Questions about admissions process/majors

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

So I am currently a junior in high school planning on applying to Michigan as a top option, #goblue :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

I’m still pretty new to the college app process and I feel like there is a lot i am really confused about and feel like you guys could really help me out

  1. I see that in the College of LSA AND in the College of Engineering there are computer science majors? does anyone know the actual difference and if one is easier to get into than the other?

  2. When applying, can I apply directly to the computer science program in LSA or Engineering?

  3. Does Michigan hold your AP scores to much weight in the admission process?

2

The difference is that if you declare computer science as an LSA student, you have to fulfill LSA distribution requirements, which involve english, writing, foreign language, social sciences, etc. If you want to take a variety of classes during college, doing computer science as LSA might be better for you. A lot of people do CS through engineering because on the flip side, as an engineering student you are not required to take english or foreign language classes, and some people like it that way.

Michigan definitely wants to see you take a lot of AP classes. They also check how many AP classes your high school offers. If your high school offers 10 AP classes and you take only 4, that doesn’t look as good if your high school offers 4 AP classes and you take all 4.

3

I really appreciate your help, that clears up a lot of my confusion :)>-

Do you know by any chance whether Collegeboard’s AP exam scores (not grades in the class) play a role in admissions?

4

No. AP score is not important for UMich admission. Even SAT2 score is not that critical. You don’t apply to a specific major on your CommonApp. That info is for a survey purpose only.

5

LSA is thought to be a little easier to get into but neither will be easy. I’d check to see how your Math ACT or SAT lines up with engineering in addition to your total score. When I went to a local admissions meeting, the rep clearly said if your ACT Math isn’t at least a 31, we likely won’t consider you. On the flip side, if you do well in engineering pre-req classes your freshman year, it’s easy to switch to engineering.

6

If I am not mistaken, CS in Engineering also has more stringent science requirements.