University of Maryland, College Park Reports Record Freshman Enrollment

The University of Maryland, College Park enrolled its largest incoming freshman class on record this fall, admissions officials announced, with just over 5,400 new students arriving on campus after a record application cycle that saw submissions climb nearly 14 percent from the previous year.

University administrators attributed the surge in interest to the school's rising national rankings in computer science and engineering, along with continued growth in its data science and cybersecurity programs, both of which have become increasingly popular among in-state and out-of-state applicants alike.

"We're seeing students choose College Park over private schools that cost three or four times as much, because they've realized the academic quality is there and the career outcomes are there," said the university's dean of undergraduate admissions. "That wasn't always the perception of a flagship public university, but it's shifted a lot over the last decade."

The larger class has put pressure on campus housing, and university officials confirmed that several hundred freshmen were temporarily assigned to converted study lounges and triple-occupancy rooms while a new residence hall, currently under construction near the north campus dining hall, is completed. The university said the new building, expected to open next fall, will add capacity for roughly 800 additional students.

Maryland's state higher education officials pointed to the enrollment growth as a sign of confidence in the University System of Maryland's flagship campus, even as some smaller regional public universities in the state have faced enrollment declines. University leaders said they do not expect to grow the incoming class further in the near term, citing the need to first expand housing, dining, and classroom capacity to match current demand.