Admitted Students
Congratulations on your admission to the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland! As a newly admitted Terp, we are excited to welcome you to the college and begin your Maryland experience!
Check out the resources below to learn about your next steps, events for admitted students, and the opportunities that await you as a Terp! Remember to reference the admitted student checklists provided by the admissions office for fall-admitted and spring-admitted freshmen.
The deadline to confirm your enrollment is May 15. Admitted students can confirm from their Terps Application Portal.
Calendar of Events
| Date | Type of Event | Event Name | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 26-March 1 | Virtual | Merrill College Career Week Panels | More Information |
| March 1 | In-Person | Admitted Student Open House (Campus-wide) | More Information |
| March 11 | In-Person | Admitted Student Open House (Campus-wide) | More Information |
| March 13, 4:30-5:45 p.m. | In-Person/Virtual | Inaugural Maria Ressa Prizes for Courage in Journalism Ceremony | More Information |
| March 26 | In-Person | Terps on Tour: College Park | |
| March 27 | In-Person | Terps on Tour: Baltimore City | |
| April 8 | In-Person | Admitted Student Open House (Campus-wide) | More Information |
| April 17, 7-8 p.m. | Virtual | Merrill College Parents’ Night | More Information |
| April 19 | Virtual | Admitted Student Open House (Campus-wide Virtual) | More Information |
| April 27 | In-Person | Maryland Day (Campus-wide) | More Information |
For all events hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, please visit their webpage for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Visit Merrill College
Now that you’ve been admitted, schedule an in-person, personalized tour of Knight Hall!
Visit Merrill College to see our facilities, technology labs and professional-grade TV studios. Along the way, you’ll meet Merrill College faculty and students who will share their experiences with you!
Merrill College offers tours Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tours typically take an hour and meet at Knight Hall. Merrill College tours are not in coordination with tours held by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Hang Out with Our Students
No adults allowed! Every other week, our Merrill College student ambassadors will be hanging out in a Zoom room to chat with you and answer your questions! Check back soon for more info!
Speak with Our Faculty
Get the inside scoop on everything we have to offer by scheduling a one-on-one meeting with our nationally recognized faculty!
It’s not formal. It’s not a college interview. It’s a laid-back, fun way to connect! Our faculty members are incredibly eager to speak with you, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to chat with the best of the best.
Check out the bios below for our faculty members who have enthusiastically offered their time! To arrange a one-on-one virtual meeting, please email the faculty member with the subject line “Admitted Student One-on-One Request,” and the two of you can communicate to schedule a time for you to learn more about Merrill College!
Merit-Based Scholarships
Admitted students who applied to the University of Maryland by the Early Action deadline are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships offered by the university and scholarships offered by the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Admitted students who applied by the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline will receive their financial aid packages from the Office of Student Financial Aid by March 1. Merrill College is not involved in the financial aid packages awarded by the university.
Once the university has awarded financial aid packages, Merrill College will award its own merit-based scholarships starting in early April. Students will be notified via email of any and all awards.
We encourage students to research scholarships that are offered outside of the university. The university’s Scholarship Search allows admitted students to search for alternative options for financing their college education. There are additional resources available through the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with Merrill College on social media to stay up to date on college news, see what awesome things our students are up to and learn more about upcoming events!
Making Your Decision
Confirm your spot in Merrill College by the May 15 enrollment deadline! Visit your application portal to officially confirm your enrollment at the University of Maryland.
If you decide not to attend Merrill College, while we are disappointed you won’t be joining us, please make sure to decline your offer of admission in the same portal. It’s very important for Merrill College to have all applicants accounted for, regardless of their decision and it also allows us to potentially reaward any scholarship funds we may have offered you to other deserving students.
FAQs
First and foremost, congratulations on being offered spring admission! As college admissions get increasingly competitive, spring admission is a significant accomplishment.
Picture this ...
You take classes in the fall semester. You live in the residence halls in the fall semester. You get to do all activities with the friends you make in the fall semester. You join student-run journalism publications and clubs in the fall semester.
Believe it or not, that is what spring admission looks like with Freshmen Connection!
Freshmen Connection is a fall semester extension program offered to all students admitted for the spring semester. In Freshmen Connection, you enroll in courses for the fall semester during off-peak times (afternoon and evening — you can sleep in!). In the spring semester, you can register for classes at any time.
Many current students who were offered spring admission say that being in Freshmen Connection hardly feels any different than being offered fall admission!
Participation in Freshmen Connection is optional, but interested students must first confirm their enrollment at UMD by May 1.
Merrill College caps its skills-based classes at 18 students! Our visual classes have as many as 12 students. Our advanced capstone courses range from 5-10 students. Our seminar courses are no bigger than 30 students.
So even our big classes are not that big! These small class sizes allow our students to establish strong relationships with their professors, build friendships with their classmates and receive the individualized attention they need to be successful!
Sample four-year plans are available for you to view! This is just an example of what a student might take, but it will be different for everyone!
Yes! Double degrees with other majors on campus are common. Likewise, students are free to select from the more than 80 minors on campus.
A common concern for students is wondering if they can still graduate in four years with a double major. Absolutely! A double degree is possible in four years.
Students sometimes need to complete summer and winter courses or credit overloads, but it is very doable. Our advising team can begin working with you on a course completion plan as soon as you confirm your enrollment.
Philip Merrill College of Journalism students regularly land school-year internships at such prestigious media outlets as National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, Washingtonian magazine, network and local TV news stations, SiriusXM, WTOP and WBAL radio stations, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and USA Today, McClatchy, Monumental Sports Network and ESPN.
Additionally, students find opportunities in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Indianapolis, Tampa and elsewhere during summer and winter breaks, at news outlets such as NPR, the Indianapolis Star, Reuters, Axios, CBS, NBC, ABC, local Fox affiliates, Fox Sports, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping magazines.
There are over 15 student journalism organizations at the University of Maryland, many of which you can get involved in as early as your freshman year! To learn more about these organizations, visit this page!
The University of Maryland offers daily tours and visits specific to admitted students. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions webpage to schedule a tour! Be quick; they fill up fast!
As you begin the school year, look out for an email introducing you to your Merrill Peer Mentor! Every incoming student gets automatically paired with a peer mentor based on your journalistic interests. Peer mentors can provide advice about classes, help connect you with campus publications and student organizations, and will organize social activities for your mentorship group!
The program lasts through the fall semester of freshman year and typically kicks off with an ice cream social during the first few weeks of class. We are excited to see you there!
The Merrill Alumni Mentorship Program is a great way for students to connect with Merrill alums who have a wealth of knowledge about careers in journalism and other industries. During this yearlong mentorship program, students are paired with alums based on shared interests, career goals or areas of expertise. Interested in learning more about the Merrill Mentorship Program? Contact Merrill’s DEI coordinator, Alexis Ojeda-Brown, at aojedabr@umd.edu.
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