University of Michigan

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi everybody. My intended major is Political Science. When answering my thread could you please put what school of the University I should apply to for that? Here is my information so far (I'm finishing up Junior year):</p>

<p>3.5 GPA (barring a huge increase/decrease in my 4th marking period).
1930 SATs (690-CR, 570-Math, 670-Writing)
31 ACTs (definitely retaking them, I hope to score more of a 34 or 35-ish grade this time, of course you can't predict those things)(35-English, 23-Math, 36-Reading, 28-Science)
High grades in English and History classes, decent grades in Science classes, and low grades in Math.</p>

<p>My current schedule is:
AP US History
Regents Algebra 2/Trigonometry
AP European History
Regents Chemistry
French 3R
AP English Language
And last semester I took Turbulent '60s (history of the 1960s).</p>

<p>Next year's schedule:
AP US Government
AP Macroeconomics
AP Psychology
AP English Literature
Advanced Human Anatomy
Health
Regents Pre-Calculus
Genocide and Human Rights
Finance
Media Literacy</p>

<p>I also have a wide range of extracurricular activities and have been a long term member of all clubs listed:
Political Forum
Literary Digest
Newspaper (National news editor)
Science Club
Bioethics Forum
Film Making Club
Model UN
Film Appreciation Club (president and co-founder)
Young Democrats (vice president and co-founder)
GOYA member (Greek Orthodox Youth of America)
I intend to begin helping at my church's soup kitchen.</p>

<p>I have written scholarship papers for:
The Profiles in Courage Contest (didn't win)
The Foreign Service Essay Contest (no word on that one yet)
The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Contest (won my local contest)</p>

<p>I am certain that I will be able to get glowing letters of recommendation (not to sound arrogant).
I consider myself politically active (I want to major in Political Science) and my work with the Young Democrats will put a lot of events such as voter registration and rallies on my resume. I am currently working as the Youth Coordinator for a campaign for the NYS Assembly.</p>

<p>I know that considering my grades, U of Michigan is a bit of a reach, but I am very good in certain subjects and I think I will have good final exams (including APs). Michigan is obviously not the only school I'm thinking about, but I think I should at least apply. Do you guys think it's worth the effort? Thanks.</p>

<p>Also: If it is a reach, would you say it is a high reach or a lower reach? </p>

2

<p>Your GPA is too low. Your ACT is around admission average and is better than your SAT. However, it would be a reach for you if you are from oos. The main problem is your GPA which UMich put more value on it. The average admission GPA is 3.85.</p>

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<p>Do you think that with my EC’s there is a chance? I mean, I know it’s still a reach, but do you think it’s worth trying?</p>

4

<p>For detail info, check out website college data dot com.
You may get a pass on your math since you are going for poly sc major.</p>

5

<p>What school in the University should I apply to?</p>

6

<p>It is always worth trying. You should apply. I would think the school of Public Policy might be the route you would take. But have a plan B because getting into Michigan is as difficult as getting into an IVY. I remember when my son and I were visiting Michigan and the speaker said (and I am paraphrasing here) that if you really want to be a “Wolverine” that you could apply to a school within the University that might be “easier” to get in to. So in other words, if you wanted to be in engineering, but you were afraid you might not get in, you should apply to LSA JUST so you could be a “Wolverine”. I remember thinking that was the craziest thing I ever heard. But now that I see how difficult it is to get in and how many students seem to want to get in at all costs, I kind of get it. I don’t agree with sacrificing your major, just to say you are a "“Wolverine”, but I get it nonetheless. To each his own. </p>

7

<p>Since you are interested in Political Science, you should aim at LSA. Try hard to improve your GPA and ACT scores. </p>

8

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</p>

<p>You’re exaggerating their their selectivity by quite a bit; it’s hard to get into UMich, but it’s not THAT hard. Even CoE isn’t that selective. Pull up your GPA to at the very least a 3.7, and you’ll have a much better chance.</p>

<p>Can you afford OOS tuition though? (assuming you’re not in-state).</p>

9

<p>GPA 3.7 would still be too weak for UMich (avg 3.85). CoE is actually as competitive as lower ivies that the mid 50 ACT (31-34) is actually 1 point higher than Cornell. The admission rate, however, is still much higher than Ivies. So is it as difficult to get into as Ivy would depend on your criteria.</p>

10

<p>Could I get into the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy with my resume?</p>

11

<p>Or, follow up question, is the Ford School just post undergrad work?</p>

12

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</p>

<p>I’m guessing CoE pulls up the average GPA of students quite a bit and L&S probably has a lower average GPA at 3.8 or so (I don’t have the data to back this up though).</p>

<p>Anyways, I was just saying he’ll have a <em>much better chance</em> with a 3.7 than with a 3.5, which would be almost pointless to even apply with. A 3.85 clearly would be better though, but there are certainly kids with less than the mean that get in (saw quite a few people with ~3.7-3.8s in the UMich class of 2018 thread, if I recall correctly).</p>

13

<p>CoE has an admission average GPA of 3.9. UMich over all is 3.85. That would make the LSA admission average around 3.83 considering the proportion of students in CoE.
From the document below, the enrolled LSA students have median HS GPA recalculated GPA of 3.9 last year.
<a href=“http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/facstaff/Home/Office%20of%20the%20Dean/LSA%20Facts/2014_Fact_Sheet.pdf”>http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/facstaff/Home/Office%20of%20the%20Dean/LSA%20Facts/2014_Fact_Sheet.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

14

<p>What kind of school is the 3.5 from? If it is a prestigious private school you may have a chance. I got into honors with a 3.7 UW. Do you have 5s on all your APs? Also important.</p>

15

<p>I’m going to a very good public school (considered better than most of the prestigious private schools in my area) and I got a 5 on all three APs I took last year.</p>

16

<p>GPA 3.5 may be better than 3.8 in other schools. But still, you need to proof it with your other test scores. Your ACT is above the 25th percentile (30), but not strong enough to overcome that weak GPA. More important, your section scores are not balance at all and show major weakness in Math. 21% of enrolled freshmen this year have 4.0 GPA at UMich. </p>