UMD's Commitment to Diversity

The University of Maryland (UMD) remains, since our founding, an institution of change and progress, and a proud land-grant flagship campus dedicated to the public good. Our guiding principles are helping us to empower the next generation of leaders, artists, writers, educators, scientists and global citizens to develop creative solutions to the grand challenges of our times.

We are strongest when embracing voices, ideas, perspectives, identities and experiences across our campus. Together, we work toward justice. Together we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

In support of the university’s overarching mission, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions strives to recruit, admit, enroll and support talented students from diverse backgrounds. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar come together as the Department of Enrollment Management to promote the success of these students who then benefit from and contribute to the intellectual, social and cultural life of the university, their communities and the world. We are student-centered and data-supported professionals committed to designing, implementing and providing the necessary services from pre-enrollment to graduation. We focus on providing pathways to an accessible and affordable education for the most promising students from Maryland, across the United States and around the globe.

On June 29, 2023 the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the use of race as a factor in the college application review process violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Darryll J. Pines, president of the University of Maryland released a statement about the ruling and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions wishes to reiterate: Our commitment to diversity remains a top priority for the University of Maryland.

“At a time when students who have historically faced the greatest barriers to accessing higher education are being told that the admission process may become more challenging than ever, we have a clear, loud and true message: we will remain a national leader by encouraging and supporting students of all backgrounds as they apply, enroll and graduate from the University of Maryland. The educational value of campus diversity is one we will not sacrifice.”

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will, of course, ensure that we adhere strictly to the Supreme Court’s decision. In accordance with the ruling, we will no longer consider race and ethnicity as part of our application review factors.

Our admission committee approaches each student’s application with an individualized, rigorous and holistic review, as we assess academic merit, achievements and potential in the context of the opportunities and challenges the student faced. Unfortunately, we can’t glean all of this information from just high school transcripts and test scores. We try to get to know students better through the information provided in their letters of recommendation, essays, and responses to our short answer questions. This year, we’ve added a new short answer question which reads:

• Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.
  

With this question, we are hoping to learn more about how diversity has shaped each student and its impact on how they’ve learned and grown. The key component we are searching for is authenticity. We want to emphasize that we are not asking students to bare any information they are uncomfortable sharing. We are trying to find out how students’ curiosity, interests, experiences and even challenges may have shaped what they will contribute to UMD both inside and outside the classroom.

Throughout the year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions hosts events to help prospective and admitted students, their families and counselors/advisors navigate the college application and admission processes. A number of these events are designed to celebrate the diversity of our campus and increase access for students who might not otherwise have the resources and opportunities to apply to college. Examples include: