<p>Which high school senior would UMich like more and accept? And why? Let's say both went to competitive schools, had the same extracurriculars (average ECs), and both had a hook.</p>
<p>Student A:
- 3.5 GPA with all APs and Honors
- URM</p>
<p>Student B:
- 4.0 GPA with basic courses
- First generation college student</p>
<p>Student B.</p>
<p>Student B i would imagine to come from a school with few or no AP opportunity. This was the case for me, but with your example… It simply means you don’t know the potential of student B. Could be they would get a 4.0 in AP classes. This is why test grades and supposedly essays are a factor. A 3.5 even with a harder schedule means you probably wouldn’t do well here.</p>
<p>I think Student B has a better chance than Student A but if Student B is ducking the opprotunity to take any AP or honors classes, Student B will likely be a reach even with the 4.0. The best is to take the most challenging schedule that you can do well in. You don’t need to kill yourself with AP classes but it helps to have something if your school offers it.</p>
<p>Course rigor matters</p>
<p>Both are unlikely to be accepted unless AP classes were very limited or non-existent at Student B’s school. Just so you know, URM has no bearing on admissions under the current policies of the University (though it will still help you get scholarships if you are accepted).</p>
<p>Not enough info - UofM is holistic in their admissions. </p>
<p>Student B’s high school would have to offer few or no AP classes, you don’t get into a top college without having challenged yourself academically at least alittle if the opportunity is there.</p>
<p>With regard to A - many high schools do not have classes called “honor classes” only regular or AP on the transcript - the high school profile that is submitted tells UofM what courses are rigorous and which ones aren’t.</p>
<p>Decisions don’t happen in a vacuum.-</p>
<p>I still think stuff like URM, or female in engineering, or whatever matters, even if the university can’t outright say it. We have signs for diversity this and multicultural that all over the place… but that’s just me</p>
<p>The 3.5 student is unlikely to be accepted, regardless of how rigorous his/her classes are. Michigan expects students to get As, even when they take AP classes. Unless you attend a highly regarded high school that places 3.5 students into Michigan habitually, a sub-3.7 GPA will usually be rejected.</p>
<p>The 4.0 student may get in, if her/his school does not offer APs. But if the school offers many APs, he/she is also unlikely to be admitted, unless he/she does very well on the ACT/SAT and has excellent ECs.</p>