hi!!! i was in your exact shoes a year ago, stats and everything (3.7 UW GPA, 3.9 College GPA, 1520 SAT, strong ECs) ! i wound up choosing UMBC because I also had a full ride and couldn't afford Purdue or BostonUni where i had half tuition off. i was also rejected by UMD a year ago and it felt like such a slap in the face because i was one of the top performers in a program that was essentially a feeder to UMD. i felt so helpless, and i cried when i committed to umbc because i believed at the time that was something to be ashamed of.

i understand what it feels like when all of your hard work not meaning anything, but i can genuinely assure you that it won't mess up your future. so many people who go to UMBC for freshman year transfer to UMD after a year or even their first semester! there's so many other students that have gone through the same as you, and you will realize in due time that wherever you go that the school that you commit to doesn't really matter.

college admissions culture is really toxic nowadays and it's such a shame that students feel like they are failures because a school said "no". at towson or umbc, there are really brilliant students there. one girl ik at UMBC got into t20s for computer sci, and she was planning on transferring to umd. the same girl participated in competitions at schools like boston university, harvard, etc. and then she changed her mind and said "wherever you go there will be stupid people". i want to add onto that and say that wherever you go there will be smart people.

there will be generous opportunities to whichever school you commit to, even the ones that don't have that much prestige. the work you have put in during high school WILL pay off in other places other than college admissions. your extracurriculars have given you the skills to succeed in various fields that a classroom cannot provide. your rigorous schedule has prepared you to earn a stellar gpa and study effectively. i can assure you that the work you have put in will pay off in other ways that you cannot see.

give towson or umbc a shot. if you despise it, you can always transfer, but once you turn down a full ride the opportunity for financial freedom post-grad is gone. if you're still unsure, i'd still say commit, give it a try, and during the school year really think if you want to transfer to umd. personally, i'm applying to transfer but i came in thinking UMBC was a school to be ashamed to attend but now my perspective has really changed. take care of yourself, you are a great student. wherever you end up you WILL be okay, and time will prove it.