-Got denied admission after applying priority deadline. My original ACT score of 22 was submitted for my initial application. I raised my score to a 26 (4 point raise is significant) in December, however they they didn’t receive those scores until mid-January and the decision came out January 29th so they may not have used that score. Reading score went from a 19 to a 27. Do I have a chance of overturning the decision?
To Whom It May Concern:
“We are unable to offer you a space in our Fall freshman class”. This thirteen-word statement was essentially the first true denial that I have faced thus far in my seventeen years of life. It was at this movement when I realized that nothing in life is just handed to you. For over three months, I thought I’d be handed an acceptance letter and think nothing of it; so to say this was a wake-up call is an understatement. It was a transitioning experience into adulthood and I have matured significantly since being denied. The University of Maryland was and still is my dream school. With my mother being an alumni of UMD and my brother, currently a junior at College Park, as well as being just forty-five minutes away from the campus; I’ve always had a strong connection with the school. Considering I have already sent in my admission fee to Iowa State University which is seventeen hours away or halfway across the country, I’d say this appeal is coming extremely late. However, I thought I’d give it one last shot.
I applied for the priority deadline to UMD and was denied admission on January 29th. My original ACT score of 22 which was submitted by the deadline of November 1st was raised significantly months later to a score of 26. However, this new ACT score was not sent in until mid-January, just a week or two before the decisions were released. Not only is this an increase of 4 points (equivalent to an SAT raise of about 200 points), but I increased my national percentile from 62nd to 83rd. Although I realize that these are national percentiles and UMD has higher competitive scores, I still believe that this score raise is worth noting. My original ACT Reading score was a 19 which was raised 8 points to a 27 on my second ACT score. This shows that I am a well-rounded student as my ACT Reading, and ACT Math were both scores of 27. These scores are worth taking a look at for reconsideration as the chances are that my better ACT score was not used in the decision since it came in late. This significant score raise was also in the span of about three months which ultimately shows resoluteness. I wanted to prove that I wasn’t an average and lackluster student.
I wish to attend the University of Maryland simply because it is a top school in the nation, just forty-five minutes away, that will provide me with endless opportunities as a business major. Future employment is all about networking, and internship opportunities which I am confident will be stronger at UMD over Iowa State University. Secondly, I’m still unsure if I’m truly ready to be seventeen hours away for college. These past couple of months have been the most difficult and darkest times of my life trying to find myself. What I’ve come to realize is that UMD still has a calling for me. Overall, what I want in a college the most is a challenge. I tend to work up with my peers or down with my peers. In other words, if I’m surrounded by thousands of talented individuals with brilliant ideas and academic achievements like I would be at Maryland, I can ensure that my work ethic will be at its highest point. If admitted, my goal is to have a strong freshman year with a competitive GPA to work my way up to the Smith School of Business as an International Business major. How will this be done? Like I said work ethic is ultimately risen when given a challenge. Surrounding myself with competitive students and brilliant professors is a huge challenge that will keep me motivated.
Finally, as I know there are space limitations and this particular class of 2020 is a group with fine distinctions who are extremely qualified, I still have a sense of hope that I can be an impactful student at Maryland. I greatly appreciate the opportunity for a reconsideration. Hopefully, some time in my near future I’ll be walking around the halls of Smith and opening my eyes to explore the world of endless opportunities.
Thanks again,
Michael Roller
