Gemstone Admissions Process

Gemstone Invitation

The Gemstone Director and Academic Advisor coordinate Gemstone invitations by working through the Honors College with the university Undergraduate Admissions office. Gemstone students invited for fall 2009 had an average weighted GPA of 4.5, and average SAT score of 1459. Gemstone does not offer scholarships for students. Scholarship information can be found at Scholarships for Undergraduate Students. For best consideration, students are strongly encouraged to apply for admission to the University by November 1 for the following fall.

The Gemstone staff reviews a list of Honors College invitees who have expressed a strong interest in the Gemstone Program. Because the Gemstone Program is multidisciplinary, students are selected for invitation across academic disciplines. Students invited to Gemstone have: very strong academic credentials; demonstrate societal concerns in their admission essay and resume; show involvement in team related and other co-curricular activities; and demonstrate intellectual inquisitiveness and interest in research.

Once students have received an invitation to Gemstone, they must communicate their intention to accept or decline the invitation by following the instructions on the Gemstone homepage. Students confirmed to join the Gemstone Program will be notified and will receive further information from Gemstone about Honors College Orientation sessions, Summer Buddy assignments, Gems Camp, and course requirements.

Contact the Gemstone Academic Advisor at dawsona@umd.edu or at 301-314-7451 with questions regarding the admission process.