<p>Until someone else jumps in, I’ll answer as best I can. First off, congrats on your acceptance! </p>
<p>1) How does housing work?
-How far is the housing from the campus or is it on campus?</p>
<p>You have a few options. The most common choice is to lease at The View which has a few floors dedicated specifically for students participating in Freshman Connection (FC). There is a foot bridge right behind the building that puts you onto campus near the math, science, engineering buildings. It’s not far at all. I understand the apartments are really nice.</p>
<p>The bummer is that you have to sign a year lease, so if housing becomes available on campus for the spring, you can’t take advantage of it. Not such a huge issue, but there it is.</p>
<p>Other options include commuting the first semester, if you are in-state, and subleasing from students going abroad, other off-campus housing (apartments, house rentals)</p>
<p>2) How does this affect the overall college experience?
I have heard from several sources (students and parents of students) that it is a really positive experience, they are really glad they did it, and they graduate on time as if they were admitted to the fall.
-Will I take classes with the fall admits?
Not in the fall, but from the spring on. In the fall, there are classes that are restricted to FC students that are not “prime time” - meaning only in mid-afternoon through the evening. However, some of those classes are more interesting options for your electives than what’s available for fall admits (who have to fight for seats AFTER upperclassmen have taken the lion’s share of the best classes) Here is the link to check out what courses are available for you to take [UM</a> Testudo | Schedule Of Classes](<a href=“http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/freshconfall.html]UM”>http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/freshconfall.html) .
Just click on the four letter department code to open up the options in that area.</p>
<p>It is only one semester, and starting in the spring, you are taking classes with everyone else, prime time and all. You are a “full admit” and no one can “tell” you did FC NOR do they care…it’s a very common thing and no biggie.
-When will I graduate?
As long as you take all your classes on time for your four-year plan, you should graduate in the spring of 2017.
-How does my sophomore year work? When do I start? Sophomore year is the same as everyone else, as is the second semester of your freshman year, assuming you participate in FC. If you don’t, then the spring is your first semester freshman year, and you will likely graduate in December 2017. </p>
<p>**3) Is there any serious drawback to starting in the spring? Any benefits?
Not sure how to answer this one…as a parent, I would say what else do you have in mind? It might be hard to find a job for that time frame, unless you have one lined up that continues on from the summer. So what if you don’t have a job…? While I am not sure of the exact cost of FC, my understanding is that it allows you to take 12-17 credits for a reduced price (since not “prime time”). To me, that’s a benefit for FC (not to mention my earlier comment of more interesting electives). Other options if you want to wait til spring are to study abroad (through UMD) or go to community college.</p>
<p>You should go to an accepted students day for spring admits to get more details and the most accurate information…</p>
<p>[Office</a> of Undergraduate Admissions · University of Maryland » Admitted Spring Freshmen](<a href=“http://www.admissions.umd.edu/admitted/AdmittedSpringFreshmen.php]Office”>http://www.admissions.umd.edu/admitted/AdmittedSpringFreshmen.php)</p>
<p>Hope this helps. Congrats again on being accepted as a Terp!</p>