Advice for Newly Admitted Terps

I found the email to contact on the UMD website! thanks so much everyone!

does anybody know how to acquire my UMD directory ID??

@futureterp22, in your decision letter your Directory ID is at the bottom (U_ID). To activate, click on Admitted Fall Freshman Checklist. Click on item 5. Once there on the right side of the page under Request This Service it’s the first option.

@kidodie do you have to pay your deposit before activating your UMD directory ID

@ny1517, I activated but have not accepted the decision nor paid the deposit. I also completed my housing.

Did you receive you directory ID right away @kidodie?

@ny1517, the University ID at the bottom of the letter is your Directory ID. It needs to be activated through their website. Once that is done you can select housing preferences and meal plans. It’s separate from the decision portal so if you activate and select housing, but don’t attend, you will simply have to cancel housing. I read a post to do that asap to avoid being placed in a triple.

Did you have to wait a day to complete your housing after creating your directory id

Thank you @kidodie I must have done something wrong. Will try again.

And don’t they make you electronically sign to ensure that you will pay if you sign the form to complete your housing That makes you commit to Maryland or waste thousands of dollars.

I just did the housing form but my DD has not committed to UMD yet.

@infinity789 I just read the electronic signature area again& it says you must cancel in writing before 7/1/18 to avoid fees

I’m really confused. When I try to activate my account, it prompts me to make a new UID (a combination of my first and last name). Is that what we’re supposed to do? In other words, do we ignore the 9 digit ID they gave us on our application checklist?

Oh I guess the UID (University ID) and DID (Directory ID) are different.

they are different! i don’t know why there’s 2 different ID’s you have to make but the DID you use for your UMD email setup and other things

You are not on the hook to commit nor to pay thousands of dollars. Just send them an email on May 1 when you’ve made your final decision to cancel your housing request, if necessary. You actually have until some time after May 1, but I don’t remember the exact date This is nothing new.

@SoofDad must send email to cancel housing by 7/1 according to website

So, another suggestion for new admits is to use Facebook to get more information on programs at Maryland. They have pages for just about everything, so go ahead and “like” every page of potential interest to get news that may help you. Of course, if you decide not to commit to Maryland, you can “unlike” the pages later. Some suggestions include (but are not limited to - you will have to search for your personal interests on your own)…

University of Maryland Office of Student Financial Aid (VERY helpful to “like” so you get news of scholarships available to apply for, deadlines for applications, FAFSA info, etc)

U. of MD Honors College (and note that there are individual pages for each program within honors college)
College Park Scholars
Carillon Communities UMD
UMD Civicus (and Civicus Living and Learning Program at the University of Maryland)
Global Communities UMD
Women in Engineering program - University of Maryland
University of Maryland Career Center
University of Maryland
Quest Honors Program at the University of Maryland
Student Entertainment Events
A. James Clark School of Engineering (There are individual pages for each disciple - i.e. Mechanical Engineering, etc)
University of Maryland School of Music
Cybersecurity Education at the University of Maryland
Robert H. Smith School of Business (and pages for each “school” within the University of Maryland)
Maryland Terrapins (sports)
Startup Shell
Mighty Sound of Maryland
University of Maryland Department of Resident Life
The Stamp (Adele H. Stamp Student Union)

and the list goes on ad nauseum - no way I can list them all, but you get the idea, so just do a search on Facebook and check out all the pages of interest to you…

If everybody starts to sign up for housing before even having decided they’ll show up, I don’t see how that helps Maryland in their planning…

@WilliamNYC - A lot of people already know that you will not be going to UMD based on other acceptances they received. And the housing request must be cancelled in writing (email) by July first or else you will be billed for it. UMD has been admitting students for a very long time, this is not new to them.