Freshman Connections/Fall 2014

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Maryland - College Park
1

<p>Hi
This is my first post...our son was accepted into UMD for spring 2014 semester. He is interested in engineering and is also interested in UPitt. I am just concerned about his course availability in the fall 2013 if he does the Freshman Connections program. </p>

<p>Does anyone know if engineering majors are able to still graduate in 4 years thru FC (without taking summer term classes)?
Do students in FC feel attached to the general UMD community/campus and are they eligible for oncampus housing after that first semester in FC?
We are out of state and have heard different opinions re: safety in College Park (?especially off campus). </p>

<p>Any feedback greatly appreciated</p>

2

<p>“Does anyone know if engineering majors are able to still graduate in 4 years thru FC (without taking summer term classes)?”</p>

<p>My understanding is that as long as you follow course load suggested it should not be a problem. Many engineering students simply choose to take a particularly hard course either in summer or winter term to ease the pressure/focus better/improve performance in a class they might otherwise struggle in, not because they can’t get the class completed during the year.</p>

<p>“Do students in FC feel attached to the general UMD community/campus and are they eligible for oncampus housing after that first semester in FC?”</p>

<p>Everyone I know whose son/daughter did FC loved it. Yes, they are eligible for on-campus housing, but often don’t take spring housing that year because they already signed a one-year lease with an apartment complex like the Varsity or the View. </p>

<p>“We are out of state and have heard different opinions re: safety in College Park (?especially off campus).”</p>

<p>It’s true that the surrounding town is not the bucolic college town, but the campus itself is not a problem. As for off campus, as long as you practice the common sense rule of not venturing off by yourself at night, it really is not an issue. </p>

<p>Keep in mind that there are also “different opinions” about the safety of walking around NYC, but in a similar fashion, that doesn’t mean you need to avoid it - just practice common sense, and it’s a great experience.</p>

<p>In order to get more answers about UMD saftey, student satisfaction, engineering, etc, read through some older threads by changing the display settings at the bottom of the page and change to at least last 100 days. Hope this helps.</p>

3

<p>ald01810-
I’m in the same boat as you. My daughter was accepted into freshman connection. The only difference is she will probably do the Destination: London program this fall. I was at accepted student day a couple weeks ago. They seem to say that you will graduate on time. I can’t speak for FC students, but the London and Rome students are 99.99% guaranteed housing. From what I understood, they (the people running the abroad program) call back to MD and say we have 50 students coming back for the spring semester, set them up with housing. </p>

<p>On a side note, have you heard anything about financial aid. 7 days until the deadline and we haven’t heard anything. They just keep saying it’s in process. Ugh!</p>

4

<p>mkelly3585</p>

<p>No, we have not heard about any financial aid either</p>

5

<p>@ald01810</p>

<p>I was accepted for the Fall of 2013 and will be attending as a business major in the Smith School of Business, so I have a little insight on Limited Enrollment Programs garnered from my visit a few weeks ago. Smith is an LEP which means only a certain number of people are directly admitted to the school when they apply and the acceptance rates to these programs are very low. I believe business was 35% and engineering was 28%, which is really competitive…</p>

<p>Those who dont get into those majors because of insufficient SAT scores or GPA for the LEPs, but sufficient for the University, are placed in Letters and Sciences which is essentially undecided. Usually even these kids are not admitted as internal transfers because they were not as qualified students to begin with, let alone FC kids. The FC kids however were not as qualified as the admitted students in the applicant pool, so they are given the unattractive offer of FC. In FC you are NOT, I REPEAT, NOT allowed to declare a major until at least the Spring.</p>

<p>In addition to that sad fact, if you are interested in engineering, that is another HUGE issue within itself as the undergrad engineering is ranked #19 and business is #21 in the country on USNWR, so you would have to go through an internal transfer process, in which only those with at the VERY LEAST a 3.5 GPA in freshman year with many activities (am not sure if they look at SATs for internal transfer) are considered for admission. I have 2 friends who were admitted to engineering and both had 1400+ SATs and strong grades, so I would only consider Freshman Connection if he is a hard working, goal setting student, or else he may end up with a major that he hates.</p>

<p>Maryland gave me a very attractive package and it really offers a great mix of social life, sports and academics, but it may not be the best overall experience for your son. My GF is attending UPitt and Ive heard great things, Good luck.</p>

6

<p>While most of what evcalt7 says about LEP’s is correct, there actually is a difference between internal transfers for Smith (business) and Clark (engineering). </p>

<p>Yes, Smith internal transfer applications are still competitive, so even if you get that 3.5, it’s no guarantee you will get into business. </p>

<p>However, with Clark, as long as you meet the required minimums for the gateway courses, you are accepted - it’s not competitive against other students in the same way as it is for direct admission as a freshman. </p>

<p>While activities may be considered for Smith internal transfer applications, it’s only grades that count for engineering. </p>

<p>[Undergraduate</a> Advising: Transfer Students Guide | A. James Clark School of Engineering](<a href=“http://www.eng.umd.edu/advising/transfer-guide]Undergraduate”>http://www.eng.umd.edu/advising/transfer-guide)</p>

<p>From the website:</p>

<p>Admission Requirements or Criteria</p>

<p>Both external (outside UMCP) and internal transfers (meaning current UMCP students whose major is NOT engineering) will be admitted to the Clark School if they meet the following admission requirements:</p>

<p>Completion of the Fundamental Studies English requirement*
Completion of MATH 141 with minimum grade of C- or better (Applicants for Spring 2014 and forward will be required to have a B- or better.)*
Completion of PHYS 161 with a minimum grade of C- or better (Applicants for Spring 2014 and forward will be required to have a B- or better.)*
Completion of CHEM 135, CHEM 113, OR CHEM271 with a minimum grade of C- or better*
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all college level coursework
Completion of at least one Distributive Studies course from the humanities or social sciences.(Must have one of the following codes: HA, HL, HO, SB, SH, DSHS, or DSHU)
Students in other Engineering majors or Engineering undecided who wish to be a BIOE major must complete BIOE 120 with a grade of B-.
Please note that for students applying for the Spring 2014 semester and forward, a minimum grade of B- will be required for MATH141 and PHYS161.

