Hey all,
Could anyone detail the admissions process for potential cyber security majors at the University of Maryland - CP as an undergrad? I am very interested in the field and want to go to UMD.
I have a 31 ACT and about a 4.3 weighted GPA (3.8 UW) along with multiple leadership positions. If you could tell me the chances I could get in, please do so! 
Thanks so much and have a great day!
@piffthemagic_dragon - Cyber security is a sub-specialty within the CS Major at UMD. Computer Science is NOT currently a Limited Enrollment Program, so if you are admitted to UMD, having selected Computer Science as your Major, then you are in the CS major.
Here is a link to the CS Major at UMD
http://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/degree-requirements-cs-major
ACES is a Program within the Honors College, which is an additional admission decision. I
m not sure how many, of those who select ACES, are admitted.
Here is a thread I started about UMD Admissions last year
I don;t do chances, but here is about chances from @maryversity, who is very knowledgeable about UMD
You may want to look at some of the other threads in the UMDCP forum on here.
Good Luck
Hi there! Super late reply, but I’m an incoming freshman that was just accepted to CS and to ACES.
Agreeing with what SoofDad said: There is not a specific cyber-security major at UMD, but, within the CS major, you have the opportunity to specialize in cyber-security if you get accepted to the university and choose to major in CS.
ACES is an Honors program at the university, which gives students a more hands-on approach to cyber-security, from what I’ve heard/been told. In order to get into this program, you must first get accepted to the Honors program. (Apply before Nov. 1 to be considered for Honors.) Selection for Honors tends to be a bit complex, since they use holistic review, but I’ve read that UMD looks for those who demonstrate leadership, academic excellence, and the like. I’m not sure about the specifics on that.
If you get into honors, they then ask you to rank your interest in all the Honors programs and explain why you’re interested, informally and under 200 words or something like that. Then, they choose which program you get placed in. On the ACES learning and living program website, they say that they accept about 75 undergrads into ACES each fall. (For more info on the living and learning program http://www.aces.umd.edu/aces1/admission)
HOWEVER, regardless if you get into the Honors program, though, theres an ACES minor that you can apply to once you’re a rising junior at UMD, which is essentially a cyber-security minor. It’s independent of Honors, so literally anyone can apply. (http://www.aces.umd.edu/aces2/admission)
Let me know if you have any more questions about ACES or admissions and I’ll do my best to help!
Hello @whenyoubelieve!
I’m a rising senior and am considering applying to UMD with interest in their ACES Honors program. From your admissions experience, do you know what differences in courses there are by being in ACES? Do you take the same Gen Ed courses just the Honors versions (I think this is optional), Honors electives? and/or initial CS Honors courses too? Are there additional ACES specific classes or seminars that you take - how many/credits? What were the out of classroom benefits that you learned about ACES?
I read that initially ACES is the first two years and you can decide to continue on as a jr/sr(or apply at that time). Do you know if upper level CS courses also have Honors versions or is the ACES upper level track just a matter of course selection with cybersecurity topics?
Also, will you be coming in with AP credits and if so, how does that affect your course selection/timing in ACES if you bring in credits to exempt out of your first 1-2 semesters? I’m curious if I’d be in classes with other freshman ACES students and if most also bring in credits. In high school, half my classes were with others a grade ahead so I’d just like to have most of my classes with other freshman ACES students from my dorm.
I’d also be interested in hearing about your admission experience in general too - did you go to an orientation yet? I assume you’ll be in the LLP of ACES in a dorm together. How have you connected with other ACES students prior/during orientation? Is there a FB page for ACES and how did you pick a roommate?
Thanks a lot and good luck at UMD!
Hey, @CSinPA !
As an ACES student, you have access to Honors versions of classes from the very moment you start registering for classes, if you’re looking for a challenge, as well as Honors seminars and the ACES curriculum. Some GenEds have Honors options, but you’re definitely allowed to take the normal versions of the classes. In ACES, for the two-year LLP and not the minor, you’re required to take 14 credits, a mix of classes and seminars. (The breakdown can be found here: http://www.aces.umd.edu/aces1/curriculum). Generally speaking, being in ACES, in terms of classes, adds a couple of (pretty interesting) classes that you must take and the chance to take H-versions of classes. (You can take Honors seminars too, which I’ve heard are SUPER interesting and can satisfy more than one GE if you can get a seat in the class!)
