Founded in 1856, The University of Maryland is a large public university in College Park, Maryland.
With a population of about 30,875 students, UMD has a sizeable student body, which means there are many opportunities for students to find their niche in academic programs, clubs and organizations, and social events.
In fact, UMD has over 800 clubs and organizations on campus, including almost 60 sororities and fraternities.
UMD is also known for its athletic programs, where students can compete on one of 19 intercollegiate teams at the Division I varsity level.
UMD students enjoy a nice mix of suburban and city life. College Park is only about four miles from the northeast border of Washington, D.C., and 45 minutes from Baltimore.
This means students can seclude themselves on UMD’s many green and grassy quads, or they can venture out into the hustle and bustle of D.C. and Baltimore. The close proximity to major cities also provides students with ample internship and work opportunities.
College Park, Maryland boasts many exciting features beyond the university. The town is home to The National Archives at College Park, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
College Park is also famous for having the world’s oldest airport in operation, the College Park Airport. The airport was established in 1909 by Wilbur Wright.
The University of Maryland College Park truly has something for everyone. With over 90 undergraduate majors across 12 schools, students are sure to find the program of study they’re interested in.
U.S. News and World Report ranks The University of Maryland #59 in National Universities, which means it’s in the top 100 best institutions in the U.S.
Because of its high ranking, many degree programs, ideal location, and variety of social opportunities, UMD is highly popular among transfer students looking to discover an element of their education they were missing at their previous institution.
University of Maryland Transfer Acceptance Rate
The transfer acceptance rate into the University of Maryland is 57%.
This means that transfer students with strong academic records and impressive applications have a good chance of being admitted.
Transfer students make up a relatively small percentage of the overall University of Maryland student population. With only about 1,850 transfer students per year, most UMD students apply out of high school and are accepted as freshmen.
However, the large selection of student clubs and organizations means transfer students have ample opportunity to find their community within the context of UMD’s hefty student body.
UMD values transfer students on campus because they bring unique perspectives to the classroom and the college atmosphere they’ve gained through their high school studies and as students at other institutions.
Transfer students at the University of Maryland are encouraged to apply whenever they want to leave their previous institution.
In addition, UMD has a Transfer Advantage Program that provides a pathway for students at participating community colleges to work toward earning their bachelor’s degree from UMD.
Students taking this trajectory will complete coursework through the Transfer Advantage Program while taking classes from a community college. Then, upon completing the program, they’ll officially transfer to UMD.
Application Requirements & GPA for UMD Transfer Students
The recommended minimum GPA for students transferring to UMD is 3.0. While this GPA may seem low, many accepted students at UMD have higher grades.
Students must submit any relevant transcripts. This means sending transcripts from all previous institutions attended.
Students applying with less than 30 credits from a higher-level institution should also submit their transcripts from high school.
Those students applying with less than 30 college-level credits must also submit their SAT or ACT scores from high school.
As with college applications coming directly out of high school, only the highest SAT or ACT score need be sent as part of the UMD transfer application.
The University of Maryland transfer application requires an essay. This essay asks students to describe why they wish to transfer to UMD. Students must also discuss any academic challenges they’ve faced and overcome, as well as their future goals and possible career trajectories.
Students must include an academic resume with their University of Maryland transfer application.
Much like a professional resume, this academic resume should list the student’s participation in extracurricular clubs or organizations, as well as any awards or distinctions the student has earned.
The University of Maryland encourages the highest standards in their students, so the academic resume is a chance to show off any education successes a student has enjoyed.
UMD Transfer Deadline
The deadline to apply to the University of Maryland as a transfer student is June 1st for Fall admission and November 15th for Spring admission.
Students should note, though, that the University of Maryland has two types of applications–Early Action and Regular Decision.
The first application type is called Early Action. This means that students have researched and are sure they want to attend.
Students applying for early action can send their application early and receive an admission or denial early, as well. Often, early action applicants have a better chance of admission because fewer spots are filled, and their interest in the school is appealing to admissions officers.
However, many schools require students to restrict their early action applications. This means that students can only apply early action to one school. Unlike Early Decision, early action is not binding, so students do not necessarily have to attend the school they applied to early.
The early action transfer application deadlines for the University of Maryland are March 1st for Fall enrollment and August 1st for Spring enrollment.
Students applying Regular Decision will submit their applications at the usual time and receive a notification of admittance or denial with the rest of their prospective class.
What Is the Decision Date for UMD Transfer Students
Students who have applied to the University of Maryland as transfer students will hear from the school by mid-July for Fall enrollment and mid-December for Spring enrollment.
Students are not given a hard and fast date on which they’ll hear whether or not they’ve been accepted.
Instead, the University of Maryland offers a time frame (mid-July, for example), so students can keep an eye on their application portals during this period.
The reason for not providing a strict deadline is that occasional issues need to be sorted out by the admissions officers before releasing the acceptance or denial letters.
Admissions officers want to make sure they create the best possible incoming class, so they give themselves a bit of a grace period to finalize the application process results.
Students who applied to transfer to the University of Maryland as early action applicants will hear whether or not they’ve been admitted by late April for Fall enrollment and late October for Spring enrollment.
If a student submits their application after the Regular Decision deadline, they will be notified of acceptance or denial on a rolling basis.
This means there is no strict date on which late applications will receive an answer. Instead, students will hear whether or not they’ve been accepted randomly, most likely within a few days to a couple of weeks of applying.
Students should note that any applications sent after the Regular Decision deadline will be considered depending on whether or not there is space left in the incoming class.
Deciding Whether You Should Apply to UMD As a Transfer Student
Of course, the most important thing students should consider when deciding whether or not to transfer to the University of Maryland is if UMD would provide them with any opportunities they were lacking at their previous institution.
Students should reflect on why they want to transfer from their current school. It’s helpful to make a list of the things that are missing from their college, as well as the things they are looking for in a new one.
The University of Maryland is an excellent fit for students looking to live on a suburban campus with many exciting student clubs and organizations, as well as a plethora of academic programs to choose from and Division I athletics to participate in or watch.
UMD is also great for students looking to find their niche in a large campus with a massive student body.
Students will love UMD if they’re interested in having easy access to Washington D.C. or Baltimore but don’t necessarily want to live in those cities.
So, if a student decides these features are perfect for them, they’ll need to ensure they’re a strong transfer applicant who meets UMD’s requirements.
Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA, but higher is definitely better. Students should also make sure they have decent SAT or ACT scores from high school, if they’re applying with less than 30 credits from a college-level institution.
Recap: How To Apply to UMD As a Transfer Student
In order to apply to the University of Maryland as a transfer student, students should familiarize themselves with the application deadlines in order to best plan their time.
The University of Maryland transfer application deadlines are as follows:
Fall Enrollment:
Early Action application deadline: March 1st
Regular Decision application deadline: June 1st
Spring Enrollment:
Early Action application deadline: August 1st
Regular Decision application deadline: November 15th
Once students understand the application deadlines, they can decide whether to apply Early Action or Regular Decision.
As stated above, students should have at least a 3.0 GPA and submit all relevant transcripts and test scores.
Students must also write an essay about why they want to transfer to the University of Maryland, as well as any academic challenges they’ve overcome and any future career aspirations.
The final step in applying to the University of Maryland is compiling an academic resume highlighting the student’s extracurricular participation and academic awards or distinctions.
