Can someone explain in greater depth the preferred admission protocol at the University of Michigan? I’ve read that it is a junior/sophomore year entry program, yet what does it entail? Is it related to grad school? Or is it just changing major/school within UMich? Is this a binding contract?
Within the Common App it asks whether or not I would like to apply with PA, so if I plan on Biomedical Engineering, should I ignore this (as it is a required question, just indicate no interest in PA), or would there be any benefit to applying (or are there any negatives)? I plan to major in biomedical engineering, but I will also likely take courses in econ/finance/business (assuming it fits into my schedule).
And what is the required portfolio?
At Michigan you apply directly to the school you wish to be admitted to, be it Ross, Engineering, LSA, Nursing etc. You can only apply to one school, except for SMTD applicants who can apply to two. The portfolio is a set of essays in which you explain your interested in Ross.
During your first year you take a set of intro classes along with other freshman, and if you complete them and have a satisfactory GPA you are accepted to Ross, which you start in the 2nd year.
Nothing keeps you from also joining Ross as a student in another UM college, especially if you plan on a double major. It’s just more difficult, and you need a very high UM GPA (not easy, especially in sciences and engineering) Some programs like the Engineering honors program require a minor, and business is a popular option. That’s why Ross says that 20% of their entrants take another path than PA.
The risk you take is that selectivity runs in this order: SMTD (Musical Theatre), Ross, Engineering, LSA. So you will have to weigh the risk of admission and your ultimate destination. If you are more business inclined, choose Ross, otherwise choose engineering.
A more traditional path is to get an undergrad engineering degree and then an MBA a few years later.
You should really talk to academic advising about this. It can get very hairy because of the heavy requirements. Engineering typically has 60 credits of engineering + 30 credits of prerequisites + distribution requirements. Some majors require 128 credits to graduate- and this is just a single major. Doubling may cause you to stay an extra year. It’s not as if you have some easy class schedule where you can take 22 credit hours and still maintain a high GPA.
Engineering also has a 5 year BSE/MSE program, and I would expect that would make more sense from a career perspective than BSE/BBA. Even a BSE/MBA makes more sense, but that is 6 years.