Applying as a Freshman
Admission Requirements
The Admission Committee considers all aspects of a student's qualifications and offers admission to the most competitive applicants in order to build a talented, diverse and interesting entering class.
The following information is considered: the student's academic performance in high school, the rigor of the high school academic program, SAT I and/or ACT scores, class rank (if available), essay, extracurricular activities, school counselor and teacher recommendations and responses to short answer questions. Maryland residency, special talents and/or abilities, personal experiences and background and Maryland alumni/ae affiliation may be taken into consideration.
As prescribed by the Board of Regents, the university expects all applicants, at a minimum, to have completed by graduation the following course work:
- Four years of English
- Three years of mathematics, including algebra I or applied math I & II, formal logic or geometry
- Three years of history or social science
- Three years of science in at least two different areas, with at least two lab experiences
- Two years of a foreign language
The above criteria represent the minimum requirements for admission. Successful applicants typically present academic credentials which exceed the minimum, including: several honors and/or Advanced Placement (AP/IB) courses, and additional academic electives. A fourth year of mathematics is strongly recommended.
Be sure to check out the application checklist and deadlines on the "Related Links" menu.
