<p>I was just wondering if U of M is a lot harder to get into now than 30 years ago. I know some people who went then and I question if they would make the cut today. Of course many of these had family that attended-so wondering if that weighed in heavier 30 of so years ago.</p>
<p>Yes, much, much harder. I am an Alum that would have had no chance getting in this year with my stats years ago. My son who was wait listed would have breezed into Michigan in the 70’s or 80’s. </p>
<p>I was a B+ student at an Ann Arbor High School with SAT scores in the top 25%. No AP classes. I would have virtually zero chance today. I actually had better grades at Michigan and went to undergrad Business School.</p>
<p>Did your son apply later than early decision? My daughter made the cut with early decision ( or is it called early action?).
Hope your child makes it in.</p>
<p>Michigan, like most universities, has become significantly more selective over the last three decades.</p>
<p>I think this is hard to judge. The SAT has been rescaled to be easier since 1995 (or some time around then, this is just off of memory) and the idea is that standards for high school classes have fallen over the years. So while the average HS GPA of enrolling freshmen might be higher now than it was in the 80s, that GPA is easier to achieve now than it was back then. Same with SAT scores (not sure about ACT). </p>
<p>It’s not quite appropriate to look test score percentiles, because far more people now take the SAT or ACT who wouldn’t have considered going to college had it been the 80s.</p>
<p>I would definitely say so, even over the past 10 - 20 years. I know people who got in then who wouldn’t have today.</p>
<p>It is definitely harder to get into Michigan today than it was 30 years ago but most of the people who got in 30 years ago would still get in today.</p>
<p>I believe you could say this about almost every selective college/university in the US. The entire system is different today, starting with kids learning to read in kindergarten, 3+ hours of homework per night for HS students, the pressure to take the SAT over and over… HS students taking 5 AP classes per year… Early action/early decision… It’s a game now. None of this was true 30 years ago.</p>
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<p>Except for reading in Kindergarten, I don’t think this is true for the average student who will go to Michigan. True for the average student who will go to Harvard, yes. But not Michigan.</p>
<p>Eh Vlady - IMO I think every point minty made is right on for Michigan. The successful applicants are most definitely taking a lot of AP, working hard in HS to get the average 3.8 UW admissions and usually taking the SAT and/or AP multiple times. I don’t know I’d call it a game, just what it takes.</p>