I’m going to preface this by saying that any advice is extremely appreciated, no matter what. So thanks in advance!
Since I was a kid, the dream has been to get into the University of Michigan. However, my GPA is only a 3.93 and I’m rockin a solid 29 on the ACT. Unfortunately, I’m not so stellar on the extracurricular front because I’m half deaf and required several surgeries, which made me crawl into a shell and isolate myself. I have a handful of volunteer experiences under my belt, though. After this school year ends in about 3 days, I’m expecting my GPA to bump up just a little. I’m not too worried about the essays, because writing is my thing, so to speak.
The main thing here is: what are my true odds of getting in? Are they even a little comforting?
Otherwise, what are some other good schools that I could attend for a year or two (and still get the complete freshman experience) before trying to transfer to U of M, if things don’t work out the first time? I’m not necessarily just looking at Michigan, so any suggestions are welcome.
I would take the ACT again and aim for a 2-4 point improvement. You have plenty of time to study for the early fall tests. I would also apply early for a better chance. Are you in-state? It also helps if you are from an rural district. Michigan ACT score middle 50% is 30-33, and higher for out of state and college of engineering.
Your GPA is great if that is the unweighted number.
I agree about working on the ACT over the summer and re-taking it in the early fall. Most other large state U’s will give you a similar experience to UM. You can look into schools like UWisconsin, UIndiana, etc. Just be sure these schools are affordable.
And for some unsolicited advice,I would strongly suggest that if you start out at a school other than UM that you go to the college intending to stay for four years – otherwise it will be hard to get invested in meeting new friends, joining activities etc. and if you don’t get into UM at a later date your whole college experience would be a disappointment. It is fine to shoot for a school like UM but there are many other places where you can get the same type of college experience.
I think taking the ACT over again is my best bet. I am in-state, but I’m from the Wayne County district (about 15-20 minutes from Detroit, so definitely not rural). I was definitely aiming for early admission, so I’m glad to see it’s a good idea.