<p>Information from the collegeboard website:</p>
<p>Colleges don’t decide who will be admitted off the waiting list until the May 1 decision deadline has passed. Prepare to attend another school by filling out the paperwork and sending in a deposit. If you’re accepted off the waiting list, you will forfeit your deposit at the first school and be required to submit a deposit to the second.</p>
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<p>I’m sorry, but I think the wording may be misleading.
The actual wording in the Common Data Set says this:
“Number accepting a place on the waiting list” 857
“Number of wait-listed students admitted” 9</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.irpa.umd.edu/menus.cfm?action=irreports[/url]”>https://www.irpa.umd.edu/menus.cfm?action=irreports</a></p>
<p>So, rather than suggesting that everyone who is on the waiting list is accepted, it looks like very few are likely to be. Which, if you think about it, makes sense. They admit almost 12,000 students (in 2009, it was 11870) but they only have room for a little over 4000. So they need 8000 admitted students to decline the offer of admission before they can take anyone off the waiting list.</p>
<p>Deskpotato -
You may be right. The USNWReport’s way of reporting it is confusing. I think each waitlisted student should contact their guidance counselor and see what the statistics are for their high school. My guidance counselor told my son today that there were only 4 kids from his h.s. offered spring admit w/ waitlist, many others were denied or offered only spring.
She did say for the students who accepted the waitlist from our particular high school (nationally ranked MD h.s. in Montgomery county) were admitted in the fall. Some had decided to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>@berk92- My DS just finished FC this fall. He lives in the View ll. Rent is about $900 a month. We had to lease for 12 months. The View has a footbridge that drops you off right on campus so students can walk if they wish. Plus the school has shuttle UM that picks the kids up right at the view and drops them off around campus. The View does have secure parking, but I think it is about $75 a month. DS did not take his car to campus and has managed just fine.</p>
<p>From a parent standpoint, I will say that I was very nervous about all this at first. I didn’t want him living off campus as a freshman. However, once we visited, I had a lot of my fears relieved. It is expensive to live at the View, but we are fortunate that we are able to swing it. There is a guard on site which made me feel better. The View ll was brand new this year. Many of the floors contain FC students so in many ways it feels like a really nice freshman dorm. My DS shares an apt. with 3 other students. They each have their own rooms with full size beds and walk in closets. Two boys share a bathroom, and they all have their own sinks. There is a washer/dryer in the apt. It is furnished except for linens, dishes, etc. The View is off campus but very close.</p>
<p>I think each student has to decide for himself whether this program works for him. My DS has not had any trouble making friends and feeling part of the school, but he is an outgoing guy. He is at Comcast Center now awaiting the Duke game. The classes are from 3-9 at night and during the day on Fridays so that is different. The classes are smaller compared to typical classes. DS said he actually liked that because he got to know more people that way. There are some things that students need to accept. The FC orientation is not as involved as the fall admits, and FC students may possibly feel slighted by this. DS never felt “looked down upon” because he was a FC student, but some people may. DS is very happy at UMD and would do it again. </p>
<p>We had a great visit to UMD. The visit was what sealed it. We saw the apts. which were very nice and close to campus. When we went to see the apts., the girl showing it had just finished FC, so we were able to ask her about her experience. We had a great visit with Ann Baum, the director of FC. DS got to take some really great classes and knocked out a bunch of CORE requirements.</p>
<p>Sorry if I’m rambling. I just know that this forum helped me a lot last year, and I wanted to return the favor. Whatever your son chooses, good luck!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if they offered admission to many more than the 9 who eventually enrolled…but I guess most of the people had moved onto other options?</p>
<p>Lots of schools offer mid-year admission, but I don’t know how many give the mid-years an option of getting started in the fall and staying on pace to graduate on time, the way Freshman Connection does. It really seems like a good program.</p>
<p>@TeRPmom22…THANK YOU!! What an informative post!! My D was just accepted to Spring 2012 and is going to do FC. We live OOS and have been grappling with the housing issue. I feel uncomfortable with the off-campus situation, however; hearing about the View I and II makes me feel better. Im not sure how we will swing that steep rent for a year (too many variables trying to find someone to sublet to in the Spring) but this is her dream come true…so for 12 months I will make it work!!</p>
<p>neonurse,</p>
<p>I’m so glad I was able to help. There are several great student viewpoints on this thread, but I thought I may be able to add a little from the parent viewpoint. I’ll keep checking in, so if you have any other questions, I’ll do my best to help (You may also be able to PM me, at least I think). Best of luck to your daughter, and Go TERPS!</p>
<p>can you tell me if the tuition for fc was the same as the regular school tuition</p>
<p>phillip,</p>
