I have a few questions about Freshman Connection (I know the basics, but not the details).
1- For a Computer Science major (for example) who would need to take CMSC 131 (the intro class) first semester freshman year, is this course (or any intro to a specific major course) be available to FC students? Would this course also be after 3:00 pm? Are only FC kids in this course, or would regular admit kids be in this too? Are these intro to the major courses hard for FC kids to get into?
2- Do the FC kids feel “different” in any way?
3- What are the prosof FC? Do the kids all know each other? Are the same kids in most of your classes?
Thanks in advance for the info?
4- What if any are the cons?
Here is a thread from last year that answers some of your questions. I don’t know the answer to your CMSC question. You could call the Freshman Connection office and ask.
What’s the deal with spring semester housing? Can a freshman connection student end up rooming with a requested regular student second semester? Or can FC students only room with other FC students in the spring?
My D had a friend in Freshman Connection in the Fall of 2014. Her friend was in Denton Hall double. I don’t know if her roommate was FC or not. Students do not normally change dorms from one semester to the next but only from year to year. The next year, my D’s friend got another double, again in Denton with an Honors College, B/K recipient as a roommate. It was a mutual request.
Bartho23…you can room with a friend who isn’t in FC your first semester. If you don’t have a request most likely you will be put with another FC student.
jazuko…your CS classes would be after 3pm and only FC students will be in it. My daughter was able to take 2 classes in her major and get into her LEP for the Spring no problem. Only negative thing is you register last for classes but my daughter didn’t have any problem getting what she wanted. Pretty soon they should be listing the Fall 2017 classes so you can check out which ones are for FC.
While the classes for Freshman Connection for Fall 2017 have not been posted yet, you can get a sense of the classes based on this past Fall…just click on the red hot link and it opens all the classes in that category (yes, it’s a long link! but it’s direct to the page on classes specific to Freshman connection - note the home page is testudo.umd.edu, you click on schedule of classes and then filter by freshman connection program - these classes are only offered in the fall because you take regular classes after that first semester so you have access to the greater variety of classes after that)
https://ntst.umd.edu/soc/search?courseId=§ionId=&termId=201608&_openSectionsOnly=on&creditCompare=&credits=&courseLevelFilter=ALL&instructor=&_facetoface=on&_blended=on&_online=on&courseStartCompare=&courseStartHour=&courseStartMin=&courseStartAM=&courseEndHour=&courseEndMin=&courseEndAM=&teachingCenter=FC&_classDay1=on&_classDay2=on&_classDay3=on&_classDay4=on&_classDay5=on
If in FC, are you eligible for merit scholarships still?
Everyone applying by the priority deadline of November 1st is considered for merit scholarships.
All students are eligible for financial aid as long as they submit FAFSA application.
@maryversity My custodial parent is deceased. I don’t know how to proceed about filling out fasfa or sending in verification forms.
@RA2015 - I’m so sorry for your loss…
Here is the page with the info -there is a video that is helpful, but since you have a unique situation, I would definitely call the office of financial aid for help http://www.financialaid.umd.edu/applying/applying_for_aid.php
Here is the from the OFSA site for how to contact them:
The Office of Student Financial Aid staff is dedicated to providing you with the necessary tools and information needed to fund your education. If you need assistance or have a question or comment, please contact us. We are available by phone, appointment, email, and FAX during normal business hours.
Our preferred method for receiving documents is by mail, fax or in person. We discourage students and their families from sending sensitive information via an attachment to an email.
To make an appointment with a counselor, please call 301-314-9000.
Our FAX number is 301-405-9265
You may send us email directly.
Our mailing address is
University of Maryland
Office of Student Financial Aid
0102 Lee Building
7809 Regents Drive
College Park, Maryland 20742
Hope this helps…
@maryversity Thank you. Also, do I need to commit to Maryland, to send in my housing request?
No, read post #10 from SoofDad
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-maryland-college-park/1959101-advice-for-newly-admitted-terps-updated-2017-p1.html
i don’t think spring admits are eligible for merit scholarships. this is per UMD website under merit scholarship-see
last sentence!
“To be considered for merit scholarships, students must submit a completed undergraduate admission application for the fall semester by the November 1 Priority Deadline. No separate application is necessary to be considered, but some scholarships require an on-campus interview. Students admitted for the spring semester are not considered for merit scholarships.”
and I also believe that FC students can’t do their housing in advance of actually accepting Spring Term and signing up for FC. It appears this is different than the policy for Fall admits.
@tigermomsrule - Good catch/find! I suspected that it was highly unlikely for merit money, which is why I mentioned financial aid…
@dogsrthebest - Also good point…it is only recently that they started providing on-campus housing for FC (for those that enroll by May 1). It used to be that FC would not get housing until spring, so most signed up at either the View or the Varsity. So, where Fall students don’t need to enroll for housing, FC may have to commit to get the housing…fwiw, here’s a page with FAQ about FC https://oes.umd.edu/freshmen-connection/faq
To be clear, when I said all students applying by priority deadline are eligible to be considered (as the school itself states in the first sentence), but later wrote that I had suspected it was highly unlikely for receiving merit money, I meant that being awarded merit money is very limited as is and many students with excellent stats among the Fall admits do not receive merit awards. The last line that tigermomsrule found just removes any doubt that it is possible for spring admits.
my daughter, the spring admit, just sent in her housing request with only her student ID (found on bottom of congrats letter) and a password she created. it’s cool she already has a umd email 
we got a confirmatory email that it was received. we did NOT commit to freshman connection yet or make any deposit. i think sign-up for housing and enrollment to school are two separate processes like others have mentioned.
to be specific, she sent in a housing request for housing starting FALL 2017 as we will most likely do freshman connect.
@tigermomsrule that is great!! I am going to have my D do the same for housing. I thought it said that Spring Admit’s needed to commit first, but I am glad you figured out otherwise. Just to be clear though, I realize he hasn’t committed to FC yet as that isn’t even an option online yet, but did she commit to Spring acceptance?
@dogsrthebest she did NOT commit to Spring acceptance. i think that requires a $400 nonrefundable deposit? she is waiting to hear back from a few reach schools before committing to Spring acceptance.