How can I compare my admission chances at the University of Maryland and Virginia Tech?

With a 3.8 unweighted GPA, a 1350 SAT, AP coursework, and meaningful activities, you are a plausible applicant at both Maryland and Virginia Tech, but neither should be treated as a certainty. Your relative odds will depend heavily on residency, intended major, course rigor in context, and senior-year grades.

Maryland may fit the applicant whose record shows especially strong academic preparation in a rigorous curriculum and a clear reason for pursuing its specific major or opportunities in the DC-area setting. Compare your transcript to the coursework expected for your intended program, not simply to your overall GPA: for engineering, for example, advanced math, physics, and sustained performance in those courses matter substantially. A 1350 SAT can support your application, but it is less likely to offset weaker grades or course selection for a highly sought-after major.

Virginia Tech may be a more favorable comparison point if your application demonstrates practical engagement, technical curiosity, leadership, service, or a strong connection between your activities and intended field. Its admissions review also considers the academic context of your high school and the strength of your senior schedule.

Use each university’s current first-year admissions profile and Common Data Set to compare your GPA and testing with enrolled students, separating in-state from out-of-state data when available. Then assess whether your grades and rigor are near the stronger end of each school’s applicant pool, whether your intended major is capacity-limited, and whether your activities show depth rather than just participation. With the information given, both belong in the realistic-but-selective range; add at least a few colleges where your academic record is clearly above the typical admitted range.