<p>U-M admissions process is not a timely process for everyone. It's just the way it functions as an institution that has selective admissions, a large volume of applications, and a public mission. </p>
<p>It's not that the admissions office is overwhelmed, work-wise. Yes, they're busy since this year is seeing the highest app total ever. But they're getting applications evaluated and have been doing that all along, which is the real work of the process. What they haven't been able to do yet is determine where the admit line will ultimately fall, and therefore which side of the line your evaluated app falls on (if you're waiting).</p>
<p>Some students did hear back promptly. Some students do every year. You don't see them in threads like this. As GoBlue suggests, these kids tend to be a clear admit here.</p>
<p>To my knowledge, application fees are not refunded. I do not believe the relationship is one of "paying for a service" in terms of being evaluated and getting a decision. If that were the case, then every student who never completed their application, or withdrew an application before evaluation, would get a refund.</p>
<p>Many schools have had to deal with large numbers of increases in applications. UChicago had a 42% increase in EA and you know what, they got the job done in the time frame to which they had committed. If you withdraw your application early or don't complete it, you would not be eligible for a refund as the fault would be with the applicant, but if one were to complete the apllication and meet their end of the contract, then Michigan is obligated to render a decision. No institution can collect application fees and then choose to not evaluate a % of applications.</p>
<p>I know someone with a 35 ACT, fabulous extra curriculars and a 4.0 from a really tough high school in addition to being a legacy who is still waiting for her decision. How can you suggest that that's because she's not a clear admit in Michigan? She has already gotten in several top universities in this country but is still waiting on Michigan.</p>
<p>buster bunny, Michigan does defer students so while it sounds good to say they actually are on top of things but they just can't decide where to draw the line it makes no sense. If that were the case they would defer the questionable candidates. My son has been told as late as two weeks ago, that his application was ready for review., Not that it has been reviewed or was in the process of being reviewed. I think it is sad that people on the CC defend the admissions office, its such a bleak statement about college admissions in 2008.</p>
<p>I don't understand why people are complaining about this. Ivy League decision deadline is April 1st(or at least was when I applied to colleges). It's common practice, some are accepted early, some late, it's like that at every school, just wait for it. </p>
<p>Just because you have good numbers, doesn't mean you are an auto admit, a lot of other things like essays and recs are quite subjective, and you never know how those things are, until you get a decision.</p>
<p>I think the reason some of the people are complaining isn't because they think they should be auto-admits or because they don't want to wait, it's more because they had all of their material in on time for the early action round where Michigan guaranteed that they would hear something by December (what was it? the 15)? And they have yet to hear. I know in the case of my friend, she has e-mailed the admissions office numerous times and simply gotten a form letter back in response...she has also called and been told that her application has yet to be evaluated, and she had everything in by October. I think that's a valid complaint.</p>
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No institution can collect application fees and then choose to not evaluate a % of applications.
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<p>I don't see the relevance of this comment. Michigan doesn't do this. It evaluates all complete applications--and even as apps were pouring in, their ratios of evaluated to completed have been great thanks to paperless review.</p>
<p>As for "we should have heard something if we were Early" I agree with people on this. However, Michigan's Early plan states that hearing "we're deferring you until later" equals a decision as far as Early is concerned. That's printed in the materials explaining Early. I don't agree with this policy (or, more accurately, this definition) but I'm not in charge. However, they are at least explicit about it.</p>
<p>As for what's a clear admit--you'd be surprised what an increase in applications can do to that standard.</p>
<p>You can dislike Michigan's policies (understandable) and complain about them heartily. Vent away; you're entitled. It's hard not to hear back for weeks, and it leads to frustration. However, I think people are a little too quick to accuse the admissions office of dishonesty, thievery, laziness, and whatever else.</p>
<p>hoedown, I wish he had heard, "we are deferring you until later", but as you know neither he or his guidance counselor has heard anything other than his "application is ready for review" and that has been the case since early November. At least a deferral is a response. I wish I could justify in a positive manner Michigan's inability to evaluate my son's application , and their inability to answer his counselor's calls . Son's GC honestly believes we will not hear anything even after April 1. He is convinced the application has been misplaced, but can't seem to get anyone willing to look into it.</p>
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I wish I could justify in a positive manner Michigan's inability to evaluate my son's application
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<p>I understand your frustration, but I don't understand the source of your information. How is it that you learned that his application has not yet been evaluated? I did not think they released that information on an individual basis. I mean, I know it's a given that they do not reveal the evaluation category an application received, but I was not aware that they notify students that they have or have not been evaluated. This was a person who told you?</p>
<p>Yes, several times on live chat and when the GC called, the question was asked if a decision has been reached and they said no , the application was ready for review but a decision had not been rendered. The last time my son called they gave him the email of his specific counselor and suggested he email and ask him when he might expect a decision. The couselor never answered the email.
There are other posts here of GCs and applicants calling and asking if a decsion had been reached , many times they hear that a decision is in the mail or it won't be till... so they are giving this information on an individual basis over the phone and on live chat. I don't want to be responsible for the admissions office to be flooded with phone calls, the applicants calling had their applications recorded as received by November 10th, so it was logical to ask why they weren't considered ER.</p>
<p>I think it's a terminology issue I'm running in to. Evaluation and Decision are two separate things. It's not clear to me when they told you "review" whether they meant evaluation, or decision. I'm guessing the latter. </p>
<p>It's hard to imagine why they wouldn't evaluate a completed application unless they're waiting for grades. It's been a big priority (this year and every year) that when an application is complete, to get it evaluated. And it's happening very quickly this year since no one is handing a paper folder around anymore. It's very likely that your son's app has been evaluated. But it, like many other evaluated applications, is awaiting the administration decision about which evaluated apps are admitted, and which evaluated apps aren't.</p>
<p>I realize this is not a distinction that matters much to students...I think I'm mostly thinking out loud here.</p>
<p>I think that it might be worthwhile to look at what school (or major ??) your applications are in. Art & Design seems to make very quick decisions. I imagine some of the other schools take longer. How about a list of what school/major applications are in - that might make the timing issue seem more consistent.</p>
<p>I applied on November 15th, oos, and I got accepted today... Actually a few kids on this site have gotten in today, which is like the first few acceptances it seems since EA came out. Keep checking, they're obviously doing something NOW.</p>
<p>same, i got my acceptance via email today. And I applied on October 31 (but I didnt make the ER cut off anyway because my teacher sent his evaluation on November 15).</p>