The University of Maryland – College Park (UMD) is the flagship institution in the University of Maryland system and the largest university in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia tri-state area. Gayle King, Larry David, and Sergey Brin all count themselves alumni of this historic institution, and yet it doesn’t boast the same level of selectivity as comparable schools. Gaining admission to UMD is about as easy now as it was over fifteen years ago, making it something of an anomaly among colleges nationwide. Nearly across the board, acceptance rates have been dwindling to record-low numbers, but not at UMD. 

Let’s take a look at eighteen years of acceptance rate data gathered from the UMD Common Data Set.

University of Maryland’s Acceptance Rate over Eighteen Years

University of Maryland – College Park Graduating Class	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	44.78%
Class of 2028	44.84%
Class of 2027	44.61%
Class of 2026	52.00%
Class of 2025	50.96%
Class of 2024	44.18%
Class of 2023	47.16%
Class of 2022	44.50%
Class of 2021	48.06%
Class of 2020	44.88%
Class of 2019	47.93%
Class of 2018	46.91%
Class of 2017	46.82%
Class of 2016	44.71%
Class of 2015	44.10%
Class of 2014	41.90%
Class of 2013	39.17%
Class of 2012	46.78%

The University of Maryland – College Park’s stable acceptance rate for the past 18 years can be attributed to a variety of factors, including stable enrollment goals, a high volume of applicants, and its holistic admissions process. Between 2007 and 2025, the lowest recorded acceptance rate was 39.17%, while the highest was 52%. Sure, there’s some variation, but this relative consistency is pretty unheard of at other schools of UMD’s caliber, where acceptance rates have declined in recent years. So what gives?

As a large public university, UMD faces a distinct admissions situation, allowing it to maintain its admissions rate without the drastic fluctuations often affecting private universities. By balancing accessibility, yield management, and adapting to shifts in applicant demographics, UMD has found a formula for consistency — but not necessarily increasing prestige. If they wanted to ascend the rankings of publications like the US News & World Report, admissions officers at UMD would need to make a greater effort to drive down the acceptance rate by increasing their number of applicants.

In any event, this minimal change over time is great news for the families of children who have their sights set on the land of the Terrapins. But make no mistake, an acceptance rate that hovers in the 40% range by no means guarantees admission. More than half of UMD applicants still face rejection each year. And even though the last few years would seem to indicate that the UMD acceptance rate is relatively stable, there is no telling what the next admissions cycle could hold (or need we remind our readers of all of the admissions shake-ups that happened because a little thing called the coronavirus happened to hit U.S. shores a few years ago!)

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With University of Maryland Waitlist Acceptance

That’s where Ivy Coach comes in. Our team of former elite college admissions officers knows what UMD is looking for — students who have distinguished themselves with a powerful, wonderfully weird singular hook! Don’t let their acceptance rates fool you — UMD is still routinely turning down competitive applicants with amazing grades each year who haven’t made any impression on their admissions officers. These students might look good on paper but lack the drive and determination to take advantage of the campus’ many resources and opportunities.

Ivy Coach’s students, on the other hand, showcase the passions, disciplines, causes, and pursuits they’ve carried out to make their local community, school, business, or group a better place. By turning to Ivy Coach, you’ll have optimized your child’s odds of admission to UMD and set them up with a highly competitive singular hook that will serve them throughout the college admissions process. All you need to do to get started is fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.