UMD Banneker/Key profile

Hi everyone! What is an example of a student profile who got this scholarship (stats, ECs, etc) that made them stand out? Are they looking for Maryland residents/people with financial need or is this award only for merit?

Here is a link to Banneker/Key info at UMD

http://www.bannekerkey.umd.edu/

The BK Scholarship is a Merit award and only those admitted to the Honors College are eligible for it.

Awesome thanks! Do you know anyone/their stats for the honors college or BK?

Both Honors College admissions and BK invites are holistic evaluations. Stats alone will not guarantee either one.

Here is the link to last year’s Priority decision thread. The decisions start showing up on page 55 of this thread. Decisions are released via the Coalition Portal. In some cases, you can see the stats of students admitted into the Honors College

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-maryland-college-park/2028451-umd-college-park-class-of-2022-ea-discussion-p55.html

Honors College and BK are highly selective. From our local HS in Maryland, a few students are accepted into the Honors College and these are top students with very high weighted and unweighted gpas (in rigorous courses), great test scores and lots of ECs in a variety of areas. I know a student that received BK and was also accepted at an Ivy RD, so a very strong candidate all around.

@firstwavemom Thanks for the input!!!

My daughter was accepted to UMD Honors last year (we are out of state). She had a 1550 SAT, 4.0 UW GPA/4.9 W GPA with strong rigor (6 APs), good ECs and LORs. She did not receive BK but did receive a $12k per year merit scholarship. So I think BK candidates are truly exceptional in some way, shape or form.

@adlgel, when did she hear about her acceptance? TIA

@Smdavis125 The same day everyone else did - late January.

My daughter received the notice re Banneker Key in Feb. last year (letter dated Feb. 5th) She was in-state, around 3.95 UW GPA & 4.63 weighted, at at least 7 AP’s & the rest honor classes, varsity softball 4 years, Captain of the team for 2 years, National Merit Commended. She ended up receiving a full-ride (we did not apply & do not qualify for any financial aid). My daughter, one of her best friends at at least 4 or 5 other kids received either the full or partial Banneker Key Scholarship from her HS. It was totally unexpected that she received it. She ended up turning it down to go to UMich. Good luck!

Our son is a freshman in Honors (Gemstone) and in the Clark School. Several of his friends are BK - all the Honors kids are incredibly smart, well-rounded, high achieving kids, but the BK kids each seem to have something special about them that makes them extraordinary (and sounds like many also get into Ivies). It’s a wonderful honor.