT/ACT scores with UW GPA of 4.0). I think an important factor, from the kids I know, seems to be taking the hardest course load available through high school and continuing this senior year. Thinking about dropping from 4 AP junior year down to 2 AP senior year, that probably counts you out unless you didn’t have more AP left to take or you took college classes. In the end I think getting BK is a little, or maybe a lot, like getting into an Ivy, you can tell when you are in the running but hard to know exactly why you did or did not get it.
Good Luck & Congrats to your daughter as well!