This is the official discussion thread for UMD College Park Class of 2029 RD applicants. Ask your questions and connect with fellow applicants.
I want to be the first to say, good luck to all. Also, if your kid is accepted to Freshman Connection - THEY ARE ACCEPTED. It is a great program, they attend school and dorm with the “regular” admits, they just start classes at 3pm. They take core classes, they won’t get behind! My son was accepted via this program and didn’t feel any different than other freshman!
6 Likes
Are there any major restrictions with Freshman Connection, such as Engineering?
Students are accepted as Letters and Sciences, not into any major as a direct admit. I do not think transferring into engineering is necessarily difficult (must take some core classes and earn a certain GPA, then can internally transfer into the engineering school). It is a limited enrollment program… Read the FAQs at the link below:
Students admitted via Freshman Connection also do not receive any scholarship money (which is not common at UMD anyway) nor are they offered admittance into one of the LLCs.
2 Likes
Thank you for the info!
My S25 applied for aerospace engineering and is dying to get involved in the Space Systems Lab. Here’s hoping it works out!
1 Like
It looks like fall admission L&S aren’t accepted into LLCs, either.
Our S25 was accepted into L&S (applied for Aerospace). On paper, it doesn’t appear to be any different than other schools when a student is accepted as Pre-Engineering major. It just feels different. Our son LOVED the Maryland program, especially the Space Systems Lab, but it discouraged him when he wasn’t a direct admit.
LLC’s are no guarantee of success. College, any college, is a place of opportunities, if the student takes advantage of them.
Transfers into Engineering at UMD are non-competitive and straight forward. I think that this is somewhat due to the fact that a lot of students drop out because it is not what they expected. My D’s husband did not get into Engineering (which he applied for). Did not get into any LLCs. He did an internal transfer, graduated and got a Great job, making big bucks
1 Like
We’re hoping more for social support and guidance, similar to the Engineering Scholar’s program at Ohio State.
Our S is coming from a private school with roughly 100 students in each grade, so a school the size of UMD is going to be a big jump for him. Engineering programs and LLCs tend to make it a smaller community within a large school.
What you say is true. My D was in an LLC and that dorm included many non-LLC students (Hagerstown Hall) but even with that, she and her roommate, and one other student, went through the entire dorm floor by floor, room by room and introduced themselves to the other residents. Not everyone was receptive, but they meet and became friends with some of them
1 Like
Good on your daughter! Talk about raising them right.
1 Like
Does anyone know about their honors program? What`s the % acceptance rate? Did they already decide and send out the communication about honors acceptance to the students?
Yes, honors invitations are sent along with the acceptance.
Not sure about the percentage. @stemx, do you know?
No, admissions does not share that.
1 Like
Does anyone know if additional Open House dates or spaces will be made available to meet capacity? It’s hard to believe that so few spots were available on the two dates that no one admitted RD had a chance of registering for them.
1 Like