What are University of Maryland's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into University of Maryland and build a strong application.
School location: College Park, MD
This school is also known as: College Park, UMCP, UMD
Admissions Rate: 44.5%
If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.
The acceptance rate at University of Maryland is 44.5%. For every 100 applicants, 45 are admitted.
This means the school ismoderately selective. The school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools. If you exceed their requirements, you have an excellent chance of getting in. But if you don't, you might be one of the unlucky minority that gets a rejection letter.
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We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.
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University of Maryland GPA Requirements
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.
Average GPA: 4
The average GPA at University of Maryland is 4.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 4, University of Marylandrequires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.
If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.
University of Maryland hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."
Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to University of Maryland will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.
University of Maryland SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.
Average SAT: 1380
The average SAT score composite at University of Maryland is a 1380 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes University of Maryland Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.
University of Maryland SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile SAT score is 1370, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1510. In other words, a 1370 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1510 will move you up to above average.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
Math | 705 | 690 | 780 |
Reading + Writing | 675 | 670 | 740 |
Composite | 1380 | 1370 | 1510 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
University of Maryland has the Score Choice policy of "All Scores."
This means that University of Maryland requires you to send all SAT scores you've ever taken to their office.
This sounds daunting, but most schools don't actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won't actually average the two tests.
More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore - that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.
Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They're afraid that University of Maryland will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?
From our research and talking to admissions officers, we've learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit. The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don't care how many times you've taken it. They'll just focus on your score.
If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you're not improving with each test. They'll question your study skills and ability to improve.
But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1380, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You don't have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points?
University of Maryland ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, University of Maryland likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT: 31
The average ACT score at University of Maryland is 31. This score makes University of Maryland Strongly Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 31, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 34.
Even though University of Maryland likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 31 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 31 and above that a 31 will look academically weak.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 31 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
However, in our research, we found that University of Maryland does in fact offer an ACT superscore policy. To quote their Admissions Office:
We use the highest subscores from the SAT and ACT in our review of your application.
Superscoring is powerful to your testing strategy, and you need to make sure you plan your testing accordingly. Of all the scores that University of Maryland receives, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all ACT test dates you submit.
Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.
How does superscoring change your test strategy? (Click to Learn)
For example, say you submit the following 4 test scores:
English | Math | Reading | Science | Composite | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Test 1 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 20 |
Test 2 | 16 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 20 |
Test 3 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 16 | 20 |
Test 4 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 20 |
Superscore | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Even though the highest ACT composite you scored on any one test date was 20, University of Maryland will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 20 to 32 in this example.
This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and University of Maryland forms your Superscore, you can take the ACT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.
Therefore, if your ACT score is currently below a 31, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the ACT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the ACT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.
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SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.
University of Maryland considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring a 1510 SAT or a 34 ACT or above will nearly guarantee you admission. Because the school admits 44.5% of all applicants, being far above average raises the admission rate for you to nearly 100%.
If you can achieve a high SAT/ACT score, the rest of your application essentially doesn't matter. You still need to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA shouldn't be too far off from the school average of 4. But you won't need dazzling extracurriculars and breathtaking letters of recommendation to get in. You can get in based on the merits of your score alone.
But if your score is a 1370 SAT or a 31 ACT and below, you have a good chance of being one of the unlucky few to be rejected.
Want to build the best possible college application?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.
We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.
Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.
Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at University of Maryland?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Pick your test:SATACT
SAT Score
Your GPA
Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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- PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses. You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
- We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
- Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts. PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
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Application Requirements
Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of University of Maryland here.
Application Requirements Overview
- Common ApplicationNot accepted
- Electronic ApplicationAvailable
- Essay or Personal StatementRequired for all freshmen
- Letters of Recommendation2
- InterviewNot required
- Application Fee$75
- Fee Waiver Available?Available
- Other NotesResume of activities, audition for music applicants, drawing requirement for architecture recommended for some freshmen
Testing Requirements
- SAT or ACTConsidered if submitted
- SAT Essay or ACT WritingOptional
- SAT Subject Tests
- Scores Due in OfficeJanuary 20
Coursework Requirements
- SubjectRequired Years
- English4
- Math4
- Science3
- Foreign Language2
- Social Studies3
- History
- Electives
Deadlines and Early Admissions
- Offered?DeadlineNotification
- Regular Admission
- YesJanuary 20February 1
- Early Action
- YesNovember 1February 1
- Early Decision
- No
Admissions Office Information
- Address:7999
College Park, MD 20742 - Phone:(301) 405-1000 x1000
- Fax:(301) 314-9693
- Email:[emailprotected]
Other Schools For You
If you're interested in University of Maryland, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to University of Maryland.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than University of Maryland. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 1475 | 34 |
University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | 1445 | 33 |
University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 1440 | 32 |
Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ | 1438 | 33 |
Southern Methodist University | Dallas, TX | 1436 | 32 |
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | 1435 | 32 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for University of Maryland, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | 1396 | 31 |
Villanova University | Villanova, PA | 1395 | 33 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 1393 | 30 |
University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 1384 | 31 |
Binghamton University | Binghamton, NY | 1375 | 31 |
Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | 1365 | 31 |
University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | 1360 | 30 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for University of Maryland, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If University of Maryland is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 1331 | 30 |
University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1315 | 29 |
Seton Hall University | South Orange, NJ | 1310 | 30 |
Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 1310 | 29 |
University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | 1291 | 28 |
Penn State University Park | University Park, PA | 1265 | 28 |
Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | 1241 | 28 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
Want to build the best possible college application?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.
We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.
Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.
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