Can I get into umich?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m currently a junior at a college prep high school in Chicago . My gpa will be a 3.3 after next semester if I get straight A’s and I believe I can do it since I had straight A’s this semester. The only thing that’s pulling my gpa down right now is my freshman year. I had really bad grades not only because I was transitioning from a small suburban grammar school to a very rigorous college prep school in the city but my aunt who I was very close with passed away from cancer so my grades were very heavily affected. Freshman year I had a 2.3 then sophomore year I had a 3.1 (still horrible :/) but then first semester junior year I had a 4.0 and next semester I’m confident I will get a 4.0 as well. Will they acknowledge my upward trend and tough situation freshman year? My senior year schedule has 3 APs and all honors the max amount if APs I can have. I have very strong ECs-

  • founder and president of polish club
  • started a letter communication network in the polish schools in my area where they communicate with students in Poland via written letters
  • founder and pres club IDEA
  • Founder and pres surf club
  • Lacrosse one year I school 3 years out of school league
  • I’ve gone to polish school for 8 years and I’m fluent in polish + first gen to be born in US
  • I also have a dual citizenship and am first generation to go to college
  • My biggest accomplishment however is that when I was reading one of the letters from the kids from poland, I noticed one of them mentioned their water was gross so I looked into it and I managed to get a bill suggestion approved for a renovation of the water pipe system in that town in Poland

    Do you think that if I get very strong recommendations and with my strong ECs I would be able to get in? Also i got a 33 on my ACT and I just got a tutor so hopefully I will be able to get a 34/35. I know they value Gpa a lot but it truly isn’t a reflection of my work ethic and how much I’ve grown but what do you think my chances are?
2

OOS will make it tougher for you but your ECs are solid and good hook for first generation college student. If you can raise your ACT to a 34-35 that would be even better! To be blunt your cumulative GPA will hurt your chances but an upward trend will help. Keep getting all As throughout senior year and write a good essay!

Good luck!

3

You have a 33 ACt. I wouldn’t spend a whole lot of time on improving that if it means not pursuing other actual achievements. A composite of 33 is about at the 98th percentile. A composite of 34 is at about the 98th percentile. You are a junior so you have some time. Can you put time and effort into something meaningful to you that may also be great for standing out. A 33 vs 35 won’t do that. You have done something meaningful about water in Poland. I’d put more time and energy into that. Write an article about it and submit it to a environmental magazine or some other venue. The point is, devote your time and energy to thing that are meaningful. Even if they don’t get you into Michigan, you’ll never regret it. And if they don’t get you into Michigan a few points higher on the ACT would not have done that either.

4

For a junior getting 33 in ACT right now, there is still time and room for improvement. I disagree that higher score would not help, nevertheless, the major weakness of OP is in the GPA. Upward trend would definitely help, but the overall GPA still needs to be near the 25th percentile. UMich views GPA and course rigor to be very important while test scores just important. Anyway, try your best and give it a try.