Even though it has become more selective in recent years, the University of Maryland, College Park remains the most applied-to school for seniors. 

Every fall, seniors send out college applications, aiming everywhere from local Maryland campuses to Ivies and other prestigious universities across the country. While acceptance rates have risen and fallen throughout recent years, certain schools still remain at the top of students’ lists. 

According to data from Jennifer MacDonald, the College and Career Navigator, this year’s most popular schools include UMD, College Park, Pennsylvania State University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Over the last decade, in-state options like Towson University and Montgomery College have appeared more frequently in the top rankings. “I can’t really quantify the least-applied-to schools because so many only receive one application in a year, but we can clearly see which schools consistently rise to the top,” MacDonald said.

UMD’s drop in acceptance rate hasn’t had an effect on the number of applicants. The number of commitments in recent years suggests the opposite. On the senior Instagram account, “@peaceoutpatriot26,” which tracks the year’s college commitments, five seniors have already committed to UMD, and it’s only February. 

Senior Sierra Lease is now a part of the UMD class of 2030. “The changes in acceptance at UMD definitely did scare me especially after seeing so many of my friends last year get rejected. At first it made me steer away from the thought of UMD out of the fear that I wouldn’t get in, but I am ultimately so grateful to be part of the bunch that did get in this year,” Lease said.

College trends may reflect the lingering impact of COVID-19. During the pandemic, students stayed closer to home, which may explain why UMBC, Towson, and Montgomery College rank especially high.

Another important factor behind these trends is cost. For Maryland residents, in-state tuition at public universities like UMD College Park, UMBC and Towson University is significantly lower than out-of-state tuition, which saves families tens of thousands of dollars per year. To compare, out of state public schools such as Penn State University, University of Michigan, Purdue University and Ohio State University charge much higher rates for non-residents. University of Michigan charges $44,00 to over $63,000+ per year for out-of-state students, while UMD charges $12,000 per year for in-state students, highlighting a benefit of staying at an in-state school.

Beyond tuition, staying closer to home can create easier and more affordable housing and travel costs and give students access to family support, which may be especially important to families after the confusion and fear they experienced during COVID-19.