<p>Banker, If I remembered correctly, UMD admitted roughly around 800+ applicants into their Honor College (HC). Around 400 admitted applicants from HC received B/K scholarships with invitation letters to be interviewed for Full B/K, and around 200 admitted applicants from B/K pool received Full B/K. The rest of HC applicants, scholars, and those applied before 11/1 deadline received some other scholarships, like Presidential scholarship, Dean scholarships, etc… after UMD finished processing the B/K scholarships. I would say, the next round of scholarships should be heard around mid March to the end of March. If your S does not get to be selected for B/K, then he may get a chance to receive Presidential scholarship. Last year, IS students received around 8K for Presidential scholarship and around 12K for OS students. So don’t lose your hope. UMD is very generous about their scholarships.</p>
<p>Is it possible the invitations are spread across schools/majors? Someone who is “less qualified” might perhaps get an invitation because of being among the most promising entering freshman in a less common major?</p>
<p>No, I don’t think they take major into account when selecting…it’s based on GPA, SAT, and the application questions primarily. The individual colleges within UMD are not involved in the B/K selection process–there is no allotment by college.</p>
<p>I think school/major does impact whether B/K is offered. Everyone I know who received B/K (roughly 30, over the years) was either in Engineering or Computer Science, Math, and Nat. Science. I don’t dispute the fact that the majority of students with high stats probably applied to one of those schools, but it does seem like UMD wants to attract those students more than students in other majors/colleges. Also, it seems as though every poster on this thread who has received B/K was in engineering or comp sci/math/nat sci.</p>
<p>I’m majoring if golf course management and I got the full B/K.</p>
<p>tortoise–Well do you mostly know people in those schools? (If you’re in Gemstone that’s pretty easily the case.)
Also consider UMD as a school, where are their strongest programs? Engineering. At least that’s what their known for other programs are good and highly ranked but not as well known. But the strongest students will apply to the Engineering programs because other students that strong will apply for schools that have strong programs in their area.</p>
<p>I personally know six or seven English majors, two Government and Politics majors, a business major, a Japanese major, more than ten Biology (different concentration) majors, and a similar number of Engineers. But keep in mind I’m in Gemstone and came in as a Bio major. I then switched into English and am now in the Writer’s House. So I know a wide spread of majors. There doesn’t seem to be much of a weight on major, (I think I knew a few letters and sciences people as well) but consider the sizes of schools as well.
I can’t actually find the numbers for each college (which I find weird), but Engineering, Business and the new Math/Chem and life sciences merger, plus BSOS make up the largest schools by far. ARHU, Journalism, Education and Agriculture etc., not so much. Plus there’s the school I know I completely forgot which is probably also small. </p>
<p>Spret–I want that to be true only because I’ve never spoken to anyone who actually has that major.</p>
<p>Haha, just kidding.</p>
<p>question: did everyone who IS a national merit finalist applying from MD get offered Banneker Key? i feel like that’s honestly the only reason I made it!</p>
<p>Nope - I know several finalists that have not been offered B/K.</p>
<p>I was Hispanic Merit, but from New York which has some of the highest cutoffs. (In both NMF and Hispanic Merit). I’m not sure how Maryland cutoffs compare, but I’d get the Hispanic is higher due to the much larger percent of the population.</p>
<p>Also:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-maryland-college-park/150789-banneker-key-scholarship-9.html?highlight=banneker+key[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-maryland-college-park/150789-banneker-key-scholarship-9.html?highlight=banneker+key</a></p>
<p>The coding doesn’t always work for me so sorry if that’s not a link. But it’s the Banneker Key thread that spanned from 2008-2009 admitting, so a lot of information and a lot more people posted stats.
You will also get to see one of my first trips to this board as Maryland was never on my radar. They recruited me completely. (First for an information day for highly competitive students that I only went to because I was seeing Johns Hopkins, GW, and Georgetown that weekend and needed something to fill the Friday.)
You’ll see that I will continue to answer your questions due to how clueless I was at first too.</p>
<p>I’m just honestly baffled that I got offered B/K…it seems like everyone is so qualified! That’s why I thought it might be an automatic thing for NMF finalists from instate…heres the summary of me if you’re interested. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1090973-chance-me-please-top-lacs-ivies-mostly.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1090973-chance-me-please-top-lacs-ivies-mostly.html</a></p>
<p>I am honestly kind of shocked that I didn’t get the invite. I mean I wasn’t sure if I’d get the scholarship but I thought I would ATLEAST get invited… I am basically going to have to rule out UMD now…</p>
<p>I really want to know why I didn’t get the invite though. Would it be weird if I called and asked?</p>
<p>Well odds are no one actually knows.</p>
<p>DS received a full B/K two years ago and we never filed a FAFSA (would not qualify for aid) and he is not an URM. We were told MUCH weight is placed on the interview for final selection for the full ride, but preliminary selection is based on stats, plus letters of rec and extra curriculars that were done to benefit OTHERS. We were told they want to know what you have done for OTHERS because chances are if you have done this in the past, you will continue the trend in college. Lots of students are involved in extra curriculars that only benefit themselves. UMD is looking for students to LEAD while at UMD. Leadership is definitely something they look for.</p>
<p>It’s great to get the B/K and we are very honored and proud that DS received it, but be careful what you wish for. This school is tough and nothing to sneeze at. Once you have the B/K, you have to work hard to KEEP IT!! Sometimes the stress to perform well (depending on your major, DS is a double Bio major) can really get to a kid and sometimes may hinder your overall college experience of enjoying life and taking things easy. DS is always on the go and is stressed much of the time. Food for thought.</p>
<p>Yeah the difficulty of the bio majors here are especially overlooked. During my lab today we discussed how every single Neuro-Phys major any of us has met has switched to something else. (Most don’t abandon Bio, but go for lighter majors and continue a premed course). I spent my second semester at UMD on scholarship probation and only got off it by appealing to a professor (to change my 88.3 from a B+ to an A-). Your first semester will hit you hard, and you have not yet established a cushion to fall back on if you don’t get a 3.2.</p>
<p>When are people notified of Banneker/Key Status? (full or partial)</p>
<p>@iceberg, my cert. and letter are dated March 12, 2010. Good luck.</p>
<p>They said at the interviews that results come out around April 1.</p>
<p>I got my banneker key letter and certificate today!</p>
<p>way earlier than I expected…</p>
<p>Got full BK letter today. That makes things tough.</p>