<p>I don’t know for sure whether the tuition is the same because I just don’t remember. I don’t think it is different, but contact the FC office and ask them. They were very helpful last year, and they will know for sure.</p>
<p>The website says tuition for FC is still “TBD”.</p>
<p>TerpMom: You had indicated that your son just finished FC this fall andlives in the View ll with $900 a month rent with a 12 month lease ($10,800). You also mentioned that he shares the apartment with three others. Is his annual rent cost $10,800 or $2,700?</p>
<p>Also, with an annual lease, it is not financially logical to move to the dorms in the spring. In my experience, after living off campus, students do not move on campus. The result is never living on campus.</p>
<p>helidad,</p>
<p>Each student pays $900 a month (technically for my son’s apt, it’s $875, but there is sometimes a surcharge for electricity; so I round it to $900), so the annual will be closer to the $10,800. It is possible to sublet. I don’t know exactly how that works as we didn’t explore that option. Also, while it’s possible, I wouldn’t exactly count on being able to do it either, in case you can’t find someone to sublet.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that you brought up your observation about not wanting to live on campus after living in an apt. We are discussing these options now for next year. DS enjoys the apt., and I think he would prefer that option again next year. After having the amenities of the apt., it may be a bit of a shock to go to dorm life next year. Although he’s pretty flexible about things so it may not affect him at all. We are still in the early stages of deciding about next year. It’s hard to resist the financial savings of living on campus.</p>
<p>is the cost of the freshman connection program the same as the regular umd tuition</p>
<p>With my Ds acceptance letter came an invitation to spring open houses from Feb thru April. Are they for just spring admits or for everyone? Also, if we decide to lease an apartment, which floors and rooms in the View are the best? Is there any advantage to View I or II? She knows someone who is also interested in Freshman Connection. Do they need to lease their apt now for the fall?</p>
<p>Terpmom1- We did not go to an open house, so I don’t know for sure about that. We went down on a beautiful April day when there was nothing preplanned by the University. I think I remember one of my son’s friends going to an Open House, and I think it was for all admitted students with a break out for FC. I’m not sure though.</p>
<p>Regarding the questions about the view- when we did our visit floor 2-5 were set aside for FC. They wound up being so popular with the FC students, that the number of floors was extended. I think some up to the 9th floor. We didn’t have the option of the view l nor did we want it since there were dedicated floors in the View ll for FC students. We wanted that for our son.</p>
<p>If your daughter knows that she wants to live in the View, I’d go ahead and contact them and start getting that set up. I will say that there are several new places that have opened up this year so the competition may not be as strong. We liked the view b/c while not on campus, it was about as close to on campus as you could get, and we wanted DS to have that access.</p>
<p>Students in FC don’t have to stay at the view. There are other apts. available at lower price points, so people do have options. It just means that some may be further away from campus.</p>
<p>Also, in case some are wondering, some students find roommates and arrange that going in to sign the lease. My son did not. We picked a room in an apt. and the view arranged his roommates. </p>
<p>Regarding prices, they range depending on where in the view you live. The apts. with more windows and views are more expensive. Also, there are some apts. with only 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. They are more expensive than what we pay. There is even a single apt. on each floor-also more expensive.</p>
<p>The best thing to do is go visit and look around to find the best fit.</p>
<p>@phillip- I replied to your earlier post regarding tuition. I just don’t remember whether they were different from fall admits, but I don’t think so.</p>
<p>I cant decide if i should do Freshmen connection or go to Montgomery College. i heard that MC gives the same classes, but cheaper is that true?</p>
<p>did everyone get a letter in the mail for the London programme? Im wondering how many apply if there are only 30 spots?</p>
<p>Bumping up for the RD folks who were accepted for Spring semester.</p>
<p>Terpmom22 thank you for your message. My son is accepted into UM for Spring 2012 and Frosh Connection. He has 8 other acceptances but UM was his #1. I am upset about the lack of financial aid info available. UM is telling us we won’t get his aid package until the last week of April. Did you get any aid for your son. Your info has been extremely helpful Thanks DSruns</p>
<p>DSruns,</p>
<p>Congrats to your son! I wish I could help you regarding the financial aid, but we did not qualify for any so I have no experience in that area.</p>
<p>A couple things to think about with FC and having to live off campus: While it is more expensive to live off campus, with rent payments, it’s like being on a payment plan instead of one lump sum. That’s also the same thing with Terp Bucks which we did with our son. We just add money to that account as needed, so in a small way, it makes it more manageable. Terp bucks can be used all over campus at the Stamp, dining halls, etc. Plus, we go down and supplement with groceries every few weeks. He usually eats one meal on campus each day and the rest of his meals, he makes in his apartment.</p>
<p>I know this can be a stressful time. Good luck in this process!</p>