Can Michigan be a safety?

Parents Forum
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<p>I'm trying to assess whether Michigan is a safety for D. She does not need more reaches and matches, only safeties. She already has Wisconsin as a safety, which we visited two summers ago and she likes, but would like to have two safeties. Other schools she's applying to are small-to-medium privates. These big safeties would definitely be her last choices. </p>

<p>F, Out-of-state
ACT 35, SAT II MathII 800, Physics 800, Latin 800
AP's PhysB-5, Euro-5, Bio-5, Latin Lit - 5, BCCalc - 5
Senior year, 4 year-long AP classes and 2 college classes per semester.
Weighted/Unweighted GPA 4.13 on 4.0 scale, no grade below A-.
Probably top 2% of class at among a very competitive high school.
Not valedictorian.
Interest in applying to Literature, Science and Arts (LSA)
No financial need.
Cannot visit. </p>

<p>She has plenty of EC's but I'm not listing any because if they are even a factor, then IMHO it's not a safety. </p>

<p>The Naviance for our school shows one kid with a 4.0+ Weighted GPA and a 1560/1600 SAT getting waitlisted. What would it take for such an applicant to be rejected or waitlisted? Is it just a matter of getting the application in by the priority deadline?</p>

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<p>A friend’s D applied to Michigan early last year - the rolling admissions made it possible for her to treat this as a safety school. She had the admission in hand by Dec 15th and then tailored her list accordingly. She applied to Wash U and one of the ivies (although a reach, she could now apply there since she dropped the other schools off her list). She was an AP scholar and her SAT scores were around 2200.</p>

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<p>In our experience, Michigan would most likely be a safety for your D. I think the two factors that could cause that one Naviance outlier would be either a late application or essay issues. S with somewhat similar stats as your D, though less APs and lower SAT 2s, applied in mid-Sept, was accepted late October. He was also awarded and/or shortlisted for several merit awards (did not pursue because he got in ED elsewhere). I should also tell you he was a double legacy, but again, less spectacular stats–3.9UW, 1510/1600, but uneven other scores.</p>

<p>Essays are taken seriously there. Be sure she puts a lot of effort and thought into them. I think that Michigan will not be a safety if it’s treated like one. Otherwise, it’s close to one–early application leading to early results will also mean that in the unlikely circumstance that she’s rejected, she can find another safetier safety.</p>

<p>It’s a great school!</p>

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<p>Based on the information you shared, I would consider UMich as a safety for your D if she applies in a timely fashion as it is rolling admissions. I have a niece and a nephew with lower academic profiles than your D, who are from out of state, who both were admitted to UMichigan, by the way.</p>

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<p>Michigan as a safety school is an oxymoron. The stats are where they need to be for out of state kids and it’s a stats driven school with (quasi) rolling admissions so apply as early as possible and before the “deadline.”</p>

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<p>I cross posted with garland but agree with her. Your D should not treat the school as a safety but rather express specific interest in the school and put full energy into the essays (Mich has its own app) as well.</p>

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<p>I agree that the stats make it a “likely” as our school calls them. As for rolling admissions, I think the likely reduces as time goes on, so get the application in ASAP – same with Wisconsin.</p>

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<p>It hard to say what any school will do. In my opinion, any state university admissions office that does not give high priority to able out-of-state students without need, ought to find a new director. </p>

<p>I’d be quite surprised if your student were not admitted.</p>

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<p>I agree that Michigan would be a sure thing if her application goes in early. </p>

<p>With her stats, she would be a shoo-in for the LSA Honors College, which would allow for an atmosphere closer to the small-to-medium privates she seems to prefer. She should also take a look at the somewhat quirky Residential College program at UM, which aims to deliver a more personal LAC-like experience while still offering the wide range of activities available at a large university. Both those options come with specific housing assignments on the preferred parts of campus.</p>

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<p>D applied last year with very similar stats. Application was complete (with all recs, guidance report, etc.) by end of September; accepted end of October. Honors College is a very appealing option as others have mentioned. Apply early and you should know she’s accepted early. But take those essays seriously!</p>

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<p>My D was accepted two years ago with similar stats as well (and didn’t get the app in until Feb). But no $$ at all, so as long as that’s not an issue, I agree w/other posters that Michigan is very likely for your D.</p>

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<p>Michigan “fills” the bulk of their class early with the best of the bunch. UofM also still admits a high percentage of in-state kids. Some high stat OSS kids who think they are a “shoe-in” and apply later get shut out which is why the apply early is essential for UofM. The OPs daughter fits their admit profile, but still needs to get the application in pronto for Michigan to be a “safety.”</p>

