Based on my credentials, where should I apply to? Can I get into U of M?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, I’m going into my high school junior year. I think I want to go into a medical job, like some sort of doctor, but I’m not sure what specifically! Based on my credentials, what are good colleges for future doctors that you think I could get into? Anywhere in the U.S., I guess, but especially in the Midwest. Do you think I could get into the University of Michigan?

On the SAT, I scored 670 in Reading, 730 in Math, and 660 in Writing, 63 in Grammar, and 9 out of 12 on the Essay, with a total score of 2060.

On the ACT, I got a 32.

My GPA so far is 3.91.

Freshman year I took two honors classes and no APs (there were no other honors or AP options).

Sophomore year I took four honors classes and two APs.

This coming year I’m taking three honors and two APs (does it look bad to go from four to three honors??)

Senior year, I’m planning to take six APs which is a LOT so I’m not sure if I can do it (AP English, AP Calc, AP Euro, APES, AP Spanish, and AP Studio Art!) Do you think it’s a bad idea to take so many?

And for extracurriculars, I’m doing the school magazine, National Honors Society, , ski club, a church group, and I’m the head of art club. I also volunteer a bit. Should I get into more extracurriculars? More medical-y ones?

So basically:
Do you think I’m doing well???
Where should I apply?
Can I get into U of M?
Is it bad to go from four to three honors?
Is it bad to take 6 APs?
Should I get into more extracurriculars and more doctor-related things?

Thanks!

2

Your GPA and course rigor are okay and above average, but your test scores are below admission average. Your ACT is slightly better. If you are applying to LSA from OOS, it would be a low reach due to the low admission rate. You may want to bring up your ACT by a couple points for a better chance.

3

You’re doing great so far. I don’t know what state you live in, but you definitely seem to be a strong candidate for Michigan if you keep going like you are. I don’t know what stats the above poster is looking at, but a 32 is not below average for Michigan, it puts you in the 75th percentile.

4

Also, the average GPA for incoming freshmen is around a 3.8, so you’re above average there and you’re above average with test scores. All of that, and you’re only a junior. You’re doing great.

5

You should consider applying to the Big Ten universities – they’re all excellent and spread across the Midwest, and you should definitely get in one if you continue to do well. As someone mentioned though, you need to consider affordability.

You don’t need six APs senior year. Also, what’s with the plan to take AP Studio Art instead of AP Bio/Chem/Physics?

It appears to me that your real interests are in art, journalism and humanities. All of your existing and currently planned courses and activities relate to those topics – not science and medicine. Maybe a history of medicine major would be more appropriate (combined with journalism, e.g.), or a medical illustration major.

6

@falcon97 UMich admission average GPA has been 3.85 in the last couple year, and 3.83 before that (For CoE, it is 3.9), but 21% of enrolled freshmen have GPA 4.0 last year. So OP’s GPA is above average and his GPA is fine as I said above.
However, for test scores, your data is outdated. Check out the current admission stat:
http://admissions.umich.edu/apply/freshmen-applicants/student-profile
The mid 50 ACT is 30-34 this year. The mid 50 SAT is 2040-2280. OP is at or below average, not above.
Junior year is most critical for college application and hopefully OP can bring up the GPA an test scores a little bit for a much better chance. Nevertheless, the admission stat has been going up every year recently and the admission rate is getting lower and lower (currently 26%, ~20% for OOS). It is very hard to make it a match from OOS these days.

7

“I don’t know what stats the above poster is looking at, but a 32 is not below average for Michigan, it puts you in the 75th percentile.”

Actually Falcon, Michigan’s 75%ile for the class of 2019 was 33. For the class of 2021, it will likely be 34. 32 will not be below average, but it will be right around the 50%ile.

8

@Alexandre, ACT 34 is the 75th percentile for the admission of Class 2019 already, the enrolled stat would be lower though. See http://admissions.umich.edu/apply/freshmen-applicants/student-profile

9

I know billcsho, but I was referring to the established ACT range for enrolling freshmen, which has been 29-33 for the class of 2017 and 2018. We do not yet know the range for the class of 2019, but it could well be 30-34, or 30-33 or 29-34. We’ll see. But I think at this rate, it is safe to assume that the range for the 2021 class will be 30-34.

10

For admission chance, I believe the admission stat is more relevant than the enrolled freshmen stat.

11

That’s interesting, I must have been looking at old information. Still, I believe the OP is in good shape for Michigan.

12

Yes, ACT 32 at 75th percentile is at least from 3 years ago if it is from admission stat. Otherwise, you are looking at the enrolled freshmen stat from last year or earlier. It is tough to get in from OOS these days with average stat.

13

I think I was looking at the enrolled freshmen stat by mistake. And believe me, I know. I live in Texas, and a Texas resident with a 26 ACT can get admitted to UT while they reject an OOS applicant with a 33 ACT. It’s ridiculous.

14

@falcon97 For UT, the automatic admission policy can screw up the admission stat badly. I am sure some of the schools may not even have anyone getting an ACT above 30 but the top 7% (top 8% this year) will still get into UT. At UMich, it has a similar trend but only a slightly lower admission stat for in state students than OOS. First, there is no automatic admission in Michigan. Second, the OOS student population is much much larger than in UT Austin. This year, my friend’s son from in state with ACT 33 and around admission average GPA still got rejected from UMich CoE. It is very hard to call it a match for anyone from OOS.

15

Not sure on the out of state application numbers, but I know only 8% of the entering freshmen class is made up of OOS students. It isn’t because nobody wants to come to Austin, it’s because too many unqualified Texans from South/West Texas HS are getting automatically admitted. It’s sad, really. It would be nice to recruit some future Texans through UT/TAMU.

16

I know. They reserved most of the seats for in state students in UT Austin. UMich has no obligation to accept certain number of in state students. The percentage of in state student has been decreasing every year and now it is below 60%. Probably in a few years, there will be similar numbers of OOS and in state students.