Is University Of Maryland College Park A Difficult School to get into?

I always considered it a “just in case” school, but it seems to be getting harder and harder to get into. A lot of kids in my school get in not because they’re intelligent, but because they have incredible sports records. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.4 and a weighted gpa of 3.8 (I take tons of AP classes). I got a 1950 on my SATs, with a 700 in writing, 630 in math, and 620 in critical reading on my first try. (I am going to take it again). I take loads of ECs: 4 years on the debate club (2 years varsity debate) 4 years of stage crew, I’ve been president of my cultural diversity club for 2 years, Key Club for 3 years, I volunteer at a hospital and I manage my both my school’s senior and varsity boy’s football teams. While I’m proud of all my EC’s, I’ve heard that they don’t matter much and that there is much more emphasis on GPA and SAT scores than anything else. I’m not so sure mine are good enough. I’m also not in-state, I live in New Jersey. Do I seem like I have a good chance?

You do but two of my son’s friends did not get in this year but one got into Bucknell and the other Lehigh and with financial aid they were both much, much cheaper.

I live in NJ as well.

It is being overrun by NJ residents just like Delaware.

TCNJ is a better bet just in case, but it is not a true safety at all.

If that was supposed to be your safety that is pretty risky, terrible value as well.

Did your son’s friends have scores similar/better than mine?

He isn’t home and he isn’t responding to texts. I do know they are going for engineering and they were both in his AP Calculus class.

But back to the real issue, Maryland for OOS isn’t a prudent safety school unless “just in case” means something else.