So, you’re thinking about applying to the University of Maryland – College Park (better known as simply ‘Maryland’), and you’re curious about your chances of admission. There are a lot of factors in the admissions process. However, the most important factors in the admissions game are your GPA and test scores.

With an acceptance rate of 38.7%, admission to Maryland is definitely competitive. Based on our analysis, to have a good chance of being admitted, you need to be at the very top of your class and have an SAT score of close to 1520, or an ACT score of around 35.

Not quite there? Try taking our SAT prep course and You’ll still have a chance of getting in, but it’s in the single digits. Let’s take a closer look at Maryland’s admission statistics.

Maryland 2019 Admissions Statistics: Class of 2023

• Maryland’s acceptance rate in 2019 was 38.7%
• For the class of 2023, out of 33,000 applicants, Maryland admitted 12,760
• The average GPA of admitted applicants was 4.22
• The average ACT score was 32
• The average SAT score was 1400

For students who took the ACT, the 25th percentile score of successful applicants was 30, and the 75th percentile score was 34.

For students who took the SAT, the 25th percentile score was 1330. The 75th percentile score was 1470.

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If you’re somewhere in the middle of these numbers, remember that a high test score can compensate for a slightly lower GPA, and vice versa. If you’re at the lower end, it helps if you’re a diverse applicant, the child of an alum, or have incredible personal achievements. Still, at the 25th percentile, your chances of getting in are in the low single digits.

Other aspects of your application, such as athletics, extracurricular and recommendations, are important, but will likely only make a difference for admission if you’re in the 75th percentile range for your GPA and SAT/ACT scores.

Even if Maryland is your dream school, and even if you’re in the 75th percentile, you’ll still want to make sure you apply to a wide variety of schools to ensure you’ll gain admission somewhere.

Generally, you should have:

• Three safety schools (where you are in the 75th percentile of GPA/test scores)
• Three reach schools (where you are in the 25th percentile of GPA/test scores)
• Three target schools (where you are near the average for GPA/test scores)

OK, so you’ve decided to apply. We took at a look at Maryland’s admissions requirements to help you get everything in order.

Maryland 2019 Application Requirements: Class of 2023

Here’s a full list of application requirements:

• Fill out the Coalition Application
• Pay a nonrefundable application fee of $75 (or apply for a fee waiver)
• Submit an ACT score or SAT score
• Submit two recommendation letters
• Submit your high school transcript
• Submit either a resume or activities and awards list

Here are the deadlines that you should be aware of:

• The application deadline is December 1st for Early Action.
• January 1st is the financial aid application deadline.
• Early Action notifications are released mid-December.

Have you been admitted to Maryland? Congratulations! Below is a glimpse of what your classmates will be like.

Maryland 2019 Admitted Students Profile: Class of 2023

If you matriculate at Maryland, you’ll be joining a diverse class, with students from all over the U.S. and the world, and have a chance to study in dozens of fields.

Here are some interesting facts about the recently admitted class:

• Roughly 53% are male and 47% are female
• 4% of students are international

Maryland has a diverse class, as well, with a large number of people of color. The ethnicities of admitted applicants are:

• International: 4%
• Underrepresented minority: 1.4%
• Two or more races: 4.4%
• White: 53.1%

What do these admitted students plan to study? Maryland offers dozens of majors, and students matriculating there pursue a wide number of subjects. Here is a list of some of the top programs:

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• Biology
• Economics
• Criminology

Now, how are you going to pay for this?

Maryland Tuition Figures

At $47,927, Maryland’s cost of attendance is astronomical. Most incoming students receive some form of financial aid, and the average award is $9,925.

Here’s a fuller look at Maryland tuition and financial aid in 2017:

• Total budget: $47,927
• Average financial aid package: $9,925
• The average student debt of a Maryland graduate is $27,559

Now, what is life like at Maryland? Let’s take a look.

Maryland Location

Maryland is located in College Park, Maryland, approximately four miles northeast of Washington D.C.

The school is the largest university in the entire state and within the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Its proximity to the national capital has also helped the school secure many research partnerships with the federal government itself through agencies like NASA, for instance.

Remember, you’re going to Maryland for its excellent academics! Below is a look at what academic life will be like.

Maryland Academics

Maryland has dozens of majors. Some of the school’s more interesting majors are:

• Accounting
• Behavioral and Community Health
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Dance
• Economics
• Film Studies
• Geology
• History
• Italian Studies
• Japanese
• Linguistics
• Marketing
• Nutrition and Food Science
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Supply Chain Management

Now, let’s take a look at life outside the classroom at Maryland.

Student Life at Maryland

Maryland has hundreds of student organizations, covering academic interests, creative and performing arts, cultural and racial initiatives, gender and sexuality affinity groups, government and political interests, and various media and publications.

Here’s a sampling of Maryland’s student activities:

• Academic Quiz Team
• B-Terps
• Challah for Hunger
• Dedicated Undergrads Nurturing Kids (DUNK)
• Effective Altruism at UMD
• Fantasy Sports Analytics Society
• Game Developers Club
• Habitat for Humanity
• iDiversity
• JHacks
• Knitting and Crochet Club
• Ladies of Computer Science
• Machine Learning at Maryland
• NAACP
• Open Source Club
• Paintball Team
• Quest Student Association

Are you an athlete? Maryland’s got plenty of options for you.

Maryland Athletics

Maryland offers a large number of intercollegiate sports, with extensive varsity, as well as club, offerings, for both men and women. 

Maryland’s sports include:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football
• Wrestling
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Golf
• Track & Field
• Tennis

Who might you become with a Maryland degree? Let’s take a look at some well-known and successful alums:

Notable Alums

Maryland has produced politicians, business tycoons, entertainers, musicians, media figures, and leaders in dozens of other fields.

Here’s a list of some particularly well-known alums:

• Google co-founder Sergey Brin
• Muppets creator Jim Henson
• Under Armour founder Kevin Plank
• Comedian Larry David
• Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina
• Journalist Carl Bernstein
• Television personality Gayle King
• NASA astronaut Judith Resnik
• Oculus VR co-founder Brendan Iribe
• Powerlifter Kristy Hawkins
• Pro Sports team owner Ed Snider

And this is only a partial list!

Remember!

Getting into Maryland is very competitive. Don’t despair if you get a no.

If you have a strong GPA and high test scores, you have a great chance of getting into at least one of the more competitive schools. And if you don’t, remember: where you go is NOT who you are.

If you need to boost your GPA or test scores before application time rolls around, you should consider signing up for a course with Prep Expert. We offer one-on-one tutoring and classes, both in-person and online, at locations throughout the United States.

For more test strategy, college admissions, and scholarship application tips sign up for our FREE class happening right now!