@safireonfire are you in the engineering school? My son was accepted to it. If you have any advice/comments for an incoming freshman, please share them. Thank you!
@ReminiscingDad Not a problem at all! I actually am in the Clark School of Engineering, currently a BioE major, and in the Gemstone living learning program. It is a lot of work though, especially the combo of gemstone and engineering, plus a research internship I’ve just taken on. Just know that college is a lot of work, especially if you’re a stem major. (Some times I get a little jealous of the art/humanities majors who get to go out every night haha). But if your son’s been invited to BK and the engineering school, I’m sure he’ll do just fine. Perhaps the most vital piece of advice I can offer is: Talk to as many advisers as possible before concluding that you must take a certain class or enroll in certain programs. Often times, you only get part of the story from each person you speak to, and different people have various knowledge/insight to offer. So explore your options, and most importantly, make sure your son feels confident and comfortable on interview day. I’m really excited for all you 
Re BK interview - try to get to the interview place a few min before your interview time (15-20 min). There will be multiple interviewers and it goes fast. Interview itself is no more than ~10-15 min or so. It’s a “soft” interview (more like a meet and greet than an interview) and they are not trying to ask you hard questions or anything like that. Details of the interview will be in the packet you will receive soon. Good luck and Congrats!!
Thank you @safireonfire and @FromMD for the advice, very useful. My son doesn’t have the time of the interview yet, but we plan to go in the morning for the optional college information session.
I got the email, but never received the package. Does that mean that I wasn’t supposed to get the email?
@dominoesniall My S also got the email and we have no package yet. The first day anyone on this thread received the physical package was Friday. I suspect that depending on geography people will still be receiving packages today and tomorrow since there was no mail delivery yesterday. Also, the email says that if you don’t receive the package by Tuesday, to call.
S finally received the package today!
Daughter received packet in the mail today! She never got the email so this was a very pleasant surprise!
I just got the packet today!!! So over the moon excited!! Does anyone know the deal with the academic presentations stuff? I’m undecided yet about the science college or the social sciences
also I did NOT get an email so this was a total surprise
@gracie21 thank you for the update and congratulations!! Are you in state for umd?
@fretfulmother In state! It was not my top choice but it looks like im not getting money from Chapel Hill so it makes UMD look a lot more attractive right now
Finally received my package today!
Can anyone share the types of questions likely to be asked during the interview? Also, how do most female students dress for the interview? Thanks
@marylandhome Check out these links:
http://www.umdexplained.com/2015/02/17-banneker-key-scholarship-interview.html
http://www.umdexplained.com/2015/02/10-past-banneker-key-interview-questions.html
Hope this helps!
Dress code wise, I wore business casual, and so did most other girls. Wear a nice blouse with a black/dark colored mid length skirt, or a nice dress that falls around your knees. Don’t go overboard with a suit and everything, but at the same time don’t show up in sweats or ripped jeans. Good luck! @marylandhome
@safireonfire are the parents in the same room while the interviews are being conducted? And are the interviews in an open space or in conference rooms? Thank you, looking forward to meeting you on the 23rd
We didn’t get a packet or email so I guess we are not getting it. Just wondering to all that have gotten one what do you think made you stand out?
@ReminiscingDad No, for the interviews last year, parents were not allowed in the meeting rooms where interviews were being held. There were about 4 interviews going on in different rooms at any given time. Every student got a time slot at which they’d have their interview, and two interviewers. My parents didn’t even come on that day haha, and I’d say parents and students are separated for the most part the day of.
@ReminiscingDad Also, my schedule has drastically changed, and I’ll need to be in DC earlier on Tuesday… Best of luck though!
@aehshm - after reviewing threads about who seems to get the invite to BK, I would say that the more of the following you have, the better the chance, and most candidates need all of them:
- Outstanding scores (above 730 on each section, or equivalent)
- Outstanding grades (close to 4.0 UW)
- Residency near or in Maryland AND/OR being at a school that has sent kids to UMD with some frequency, historically
- ECs that indicate exceptional "leadership"
- ECs that indicate good interpersonal skills
- LoRs that confirm #4 and #5
- Admission to the Honors College, and it's a good sign if they refunded your application fee without you asking
I have no real way of knowing, of course, but this is my CC-Forum-worthy opinion
In my son’s case, he might have lacked #4, but I know he lacked #3. Other posters have told us that BK seems to be at least 90% Maryland residents, and perhaps those from neighboring states, but we are in MA.
When I looked at Naviance and saw that our HS has a decade-long history of kids applying to UMDCP, getting in, and then not attending (one kid attending in ten years), I realized that could be read as disrespectful to UMD and that my DS was likely sunk in terms of the BK invitation, in spite of showing demonstrated interest with two visits and his essays. (Or maybe my DS just wasn’t good enough, that is always a possibility. But I thought his essays showed interest and humility and humor, and apparently his stats were good enough for some pretty good other admission results.)
If I had it to do over (or for my future kids), I would have asked the GC to add a note about how since DS is observantly Jewish, and the first/only in his school to be such, that an application to UMD means something different than just being there as a so-called safety school (which UMD has every right not to be considered).