How can I compare the selectivity of UMD and Georgia Tech for computer science?

For a first-year applicant aiming for computer science, Georgia Tech is typically the more difficult admission target overall, and that usually holds for applicants signaling CS. Its applicant pool is especially concentrated in engineering, computing, and other quantitatively intensive fields, so strong grades and test scores alone do not make an applicant distinctive. UMD is also selective, particularly for Computer Science, but Georgia Tech is the higher-reach option for a comparable applicant.

The two schools organize admission differently enough that a single acceptance rate can mislead. Georgia Tech admits students to the institute rather than treating CS as a separately published undergraduate admission pool; students indicate an intended major, but applicants interested in CS compete in an environment where technical preparation is exceptionally common. The meaningful comparison is the depth of math, science, and computing preparation, course rigor relative to what a high school offers, and evidence that the student has pursued technical interests beyond simply selecting CS on an application.

Computer Science is a Limited Enrollment Program at Maryland, so applicants should pay attention to the university’s current direct-admission and internal-transfer policies. That structure makes CS more constrained than many non-limited majors at UMD, but it does not automatically make it comparable to Georgia Tech’s overall level of selectivity.

Treat Georgia Tech as a high reach unless your record is outstanding in a very rigorous curriculum, and treat UMD CS as selective but potentially more attainable depending on Maryland residency, coursework, and the strength of your application.