You’d be right about that! The ACES LLP is only for freshmen and sophomores, lasting for two years, and you get to decide if you want to continue in the program, pursuing a minor in it, when junior year comes along. For the upper level specialization in cyber-security within the CS major (completely different from ACES), you’re required to take specific classes that I assume have cybersecurity topics. From what I’ve seen in the list of classes, it doesn’t look like 300 or 400 level classes have honors versions, though.
I’ll be coming in with a few AP credits! It’s really beneficial to do so because I’ve head MATH141 (Calc BC, basically) is SUPER difficult since it’s a “weed out” class. AP scores can help you get rid of some GEs so that you can focus more on your major or ACES requirements. Most CS people in ACES exempt out of CMSC131 with their AP CS test, so I’m sure most of you would be taking CMSC132 at that time. While you might not always be in the same section of the class, you’d be able to study the same material together. Also, it’s important to note that, as a freshman, most people tend to follow the CS 4-year plan (Can be found in the left sidebar on this page: http://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/current). So, although you might not always be in the same exact sections of classes with people in ACES, you’ll definitely have the same curriculum and, for the most part, be in classes with freshmen. Another thing to note is that you’ll always have at least one class with ACES freshmen, since you’re all required to take HACS100 together during the fall semester. The sections of that are usually after 2PM and in Prince Fredrick Hall (the ACES dorm).
I’ve been to an orientation! (Another perk about being in the Honors College is that you have access to early orientation days, meaning you can register for sections of classes that you want earlier.) At orientation, they split you into groups based on which college you’re in (so, I was in the Computer, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences college group), rather than which Honors college you belong to. But, at least for ACES, a lot of people in my college group were from ACES too! Keep in mind, though, that ACES is arguably the smallest LLP, so not a lot of people from there were in my specific orientation group (of about 20 or so total people in my group, I think there were 3 total ACES?) I did meet some friends, though, there and we friended each other on Snapchat and Instagram. There’s usually a general UMD Class of 202X group made on FB and I joined that after accepting my admittance to UMD. Then, I made an intro post talking about myself, my interests, etc, and my interest in finding a roommate in ACES (since you can, of course, only room with people in the same LLP as you). People, if they’re interested, will then either friend you on FB or comment asking to talk with you! Sometimes subgroups for honors programs will be made and the people who make them will link the group within the UMD Class of 202X group.
Also, in regards to roommate searching, the university partners with this program called RoomSync that’s sort of like a match.com or whatever for roommates. It only lasts for the month of June, though, and is introduced via email at the very end of May. Personally, the way I found my roommate was a mix of the intro post and RoomSync. I made my intro post, had a lot of people comment and friend me, but really only connected with one person! Then, once RoomSync came along, I used that to find out more about her (like whether she’s messy or clean, or morning or night person, etc), and I liked what I saw, so I FB messaged her asking if she was interested in becoming my roommate, and she was!
Sorry this post became so long omg. I hope this helps you (and anyone else reading hahaha), and don’t be afraid to ask any more questions!
Thanks so much and good luck at UMD! I’m curious, where else did you apply?
No problem! I love helping people who had the same questions as me when I was applying hahaha!
I’m from California, so I applied to a lot of CA schools, but here’s my list: UCI, UCSD, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Purdue University, UMD, University of Washington, UT Austin, SDSU, SJSU, and Cal Poly SLO. I got into all of them except Berkeley, UCLA (lmao obvious), and UT Austin.
Waiting on application decisions…
Another question on UMD/Honors/ACES. What is the timing on hearing back on Honors and ACES?
If I’m accepted into Honors, I’m really only interested in ACES. Would I know about Honors+ACES before decision day on May 1?
The invitation to honors is included in admissions notification.
There is then a separate process for “ranking” preference of honors program and notification comes after that (maybe a month or so…?). I believe notification of which program u get should be before May 1st decision but @SoofDad may able to delineate the process further and more accurately.
@CSinPA - You have until Mid-February, or so, to indicate your Honors Program preference. You will get an email about that, if you are admitted into the Honors College. Some of the Honors Programs have space limitations. I’m not sure which ones, but ACES may be one of them. You will get a decision well BEFORE May 1st, but I’m not sure of the exact date.
ACES typically only accepts around 70 of the students that submit rankings with ACES as first.
Thanks again for all the great information on ACES.
UPDATE: I am grateful to have been admitted and invited to Scholars, but of course I am also “heartbroken” over not receiving Honors and a chance to apply for ACES.
I know it’s a long shot, but if I were to ask for an appeal/another consideration for Honors, to whom would I send this too? I’m inclined to not send it to the general honors@umd.edu Should I ask my regional admissions contact?