  • Only one ‘gateway’ or performance review course may be repeated to earn the required grade and that course may only be repeated once. A “W” counts as a repeat.</p>

<p>If you have additional questions about the transfer process, evaluation of credits or admission criteria please e-mail <a href=“mailto:transfer_engr@umd.edu”>transfer_engr@umd.edu</a>.</p>

<p>If you have questions specific to the application or your admission status please contact the Limited Enrollment Advisor/Representative of Undergraduate Admissions at <a href=“mailto:jmbowen@umd.edu”>jmbowen@umd.edu</a>.</p>

<p>Internal: If you have completed the above requirements, complete the online LEP application. The application is due by the 5th business day of the month as follows:</p>

<p>Spring semester admission: January
Fall semester admission: June</p>

7

<p>evcalt7-</p>

<p>I’m a little confused. You said that a freshman connection student can’t declare a major until Spring, my daughter’s acceptance letter has her major being declared as Architecture. She’s doing London in the fall with Maryland and they’re giving her architecture classes. You see why I’m confused?
Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you spring admission to the University of Maryland for the semester which begins in January 2014. While we were unable to offer you admission for the fall semester due to space limitations, I look forward to welcoming you into our spring class of entering freshmen. </p>

<p>We encourage you to consider alternate plans for the fall semester. One option is taking courses at the University of Maryland in the fall through the Freshmen Connection program. This program for students admitted for the Spring 2014 semester allows you to enroll through the Office of Extended Studies. To find out more about this program visit [Office</a> Of Extended Studies - University of Maryland](<a href=“http://www.fc.umd.edu%5DOffice”>http://www.fc.umd.edu) or call (301) 405-7762. You may also choose to spend the fall traveling, working, engaging in community service or taking courses at a community college. We encourage you to visit the transfer credit center at [Transfer</a> Credit Center | Home Page](<a href=“http://www.tce.umd.edu%5DTransfer”>http://www.tce.umd.edu) or contact our office for information about transferring credit if you choose to enroll at another institution for the fall semester. </p>

<p>Over the last 157 years the University of Maryland has become a world-class university with a strong reputation for academic excellence. Our small, distinctive learning communities and enrichment experiences out of the classroom provide an environment of intellectual challenge and exploration. The university’s proximity to the nation’s capital offers an unbeatable location for participation in internships, research, government events, cultural programs and entrance into the global marketplace. </p>

<p>I hope you decide to join the University of Maryland family next spring. To respond to your offer of admission, please click here by November 15, 2013. </p>

<p>I look forward to welcoming you to the University of Maryland! </p>

<p>Barbara Gill '85 '91
Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment Planning</p>

<p>Please find your Academic Major and Residency Classification below.
Major: ARCHITECTURE
Advising College: ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING, AND PRESERVATION</p>

8

<p>@mkelly</p>

<p>Sorry about the confusion, but usually those people whose credentials are not strong enough for admission for the mall semester are not given admission to a Limited Enrollment Program or “LEP”. For instance I know a kid from my HS who wanted to major in Biology, which is an LEP, and was given FC instead and is considered Undecided. </p>

<p>Did your daughter want to spend the first semester abroad? That might be part of it. Usually the hierarchy goes:</p>

<ol>
<li>Directly admitted students for the Fall to LEPs, who credentials were the strongest</li>
<li>Those who either did not apply to an LEP or were not admitted to an LEP</li>
<li>Freshman Connection, whose credentials are usually the worst of admitted students</li>
<li>Rejected students</li>
</ol>

9

<p>I am a current UMD student who did FC in the fall of 2011. Maryland was my dream school and I was crushed when I was accepted for the spring! However, FC really is a great program. While it’s definitely a little harder to make friends in places like the View/Varsity due to the fact you’re in closed off private apartments (not open dorm hallways) it’s still a great experience. The one thing that really helps this too is that the FC classes are typically MUCH smaller so it’s easier to meet peers. At this point, too, the View 2 and a significant part of the Varsity are predominantly freshman connection kids so your son won’t feel left out at all. </p>

<p>I’m not entirely familiar with the Engineering requirements, but I was just admitted this past semester into another LEP (journalism). Engineering, I believe, is similar to Journalism in that it is not “competitive” you just need to do the pre-requisites to gain admission. What this means is that your resume will not be looked at again as if you were applying to college (which is basically what the Business school does with applicants), but instead so long as you complete the requirements (usually take certain classes and earn above a certain GPA) you will be automatically admitted. Your son should have no problem graduating in 4 years with FC due to the fact that the majority of the first semester (and first 3, really, depending on his HS credits) will have mostly core requirements and maybe a few intro classes for his major.</p>