People are talking about necessary class ranks to get into U of M, which is absolutely asinine. Michigan doesn’t consider class rank AT ALL in their admissions process. If someone says otherwise, they’re either lying or wrong.
If you don’t believe me, here’s the link to the UMich CDS: http://obp.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/pubdata/cds/cds_2015-2016_umaa.pdf
Feel free to rant…and yes, I can see what it says in the publication, and thanks for finding that…but very honestly, the field representative from U of M who visited my kid’s school…said that they generally expected their applicants to be in the top 5% of their graduating classes. Misinformation? Possibly. But yes, this was said by a UMich rep. And no, it isn’t “asinine” considering the top 5% correlates to the kind of scores and GPAs achieved by the vast majority of applicants who are accepted. You are technically correct, however.
I’m just saying that there are people on here saying “oh your GPA is a 3.79, and you’re in the 7% range of class rank, you have no chance.”
I just think that people need to stop unnecessarily scaring applicants.
The poster who was recently responded to about class rank… had a 3.64 unweighted gpa, and was not even in the top 10% of his class. I don’t think anyone was unfairly harsh. Yes, there was concern expressed about his realistic chances. There were also encouraging things said. As your publication lists, gpa is one of the most important factors in determining admission to UMich.
Getting into UMich is tougher than ever in recent years. GPA is among the most important factors admissions looks at. I personally know a kid with a 3.8 gpa and excellent test scores who was wait listed, and ultimately NOT offered a spot last year because the academic vigor of those applying was so fiercely competitive. Not sure what your history is, but if you applied and were accepted even five years ago, much has changed.
When you go on a public message board and ask people to “chance you”, you willingly open yourself up to people’s opinions. You might not like them. But if you asked for them, can you really complain? Very few posters are admissions experts. Most are speaking from personal experience and are trying to be helpful. Are posters sometimes wrong? Certainly. Can honest answers be difficult to hear when they are not the answers you want? Yes.
If people are kind enough to respond, and give their honest thoughts, they should be thanked, regardless of their admissions prognosis.
A serious UMich applicant is going to be talking to counselors and advisers. S/he will be researching mean gpa and test scores of accepted students. S/he will study current statistics and make an informed decision.
If the opinions of a strangers on a message board are the basis for a student deciding not to apply to UMich, in my opinion, they probably are not the best fit.
@MaryGJ I’m not sure if you’re talking about me or not(?) I mean I have a pretty low GPA but I think I have a number of other factors that make me a competitive applicant. I think getting in is doable, even with a low GPA.
I just think that saying that someone won’t get in because of a statistic that U of M openly admits that they don’t check is unfair. Yeah, GPA is the most important statistic (obviously), but discounting someone based on class rank is silly.
No, it wasn’t you. It was the poster with the 3.64 gpa and the 31 ACT.
You have a higher ACT, which will definitely work to your advantage. Because of your excellent ACT, I’d put your chances at around 50% with your 3.64 gpa. (based on my own limited experience of using UMich admissions calculators, examining data points on recent admissions, and hearing stories from others) Make sure to write excellent essays and apply EA (improves your odds).
Again, on the class rank thing…I respect your fact finding…but anecdotes of things heard from UMich recruiting reps are worth mentioning, even if they contradict what’s officially stated. Where the truth lies, is up to you to decide.
Again, the people commenting here don’t claim to be admissions experts. They are largely current and previous students and parents who are passing on their experiences and making educated guesses. Take it with a grain…it’s how it’s given.
Good luck, and let us know if you get in. Others in your position would be very encouraged by good news.
Ohhhh okay, I thought you were throwing shade at me lol
Yeah I’m praying to get in, it’s my dream school. I wrote some really passionate and personal essays, so I hope they look good. I already applied EA, so hopefully that’ll boost my chances. Plus in-state and legacy might just push me over the edge.
But yeah, I feel like I should explain my thoughts a bit. I feel like it’s the whole “not officially allowed to use class rank but may happen to “glance” at your rank” thing. Like the same thing they do with URM’s.
And don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a 50% chance of getting in, very encouraging news.
@ me next time…I applied before making the post. These opinions weren’t the basis of me deciding on whether I should apply or not
I wish you both the very best luck.
@MaryGJ Thank you. I’ll be sure to let you know of my results.