Most of posted students stats in for UMICH admission process, state how smart u guys are. But, the main key to admission to UMICH is not gpa, nor is it SAT, or sports activities. The key to admission is research, or statement that proves that you have imagination and can apply it to produce some results beneficial to future. Ok...but that doesnt mean you shouldnt have a great gpa, a high SAT, and do sports activities. All I mean is that I believe that you can be accepted to UMICH just as I was, if you maintain an above average gpa, above average SAT score, do some sports activities, and do research, and also participate in clubs such as SCIENCE Club or even Chess club. Also taking variety of AP classes and doing well in them will be another point for you. And...essays are really important, so if they say in application that this essay is optional, all they really mean is that, if you dont write anything for this so called "optional" essay, then your a goner. Its important to express soul in these essays. As cold hearted as I am, I realised that the admission staff must be overhelmed by these freshmen essays they have to read, so its important to put soul into an essay in order for you to be heard. Ok...I dont want to sound to nostalgic here...ok...here goes another tip...Be as friendly as you possibly can with your schools guidance councellor...Yawn, Im falling asleep while writing this stuff...One more tip then to kip you awake...some of the best competitions for research are "INTEL" and "Westinghouse", but thats only if u are into science, and if urnt not then screw u...ouch that was mean...or was it?
Location: Baltimore, MD - Johns Hopkins University
Posts: 533
I don't know... You might have some credibility since I certainly wasn't admitted for my SAT's or GPA (1330 SAT, 690/630/620 SAT II's, barely top 25% of my class - not impressive seeing how 90% of Michigan's student body is from the top 10% of their HS class). Plus, I was out-out-state and not a URM (asian instead), and I also submitted the app 2 weeks past the Feb 1st deadline. I took the essays very seriously and wrote an optional one too (about the Rubik's cube and correlated it with my life - poured my heart and soul into it) and it seemed to help. Obviously the optional essay helped and you might be right with your science theory too. I was involved in a lot of science clubs (leadership in one), received a few awards (although minor), and one of my essays was centered around the importance of engineers and scientists. BTW, if you guys want to see my essays just PM me or contact me on AIM - atma264.
Location: Baltimore, MD - Johns Hopkins University
Posts: 533
Yeah, slipper, I did get in. My acceptance was downright shocking especially since I had no special hooks, no legacy, no URM status, etc... BTW, I got into the college of engineering, and found out a little less than a month later. What is weird is my friend with higher grades and 1400 SAT applied to LSA in mid-November and got rejected. o_O
right....
or, you can be in state
and i'd like to add that i didn't write the optional essay, it really is optional for a reason
consider how much the adcoms need to read, so if u already covered everything in your app, why write an additional essay just to write it, i doubt they'd appreciate the extra reading
furthermore, i don't think um really cares all that much for essays. my school sends over 50% of the students to um every year, (of all who applied, pretty much everyone, only one person i know of this year didn't get in), and one of the teacher scoffed at essays for um in the beginning of the year. I believe her words were "like the essays for u of m actually matters" - of course that isn't to say u should do a poor job. However, looking at the old points system which isn't used anymore, but still, gpa was by far the most important aspect
