<p>I think it all has to do with the SATs and GPAs that schools report for their incoming freshman class which is based on Fall Admits. The kids in the spring admits (and my kid is one of them) just didn't have that SAT that the school was looking for.
It's a definite win/win for the schools - they get the high SAT/GPA for fall - but since they know from past history that there will be "x" amount of beds available in the spring- they're able to fill those empty spaces.
In the case of UMD-CP - they've gone even further - for Freshman connection kids, they use classrooms that would normally be empty in the afternoons and evenings - plus have 400 more fall tuition payments without having to provide housing.
Apparently it's modeled after a program at Berkeley that's in it's 20th year.<br>
My daughter is thrilled because she won't have to take any 8AMs!</p>