r/UMD•
monkeybot7

Is UMD a reach for 3.5 GPA, 1470 SAT, 2 jobs and 2 volunteer programs related to Computer Engineering?

Academic

I have been kinda looking at colleges but to be completely honest, I have no idea where i want to go, if I am a qualified candidate or like way out of my league for any of the schools I am applying to. I have been really liking UMD as I have been to the BitCamp Hackathon twice and liked it the most compared to some other hackathons I have done (Hoya Hacks, NC State hacks, some high school hackathons). I have heard really good things from UMD's Computer Engineering program and I really like the DC / DMV area. I have also been hearing about how a bunch of colleges have been getting flooded with applications the last couple of years (Rutgers being up like 90% over 2 years dropping acceptance rate from 65% to 30% like wtf) and I see people saying stuff like yeah 4.5 gpa will barely get you into most of UF. If anyone could maybe give me like a little insight on how my profile is kinda stacking up that would be nice.

Stats:

-3.5 weighted gpa

-AP Calc BC junior, score 4

-AP CS A, freshman year, score 4

-1470 SAT

-first job was being a TA for an after school program that does lego robitics at a few schools in my area, taught there last 3-4 months of junior year

-did volunteer teaching for summer camp related to Minecraft Mods and Lego Robotics,

-did summer job for 2 weeks at AoPS as a TA for 2 math camps

-did another volunteering that I started in summer for non-profit python tutoring which is run by a guy who goes to Purdue (planning on applying there and using this in my essay prob)

I plan on writing my essay for why UMD because of the hackathon experience and loving the UMD area, for my main common app essay, I plan on writing about how I felt moved by teaching kids coding stuff because everything I learned was self taught up until winning my first hackathon, and it feels like giving back to the community, yk sum sweet like that.

Posted Jul 9, 2025, 11:20 PM UTC

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