University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, MD 20742
The University of Maryland, College Park is a public university in MD, founded in 1856 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 30,875, and the graduate enrollment is 9,834. The University of Maryland, College Park is a moderately selective school, receiving 32,211 applications and accepting 51.0% of applicants. The University of Maryland College Park’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, the University of Maryland, College Park employs 1,849 full-time instructional staff (92% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 17:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
73
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to the University of Maryland, College Park will apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also respond to additional university-specific supplemental questions.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Action Application Deadline
November 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 20th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Standardized Test Scores - Very Important
- Application Essay - Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Important
- Academic GPA - Very Important
Average Acceptance Rate
51.00%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
100.00%
STUDENT LIFE
University of Maryland, College Park features red-brick Georgian buildings and various agricultural scenes, including the Mckeldin Mall, the largest academic mall in the nation. The school’s campus has a suburban setting spanning over 1,340 acres and is used for arboretum tours. It also has about 400 acres of urban forest on campus.
UMD has 12 schools and colleges offering over 200 degree programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The school’s colleges include the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Education, College of Information Studies, College of Computer, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences, and College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The school also aims to provide its students with an eco-friendly and sustainable environment; thus, most of its buildings are LEED buildings.
UMD has 12,637 students and is classified as a more selective institute. The school is among over 130 top public and private universities that use the application provided by the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success to streamline application processes. The school is ranked 58th amongst the National Universities, 19th amongst public universities in the U.S, and 43rd amongst world universities. UMD invests in research, and it has acquired 150 acres of land, intending to be the largest research park institute in Washington D.C. The school has a very high research activity and is rated an R1 Doctoral University.
Housing
- 41% of students live on campus
- Freshmen priority for housing
The University of Maryland offers varieties of housing with different styles, and the Department of Residential Life oversees the housing system. The school has a housing system comprising two residential areas: the North and South campus. These campuses share seven residential communities comprising residential halls of Georgian, apartment, and garden styles. Most students live on-campus, but there are also residential reservations off-campus for students to enjoy.
Life as a Student
The University of Maryland provides students with a living-learning environment with facilities, research centers, recreational centers, and business centers. UMD also has various organizations ranging from media, research, clubs, and societies to sports teams. The Terrapins, the school’s athletic team, competes in the NCAA Division 1 under the Big Ten Conference in various varsity sports. The team has won 44 national championships and has the best athletic facilities in the state.
TOP MAJORS
Computer Science
Biology
Information Science
Public Health
Economics
Finance
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Student security patrol
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Legal Advice
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Track and Field
Wrestling
Basketball
Field Hockey
Golf
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rock Climbing
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Badminton
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rock Climbing
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Intramural
Intramural
Football
Ultimate Frisbee
Football
Ultimate Frisbee
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
The University of Maryland provides students with opportunities to earn institutional aid and grants based on specific qualifications to help pay for their time at the university and 72% of University of Maryland freshmen receive financial aid with an average package size of $9,074.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition (Resident, On Campus) - $10,954, (Out-of-State, On Campus) - $38,636
- On-Campus Room, Cable & Phone - $8,072
- Meal Plan - $5,276
- Books/Supplies - $1,250
- Transportation/Other Costs - $2,522
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance (Resident, On Campus) - $28,074, (Out-of-State On Campus) - $55,756
HISTORY
The University of Maryland (UMD) College Park was founded in 1856 as the flagship institution of the university system of Maryland. The school is a member of the Association of American Universities and is the largest university in the United States. It is a public land-grant research university, but it is also considered a “Public Ivy” as it demands a quality of education comparable to other public Ivy League schools. The school has a suburban campus located in College Park, Maryland, and has academic affiliations with AAU, CUWMA, Fields institute, ORAU, SURA, UZY, Sea URA, and Space-grant.
On 6th March 1856, a school was chartered in Maryland as the Maryland Agricultural College (MAC). The school, unfortunately, did not have a site set aside at the time it was chartered. Still, in 1858, Charles Benedict Calvert purchased 420 acres in the Riversdale mansion’s estate near College Park for MAC’s building project to begin. The college eventually commenced with 34 students on 5th October 1859 and became a land-grant college in 1864. Like most other institutes in the States, the school faced financial problems during the Civil War, problems that forced the school to sell 200 acres of its land and eventually close down during this period. After the Civil War, the school reopened in October 1867 with 11 students. The opening was followed by a move to re-establish a system of strict economy in the school’s business transactions. This move led to a rise in the school’s standards, which resulted in an increase in enrollment, the establishment of the college as an Agricultural Experiment Station, and the construction of the Morrill Hall.
Unfortunately, in 1912. a fire broke out in the college, destroying residence halls and academic buildings, but there were no casualties. In 1916, the school was renamed Maryland State College after the state took control of the school—and in 1920, the school replaced St. John’s College, Annapolis, to become the University of Maryland’s main undergraduate campus. In 1988, the school became the flagship campus of the university system of Maryland, leading to the school being renamed the University of Maryland, College Park. The school does not have any satellite campuses. Other campuses that share its name are distinct campuses under the University System of Maryland. UMD has a global alumni network of over 360,000, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin.