Can you clarify your statement? It’s confusing me. Your statement sounds like the scholarship is only intended for certain ethnicities? Is that the case? Because that wasn’t what I was told.
Yes, all in-state (Montgomery County, MD). Each of our 25 high schools send 50+ students a year to UMD so I know a lot of students.
We were in a similar situation last year. Son had an acceptance from WM and UMD (as well as 6 others) We got a little merit, but COA is still $39 v $46. Two items “clinched” it for us: kid is a CS major (surprise, surprise) Hard to beat their program. Secondly, IF he would have been accepted to UVA (waitlisted), first year cost of engineering school was about $42k/yr in state. Close enough to spend a little out of state for a superior program. He’s having a blast! Doesnt regret for a second.
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This makes me feel so much better! To hear another Virginian sending their kid to UMD.
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FWIW, I’m guessing you are from NOVA?? Not sure if you ever catch TJHSST’s (he attended a different school in FCPS) magazine year end college destination issue. For at least the past four years, they send MORE kids to UMD than VT and GMU. Very strange!
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Yes, not surprising many top students there. Just look up honors college and banneker key, can see some news about them.
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I’m just outside of NOVA in Loudoun. Well, I know for my daughter, she led and participated in a lot of clubs that went into the city. She enjoys global affairs, so that’s part of the draw to stay near the city.
I’m not surprised about TJ admissions. UMD has a lot of notable tech alumni. The co-founder of Google came from there. I went to high school with him. The guy the engineering building is named after made billions selling the fiber optics he developed during his dissertation. He sold it to Lucent, I believe. I think he was a few years before me. Lots of notable alumni.
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My kid had the same feeling with UD campus - I didn’t have it or understand it, but I’m not going to school. They’re humoring me by being completely open minded to a few options still, but it’s probably going to end up being UD. FWIW, I think that feeling if it’s there shouldn’t be discounted - if you’re happy, you have a better chance of thriving, I’d hope.
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I know a lot of the BK kids from the past several years - all ethnicities.
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The photo I saw online of the Banneker/Key kids were pretty diverse, a mix of everyone. No one seemed left out. No one.
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Just sat in on the information session for the Smith Business School, and I’m thoroughly impressed at how they get the kids plugged into the business clubs and internships in their freshman year. Very impressed with the kids they admitted too. They asked some thoughtful questions on how to get up and running in business. I actually held a presentation for the Smith school kids a few years back on the opportunities at the place I work at. I had completely forgotten about that and what a pulled together group they had been. I held presentations for other colleges too, but the UMD group had the most questions and left me a signed poster of the terrapins. It didnt occur to me how excited they were that their career trajectory could land them at all the places I had worked at.
Great employment stats. Selective Wall Street track. Very good vibes.
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Hi. Thanks for sharing your observations. My S24 has been accepted into UMD/Smith and it’s among his top two choices at the moment, along with IU/Kelley. We’re OOS for both (from FL). We missed the zoom session last night but hope to tune into a future one. Pipeline to Wall Street-type jobs is an important consideration when comparing these two schools. FWIW, we really want to like UMD, but hear/read stories about poor living conditions in freshmen dorms, never-ending construction on campus, College Park being a not-so-charming town, etc. Anyway, there’s more work to be done before making a final decision.
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Congratulations on the acceptance. I THINK merit announcements come out this evening so hopefully they will dangle some $ you way! Every one of your concerns are valid…CP is not the quintessential college town, some of the dorms are 60 yo w/no AC and there is construction right in the middle of campus for a train line neither of our kids will ever get the opportunity to enjoy. My freshman son had eight acceptances and depite the perceived negatives, wouldnt change his decision for a second to attend UMD. He loves it there.
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Housing was important to us too. My D got into a dorm with air conditioning since she was invited to a living learning community. If you werent invited to a living learning community, you may want to inquire about those. I checked their website, and it looked like the majority of the dorms had AC with the exception of a few. Also, they told us since we were out of state we would be guaranteed on campus housing as long as she doesnt move off campus. I couldnt get the same assurance from the other schools on our list, they also had dorms without A/C, and housing issues in the area.
The metro is scheduled to be completed in 2025, and that works out for us because we live on the other side of the system in VA and a bus will literally drop her off in front of our house. I’ve used the DC metro system for most of my life, so thats why im okay with it. GW has had a metro on their campus for many years, and it doesnt seem to have created any issues for them.
I’ve been in the financial services industry and consulting industry, my brother as well. So we have some thoughts on Wall Street and UMD’s feeder program than sends interns to New York. So that helped us with our decision. I’m always hesitant to put out my thoughts on line in a public forum regarding this area. I think it generates a lot of reaction depending on where people have gone to school and what work experiences they have.
Anyway, I hope my thought process helps your decision. Feel free to send me a private message if needed.
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[Deleted my post.]
@FXdad20232025 said the opposite:
His son is a freshman at UMD as he’s mentioned in previous posts, and loves it there.
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Apologizes. Hes AT UMD and loves it.
Oops!!! My deepest apologies.
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Thanks for pointing that out!
Speaking of Dorms, it is fairly common for Juniors and Seniors to move into campus affiliated housing either The Courtyards or South Campus Commons (SCC).
Back in 2018, my D decided that she wanted to live in SCC, beginning her Junior year, and she did. She even met her husband there 
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