I’m a white female from a good area and middle class family in Ohio. I have severe Crohn’s disease, with multiple stints in the hospital, and neither of my parents are alums of the school (which isn’t suppose to play into admissions, but the admissions website says it is a small factor sometimes considered). I would like to apply early action and preferred admission to Ross next year with LSA as my “home school”
GPA: 3.89/4 unweighted and 4.3/5 weighted
SAT: 1530 (Math: 760, Reading: 770)
Didn’t take the ACT
Named PSAT National Merit Commended Scholar for the class of 2020
Class Rank: 20/224, so top 10%
AP’s: Euro, US History, US Gov, English Language and Composition, Statistics, Chemistry (will be taking English Lit, Macro, Psychology, and College Credit Plus Calculus 1)
Our school has a business department and I have received the department award for Intro to Business, Accounting 1, and Accounting 2. Created an Accounting 3 class with 3 other students this year. Will take Applied Business Strategies next year: must apply, have taken 3 business classes, and spend the class working with local businesses to solve their issues
Varsity lacrosse team for 3 years, with various region and conference awards for goal tending, and Alternate Captain this year
Varsity tennis team for 2 years, already named Captain for next season
Science Olympiad team since 6th grade, middle school team Captain in 9th grade (freshmen choose middle or high school team to compete on)
Clubs: Political Action Committee, Principal’s Leadership Council (must apply), Library Remodel Committee (invited), and Business Club. Currently working with the administration and other students to start a TPUSA Chapter at the school
Over 100 service hours of tutoring and volunteering at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank
I have worked for the past two years at a company doing administrative and accounting work
Based on the class of 2023’s profile for Ross; I fall above the middle range for SAT, about equal for GPA, and about equal for typical class rank. Obviously every class is different and the holistic approach focuses much more on essays, letters of recommendation, and extra curriculars; but I know my letters of rec should be outstanding and I have numerous extra curriculars that I’ve been involved in for a long time. I have plenty of material for my essays, too. Michigan is one of my top schools, especially considering the merit scholarships (Stamps, hopefully), so are my chances at least half way decent?
Thanks in advance for any input!
You are certainly well qualified. You should weigh your grades using the Michigan scale - any A =4, any B=3 etc. If you have some A- grades that will probably increase your GPA. Stamps scholarships are exceedingly hard to get, so I would not count on them. Michigan does provide FA for OOS students, which you may qualify for.
There is really no way to predict what will happen with Ross because there are so many applicants. S2 was denied PA to Ross in-state even with a 4.0/36 and good EC’s, but was admitted to engineering (he’s quite happy there). It was probably his essays.
It will all depend on your Ross essays, so concentrate on them.
At this point Michigan is a reach for all out of state applicants. D’s HS valedictorian was wait listed with a 4.0/36/1600 and tons of great ECs, leadership, and volunteer hours.
You seem very accomplished. You should be proud of all that you have done. You seem to be a go getter and make things happen. Great traits for Michigan and Ross. They want students that will continue what you did in high school. They want active participation in college. That is one factor that makes Michigan so great.
But if you didn’t get into Ross would you not go to Michigan at all? My strong hint is to research all the non Ross ways you can accomplish your goals. Ross is just one avenue to do this. If you need help pm me.
Also you mentioned your Chron’s. I question why?..did you feel this interfered with you doing better? Your stats are amazing to me plus all you accomplished.
My suggestion is to add it to the part of your application that asks if there is anything else to find out about you. Like a quick one line… “BTW, I had this and even with being hospitalized for 2 months it didn’t interfere with my goals”. Then a quick it’s under control. Stress can make Chron’s worse. Ross, Michigan, Business sector can be very stressful…
I don’t think doing more stuff is going to make an impressive candidate more impressive. Your job this summer is to concentrate on writing an essay that is unique, personal and interesting. That is the key to separate you from the pack further. As I told my kids (one’s at Michigan engineering), make your application give them a reason to say yes. There should be no reason for them to say no. . After they read your entire application you want the reader to put your application in the accept /consideration pile! Don’t give them a reason not to.
Saying this, it is much harder like today then it was even 3 years ago when my son applied OOS to Michigan.
Also don’t count on any merit especially being OOS. Michigan does help with financial aid and money is money no matter what lable it has. Talk with your parents about being able to afford Michigan if you don’t qualify. Being from Ohio you have a great shot at some universities there that might give you more money.