On Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 5:30-6:30 pm ET, the Office of Undergraduate Research will hold a Zoom information session for undergraduate students regarding summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). If you work with students who might be interested in learning more about these programs, we would be grateful for your assistance in sharing information about this event with them.

Run by universities, colleges, and research organizations throughout the United States, NSF REU programs provide paid summer research opportunities to undergraduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical fields (including social, behavioral, and economic science fields). The NSF limits eligibility for these programs to undergraduates who are US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. 

The information session will provide an overview of these programs and information on how to locate and apply to programs running in summer 2025. It will also feature a panel of UMD students who have participated in NSF REUs in the past:

• Yoshi Chettri ‘25 (Majoring in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and Chemistry; participated in Johns Hopkins University’s BioREU in Summer 2022)
• Atrey Desai ‘26 (Majoring in Computer Science and Linguistics; participated in the University of Texas-Arlington’s Animal Language Processing and Understanding REU in Summer 2024)

We ask that students interested in attending register in advance.

Verify on Testudo under “Appointments and Registration Status” to see if you have any registration blocks that could prevent you from registering and resolve them as soon as possible!

The most common Registration Blocks are: Immunization Blocks, Financial Bocks, and Fundamental Studies blocks.  The Mandatory Advising block will be removed after you make your advising appointment. To view all types of blocks and what they mean, click HERE.

Course listed as “By Permission Only” (Perm Req):  contact the academic department offering the course. For example, students who wish to take ENSP/ECON courses that are required for a concentration or minor, must contact the ENSP/ECON department.  If you want to get permission for a GVPT course, contact the GVPT department, etc.

Permission for “GEOG or ENSP” courses:

• Contact GEOG Advise if you need permission for GEOG 300/400-level internship, independent study or career-related courses.
• Contact Angela if you need permission for ENSP’s 300/400-level courses.  You must be in Junior standing, and it is highly recommended that you have completed both ENSP101 and 102.  Please send me your name and UID if you want permission to take this course.
• We CANNOT give you stamps for other departments (ENST, GVPT, etc).

The deadline to drop a course with a “W” is Nov. 4, 2024

See full drop policy HERE.

HOW DO I KNOW I SHOULD DROP A COURSE?

• Is the coursework in the class so heavy, and/or the likelihood of passing it so slim, that it is taking away from other courses?  If the answer is “yes,” then it may be a good idea to drop the course. It is usually better to drop a course and earn A’s and B’s in 4 classes, than one B, 3 C’s and an F in 5 classes.
• Be honest with yourself.  Refer to your course syllabus to get a realistic idea regarding what percentage of your grade is already determined and how much improvement is mathematically possible.  Remember that what is “mathematically” possible may not be “realistically” possible.
• Speak to your instructor to get his/her opinion.  Instructors are non judgmental and eager to help you find the best strategy.  Also, remember that some courses are structured such that your final grade might be raised by things like semester projects.  Your instructors can provide insight, so if you are worried, please ask.

Last, if you are worried about “getting behind” in your credits, remember that you could take a winter term or summer term class to catch up.

ARE “W’S” BAD? 

No, a few W’s over the course of an academic career are not “bad.”  There will be no indication on your transcript whether you were failing or passing at the time of the drop, and W’s are not calculated into your GPA.

If, on the other hand, you withdraw from a course EVERY SEMESTER, you could lead an employer or graduate admissions committee to think you weren’t very good at setting reasonable goals for yourself… and this is not a good thing.  Expectations are fairly lenient for first- and second-year students; and much less so for upper-level students.

IF I DROP BELOW 12 CREDITS, THAT MAKES ME PART-TIME.  IS THAT BAD?

No – at this point in the semester, it won’t affect your residence hall status or your tuition.  If you had dropped to part-time during the first 5 days of the semester, it would have changed your tuition bill and your eligibility for housing.  At this point, it doesn’t change anything.

WHAT IF I NEED TO DROP MORE THAN 4 CREDITS?

If extenuating circumstances are causing difficulty with your academics, please contact me because there is help available on campus, and academic procedures to be followed, should you need assistance handling the academic consequences of a personal situation.  It is better to “strategize” now, while you have options, than to wait and do nothing, hoping the situation will “right” itself.

WHAT IF I AM RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID? 

Check with a Financial Aid counselor in the Lee Building NOW if dropping a course would put you below 12 credits.  Most aid programs allow this provided you started the semester with 12 or more credits, but there may be a few that do not – and it can be expen$ive to make an incorrect assumption.

WHAT IF I REALLY DON’T WANT TO DROP THE COURSE?

If you want to hang in there with your course, develop a long-term (final 6-8 weeks) study plan and stick to it.  Use all available help sources and strategies (see below).  If you end up making the “wrong” decision and fail the course, the Repeat Policy allows:

—  First year students to repeat at any time a course taken during the first 24 credits.

—  Transfer students to repeat at any time a course taken during their first semester at UM.

—  In these two situations, only the higher grade will “count” in the GPA, however, both grades will remain on the transcript. 

>>> After these “grace” periods, any failed course AND its subsequent repeat will “count” in your cumulative GPA.

USUALLY, the MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGY = INCREASE YOUR STUDY TIME:

—  Aim to study at least 2 hours per credit hour carried, e.g., 30 hours a week (or about 4 hours a day) for a 15-credit load. 

—  “Study” in this context means: reading, note-taking, library research, tutorial help, group study, writing, self-quizzing, etc.

FINALLY – – HELP SOURCES:

• Your instructor
• Study skills and tutorial support programs: http://ensp.umd.edu/advising/study-skills-tutoring
• UMD Tutoring Resources: https://tutoring.umd.edu/

It’s almost National Bat Week so that means it’s our favorite time of year! UMD’s annual Bat Festival (UMD Bat Fest) will be TODAY Monday 6-8pm. We’ll again be offering fun family learning entertainment all about bats. There will be interactive exhibits, arts & crafts, food, and a talk all geared for families of all sizes and ages.

To RSVP for this free event, please click here or scan the code in the flier. Help us spread the word with your friends, families, neighbors, and students!

UMDBatFest2024.pdf

Attention Current ENSP Undergrads!

ENSPire’s October Advising Event is HERE!

The ENSPire Student Advisory Board is excited to host an October Advising event to help YOU (yes you!) with planning your upcoming spring (and beyond). Come ask questions about what to take next semester, how to plan out your next four years, how to study abroad, or just how to manage your schedule. ENSPire wants to help you feel prepared going into your advising appointments, to make sure you are ready for upcoming Spring registration.

Come ask questions, eat candy, and meet your ENSPire board! We are here to help you in any way that we can. We want you to feel confident with your schedules moving forward, and make sure you graduate with the right classes and credits!

The event is scheduled to take place in the Plant Science Building, Room 1140, from 6:00 pm to 8 pm on October 28th, 2024.

Make sure to sign up using this form! Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to gain valuable insights for your post-undergraduate journey!

See you there!