<p>@cluelessly, please start your own thread and we will be happy to advise you.</p>
<p>@iratewarrior, check to see if you are allowed to reapply while deferring your UMD admission. I think the gap year might be a good idea in your case, but mostly just for readjustment of perspective. Don’t count on this experience to give you enough of an edge to make you come out on top in the pile the second time around, and next year the admission rates will drop even further. As long as you realize that you probably will not get into any schools you were rejected/WL’d at the first time around, you should be fine.</p>
<p>When you pick your list again, make sure you have safeties/matches you actually like and can see yourself at.</p>