Anybody has some insights on how generous UMD is with merit aid for OoS domestic students? Is it only for very high achievers? Is it reasonable to hope for around 10 K in merit aid?
@WilliamNYC - From what I’ve seen on this forum over the past several years, UMD awards merit scholarships without consideration of IS or OOS status, with one exception being the partial BK scholarship.
Here are links for the primary merit scholarships that UMD awards:
https://financialaid.umd.edu/scholarships/banneker_info.html
https://financialaid.umd.edu/scholarships/presidents_info.html
https://financialaid.umd.edu/scholarships/deans_info.html
It is definitely possible for an OOS applicant to get a 10K merit scholarship
@WilliamNYC My two high-stat kids from the NYC area applied two years ago (A average and 31 ACT) with lots of extracurriculars and leadership (with 5 AP courses --all only taken during senior year) and about half honors courses throughout the first 3 years of high school and only got $7,000 per year. And offered Scholars program. My daughter last year had even higher stats–34 ACT, and A average with mostly all honors and 8 APs and got $12,000 and honors invite, which I understand is the highest merit aid other than Banneker Key. We were hoping for Banneker Key but that is very difficult to obtain. Years ago Maryland was more liberal in distributing merit aid to attract high stat students from outofstate. However, Maryland no longer has any problem attracting high stat out-of-state applicants, particularly from our northeast region. So this makes it difficult to obtain large merit aid. Aside from the increased difficulty in getting decent merit aid, admissons standards have gotten more competive (particularly the limited enrollment program–business school and computer science and other LEPs) than ever before. FWIW my son got $15,000 from Ohio State and is there (at Fisher business) now and loving t!
Good information @SoofDad and @trackmbe3!
Thanks very much!
My son has a 1410 SAT, 3.7 UW GPA, IB diploma student with solid ECs so we hope to get something from UMD which is his number 1 pick.
@WilliamNYC I think $10K in merit from UMD is going to be very hard to come by with those stats…there are so many who apply with such incredibly high stats, and it is so darn competitive. My kiddo has pretty much the same stats as your son and we are expecting $0 from UMD.
Even UMBC only gave my kiddo $5K…and UMBC is MUCH less competitive than UMD.
But hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised…best of luck!
Thanks for the reality check @STF4717. I see what you’re saying and it’s a good idea to expect far less. Like 0$
@WilliamNYC - Two years ago DS who had a 4.7 wGPA and a 1510 SAT was offered 8000/yr- much less than several other schools. We are waiting to see what DD gets this year, with slightly lower stats.
@1S1Dforcollege @WilliamNYC Keep in mind that students with similar stats can and do get different merit aid at UMD, just as some with lesser stats can get more merit aid than those with higher stats. This has everything to do with Maryland’s holistic 26-criteria evaluation of a student’s application. Anecdotally I have found that a the rigor of curriculum and the academic strength of the high school (one gauge is how kids from that particular high school performed at UMD in previous years–the school keeps stats on that) often plays a role in amount of merit aid awarded as well. So there really is no way to guess well upfront.
I agree with trackmbe3 about students with similar stats getting different merit aid awards. If it helps, my son had a 32 ACT, graduated hs Magna Cum Laude and got a $5,000 a year Presidential, was invited to scholars, and a direct admit to engineering. Absolutely NO regrets about giving up higher scholarship awards and honors elsewhere. The experience he had at Maryland was everything he had wanted, hoped for, and then some. 
@STF4717 @WilliamNYC @trackmbe3 Interesting info. I was a little surprised my D got what I thought was low (10k), but I guess she did pretty well. It helps that UMBC’s COA is a lot lower than most schools. She will be applying for Meyerhoff, though…just in case. She had a 1450 SAT, 34 on the ACT, 93/100 GPA (school doesn’t weight…all honors and higher courses). We are OOS.
@JMRome yep, it sounds like she did pretty well! My kiddo has a class of 350+ seniors, and the two of kiddo’s friends who applied (who are in the top 3% of school with stats like your D) were offered $9K each. Definitely go for Meyerhoff!
My son is currently a Junior at UMD and is out of state and he did not receive any aid just loans from Maryland.