Michigan EA Decisions...something odd?

<p>Hello, All!
I applied to University of Michigan early action this fall and received a deferral yesterday.
I have very strong statistics (GPA, SAT all above their mid-50th ranges), and I received strong recommendations and wrote heartfelt supplement essays. I also have very strong leadership and such in my school.
I also heard that my friend from school who has very similar credentials was also deferred.
I was wondering if there were any bizarre patterns in their EA admission process this year? Numerous people have told me their decision process was tough this EA round, but I was wondering if anyone has facts or information that might help me to further understand what was going on.
Please note that I am not angry, etc. I am just trying to learn more if possible.
Thanks so much and have a great holiday season!</p>

<p>I’m a parent but I know of a few kids last year with strong stats who were deferred. Some were later accepted. Michigan is a tough school to get into if you are out of state. Its not really a safety for anybody and has become quite selective.
Best of luck.</p>

<p>Remember that UMich is trying to get the best kids who will attend. Giving EA admits to (OOS) high-stats kids who are using them as a safety and likely won’t attend doesn’t do much for them.</p>

<p>BTW, being above their 50th percentile doesn’t mean all that much; there are kids with near-perfect test scores and near-perfect GPA getting deferred from UMich.</p>

<p>@njmom666‌ Thank you for sharing! It is interesting to know that many others with strong stats were also deferred in the past and had a happy ending.</p>

<p>@PurpleTitan‌ Good point about the yield.</p>

<p>Please see this article</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.examiner.com/article/why-thousands-were-deferred-this-year-by-the-university-of-michigan”>http://www.examiner.com/article/why-thousands-were-deferred-this-year-by-the-university-of-michigan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I find it incredibly unfair that we have to suffer as a result of over enrollment the past years!!! I’ll patiently wait until April for my decision but there’s no way I will accept a wait list even if Michigan is my #1 school.</p>

<p>Was anyone denied?</p>

<p>My daughter was also deferred. Out of state. She has a 35 ACT and a 3.99 unweighted GPA. Attends a top 20 public high school that’s extremely rigorous. All AP and IB classes. Has numerous national and state awards. Varsity athlete. Plays for national ranked team. Etc, and etc. But as @PurpleTitan‌ said this was her safety. She did get into her top choice ED just few days before. Just ididnt have a chance to notify umich yet. Bunch of friends from her school with similar strong stats were also deferred. For some it was their first choice. Also our school has a 70% accept rate from umich according to naviance. So not sure what’s going on this year. Maybe all these kids will be accepted in regular round. I guess we’ll have to see. </p>

<p>It is unfortunate that with the increased applications it is getting so difficult for schools to accurately predict yield. </p>

<p>“school has a 70% accept rate from umich according to naviance.”</p>

<p>You mean had. Michigan is finally deferring students it knows most likely will not be attending the school. </p>

<p>Wow that article! From 65% to under 38% !!!</p>

<p>I don’t understand how someone can accept a position on the wait list. What student trying to receive a college education can afford to be prepared for a “long ride into June”??? Are we just supposed to not go to college if we don’t get in off the wait list? Michigan is my #1, but I too would have to decline a wait list spot. Can’t afford to wait that long.</p>

<p>@pacollegekid97:
With waitlists, what happens is that you put a deposit down at a school you got in to and then wait to see if you get off any waitlists. Colleges are use to “summer melt”.</p>

<p>@PurpleTitan Oh, good point. I was thinking that you have to 100% commit on May 1, but thats just the deposit date. Thanks. I’d probably accept wait list then and hope for the best, although I heard that odds are extremely minuscule by that point. Still baffled by the fact that I didn’t get in after looking at my school’s naviance graph and seeing kids with lower GPAs and SATs from my school being accepted. </p>

<p>However, I did read that Michigan decreased EA acceptance rate from 65% to 37.5%, so that probably is part of the reason. Still heartbreaking though. </p>

<p>The wait begins now. Good luck to all.</p>

<p>Rjkofnovi- </p>

<p>Exactly. Exactly.</p>

<p>momworried, UofM hasn’t been a safety for out of state or internationals for years and years. Hopefully some of those GCs in other regions of the country are finally realizing that and encouraging different safeties for their top students. Michigan has also for the past couple of years deferred very top flight candidates probably waiting for the ED melt to gauge interest. </p>

<p>@carlsandburgsr</p>

<p>“I find it incredibly unfair that we have to suffer as a result of over enrollment the past years!!! I’ll patiently wait until April for my decision but there’s no way I will accept a wait list even if Michigan is my #1 school.”</p>

<p>The overenrollment in past 5 years is due to many factors, including the use of the Common App and parents and counselors encouraging most kids to apply everywhere EA and to so many schools these days. We have no one to blame but society itself, who places so much emphasis on getting into “top” colleges. This is not a UM problem - it’s happening at UVA and others, and it’s about to completely shift admissions as your generation knows it. I wish you the best of luck in RD, and I’m sorry that you won’t wait for Michigan. It’s been an amazing school for my son, but I know you will land somewhere just as wonderful for you. </p>