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<p>Michigan can be a safety because of their early notification. One of our boys was notified of an acceptance in early December, and thus Michigan became his safety. However, I question the value of puting Michigan on your daughter’s list because of her preferences. There are kids with super stats who have had to attend a safety school. Wouldn’t a school like her others, small to mid sized universities, be a more reliable choice? I would strongly suggest looking for a smaller school where her scores will win her some merit money. Denison is one; there is a lot of merit money there.</p>

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<p>If there was ever a list of safeties for highly competitive seniors (read high tests scores, high GPA, etc) Michigan should be listed … first. </p>

<p>While essays should NEVER be mere afterthoughts in anyone’s application, it would take a series of very strange events for THIS candidate to be rejected by Michigan as her stats are head and shoulders above the typical Michigan applicant. </p>

<p>On the other hand, a safety only becomes a true safety if the student would be VERY happy to attend. Adding safeties for the sake of it is an exercise in futility. It is better to have one true safety than a collection of safeties that leaves the student with a bitter-sweet taste in the mouth.</p>

<p>This said, when weighing additional safeties, your D might take a look at highly acclaimed Honors Programs such as the Plan II at the University of Texas --among others.</p>

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<p>I just want to emphasize: Michigan can be a safety if SHE APPLIES NOW. Do not wait any longer. I would apply before the end of September at the latest.</p>

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<p>My OOS kids with similar stats applied to Michigan as a safety/likely in November a few years ago. I wanted them to apply earlier but it just didn’t happen. One withdrew after an SCEA acceptance in December, the other was accepted in January or February as I recall. </p>

<p>Earlier is better and do pay attention to the essays.</p>

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<p>State schools with significant preferences for in-state students are really only safeties for in-state students.</p>

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<p>You’re right speihei, 64% of this year’s class is In-State; that’s up from 58% a few years ago. I suspect that given the Michigan economy, there will be even more pressure from in-state candidates to stay in-state.</p>

<p>That said, OP your daughter has great stats and I believe will be accepted if she applies as soon as possible.</p>

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<p>absolutely it can be a safety. Many counselors in California suggest kids apply there early bcos it’s an easier OOS admit than instate Cal-Berkeley.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all of the replies. I agree with most of the posts, and until being immersed in the real deal, I could have written some of them in the past. But now it’s showtime and it’s nice to get some different perspectives. </p>

<p>Here’s the thing, in order for her to get down to her safety, she’ll have to face a lot of rejection and heartbreak between now and March. I frankly don’t expect her to get rejected by many of her matches. Call me crazy, but I truly believe that it’s beneficial to have two safeties so that an affirmative choice can be made in April no matter what. I think that having to choose one school and reject another is in some sense a catharsis that would allow her to go forward with a positive outlook no matter what. </p>

<p>This question arose because we visited a small research university that we think is a safety yesterday and just sitting in the student union for lunch she got this vibe that she doesn’t know if she could be happy there. She didn’t dislike anything specific and couldn’t put her finger on what rubbed her the wrong way. After lunch, the information session and tour improved the situation but she’s trying to close the book on where to apply to focus on actually doing the applications. </p>

<p>She really wants to go to college with her academic peers and have an intense academic experience. She doesn’t think she would be truly happy at her safeties regardless; it seems futile to find safeties that she loves now and I don’t think it’s going to happen. I do think that she would learn to love her safety if that’s where she had to go. </p>

<p>She’s applying to Wisconsin when the application opens next week. That seems like a good safety and we had a great weekend in Madison when we visited two summers ago. We know of no cases where they reject applicants with her stats who apply in September. Their application is easy and straightforward. She should get admitted in October. </p>

<p>She’s then going to focus on two early action schools which are her two top choices. </p>

<p>I bounced the idea that if she didn’t like the school we visited yesterday, maybe she should just apply to Michigan as her second safety. She can’t see a huge difference between Michigan and Wisconsin and she knows she likes Wisconsin, especially State Street and the lake. She also doesn’t want to take time away from her EA applications to apply to Michigan unless she applies there instead of Wisconsin. The school she visited yesterday has a Jan 1 application deadline, so she would only complete the application if she doesn’t get into her EA schools. She doesn’t see the point of having two safeties that are so similar. She thinks that having a large and a medium sized safety would give her something to contrast if it came down to it. </p>

<p>Is the student body at Michigan really that much more intellectual that of Wisconsin? Is the Michigan Honors program so much different than the Wisconsin program. </p>

<p>Right now she’s leaning toward just dropping Michigan and focusing the other applications. I’m tending to agree. </p>

<p>Thanks again for the feedback.</p>