The University of Maryland admissions process can be overwelming for prospective students. Over 38,000 prospective students apply every year hoping for the opportunity to be a Terrapin next fall. Like most public institutions, the University of Maryland admissions is competitive having an annual acceptance rate of about 41% each year. The applications process begins long before you fill application forms or ask teachers for recommendations. The process starts when you first look to see what the school offers.
Determine if the University of Maryland offers what you are looking for.
Whether you dreamed about attending the University of Maryland your whole life or you like the school colors, make sure that the University of Maryland offers the degree programs, student life or financial aid you are looking for. The University of Maryland offers many degrees programs spanning disciplines in business, liberal arts, education, nursing, and sciences. The University of Maryland has a student body of about 25,000 full time undergraduate students that most of which live on and around campus. Financial aid is available based on need.
Make sure you have the prerequisites.
You should make sure that you meet the minimum prerequisites for admissions. Like most colleges the University of Maryland requires 4 years of English, 3 years of math, 2 years of foreign language, 3 years of science and 3 years of social studies/social sciences for admissions. Hopefully you have received your SAT scores by now. Half of the SAT scores for incoming freshman last year was between 1200 and 1390. Approximately 85% of the incoming students had a high school GPA of 3.5 or better. If your SAT scores and GPA can compete with other applicants then you can prepare your application.
Decide if you want to apply for priority or regular admission.
The University of Maryland admissions committee offers the ability to apply early for priority admissions. If your application is accepted then you must commit to the University of Maryland the next fall. If the University of Maryland is your top school, this method will give you the best chance of admission into the program of your choice. Applications for priority admissions must be submitted before November 1st. If you prefer to have several options before you commit to any school, you should apply during the regular admission period. The deadline for regular admission is January 20. Submit your application sooner rather than later because the University of Maryland admissions is rolling where applications are reviewed as they are submitted.
Complete your application checklist.
Visit the University of Maryland admissions website http://www.admissions.umd.edu/admissions/ for a complete description of the application requirements. University of Maryland application has several components including an application, $55 filing fee, letters of recommendations from a teacher and councilor, SAT scores or ACT scores, and personal essay on answering a specified question. Application can be submitted online or through regular mail.
Submit all the requirements PRIOR to the deadline. The earlier the better!
Be sure to meet all University of Maryland admissions deadlines. All schools have different deadlines. The University of Maryland deadline is relatively earlier than deadlines for other colleges and universities. Prioritize your applications based on when they are due.
Sources:
http://www.umd.edu/
2010 College Handbook, 48th Edition. The College Board. 2010.
