UMich accepts a little less than 15,000 applicants the last two years. They accept roughly 7,500-8,000 during EA. And that means there’s another 50% to accept. Patience.
Yes, @Lawmama91, I completely agree about the school spirit and also about Penn State. My brother in law went there and three of us went to see Michigan at Penn State in 2010 in Happy Valley. What a great game day atmosphere. I would agree, it is much better, and the people were very nice, even with us wearing our Michigan jerseys. Wisconsin has a great game day atmosphere too and the student section is the best. The Big House is special, but so are lots of places.
One thing we have noticed is that students don’t hang out at the games as much as they used to. They arrive late and leave early. At the Rutgers game, my daughter and her friends left with other kids at halftime, even though the weather was fine. My friend said kids left at halftime at the Notre Dame game, which is a huge game. Yes, there was rain, but we never left early as students, even in very bad weather. (I think kids leave early at a lot of schools).
Which brings me to one reason why so many kids apply–the success of the football and basketball teams. I love college football almost as much as anyone, and I never miss a Michigan game, but really, isn’t that why applications have surged? Michigan has always been a very good school, so it’s not that the academics have suddenly gotten better. But then the kids leave early? Don’t get it.
As much as I value my time in Ann Arbor, I had as good or better time getting my MBA at Minnesota. Michigan, for as great as it is, has a number of big flaws in my eyes. They don’t really cater to students, the dorms are not nice, with some exceptions, and class sizes like many places are big. I know this will be a lightning rod, but I don’t find the student body and even alums that friendly compared to other schools. People can be cold to down right frosty, and that’s not the case at many other schools. And the weather is not good, and very gloomy. I saw the sun much more in Minnesota than Michigan.
When we visited ASU, I asked them how often my DD would have a TA vs a prof, and they looked at me like I was weird, saying all you get in nearly every class is a professor. TAs are everywhere at Michigan, and their quality can be hit or miss. Michigan takes the attitude “Here it is…take it or leave it.” I would expect much more when as a parent I’m paying $70K/year for OOS cost of attendance. And the OOS tuition has gotten so outrageous, even when the school has a $12B endowment. Not enough people are critical of the cost of the university.
Bottom line, great school, Ann Arbor is very nice, but there are so many great colleges out there, so don’t get hung up if you don’t get in. You will very likely have as good an experience elsewhere.
Football at Michigan has always been tied to partying (this is the case with basically any football school). With later games the past few seasons (especially night games), students want to tailgate before the game, and party the night after. Leaving the game early allows for this to happen. That can explain some of the changes in why people increasingly leave games early.
A reason why some people have always left early is to get food, maybe before Dining closes if they are living in a dorm.
Yes, but the Rutgers game started at noon. And so did other games I’ve been to in the past few years, yet the kids arrived late and left early, missing the pre-game band and halftime performance. My kid went with a group of students out to eat in the town, not the dorms. I can’t explain it.
I was in a frat and we partied before the games (started drinking at 9AM), yet still always got there in time, or for later games, we had parties Saturday night. It’s almost like they figure they can watch the game from their phone, if they’re that interested. But nothing like being AT a game.
The UMich student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1 and has been that exact ratio for about 20 years. Cal and UCLA are 20:1. Minnesota is 17:1.
Michigan caters to my student. Free tutoring and easy access to advisors are always available. She meets every semester with 2-3 advisors for major and minors.
More sun in Minnesota? A difference without distinction. Come to CA, there’s a lot more sun here.
Dorms aren’t nice? Most have been remodeled like South, East and West Quads. These dorms are really nice. The Hill dorms are nearly all remodeled (Couzens, MoJo, Alice Lloyd) with one notable exception and that’s Markley, which will be replaced very soon. I don’t know anyone who complained about their dorms, except those in Markley.
https://record.umich.edu/articles/demolition-south-fifth-avenue-property-begins-week/
Upper classroom dorms? Stockwell is like Hogwarts and gorgeous. North Quad is new. Much of North Campus is under renovation now.
A few more notes.
My kid has not had a TA teach any of her classes in the first 3 semesters except for freshman writing.
As for academics not improving, their USNWR ranking has steadily improved. And is #25 and gaining on Cal and UCLA. And LSA has 40 programs in the Top 10:
Peer assessment? UMich is the highest ranked public at #13:
Call the admissions process unfair, if you want, but let’s not belittle the university,
Can I get into LSA with 1300 sat and 3.9 gpa with 7 AP’s and 3 honors? I have really good essays and EC’s.
Ok so I was deferred with a 3.976 and 1450 (in state LSA). I’m writing my LOCI soon but I was just wondering if a deferred EA applicant can get in before their mid year grades are sent. For example, I think my grades would get sent mid February but I’ve read of people getting in last year on February 1st before their mid year grades were sent. Can anyone speak about this?
What did your deferral letter say? There are waves of decisions released on or about 2/1, 3/1 and 4/1. If your deferral letter asked for grades, then you should contact admissions and let them know that your grades will not be available until mid-February. If UMich didn’t request grades from you, then yes, a student could be admitted on or about 2/1 without additional grades.
its ok youll get in somewhere
How do I know if UMich requested my grades or not that’s what I’m trying to figure out. I don’t think that they did because in my deferral letter it just said postponed and that “ We are confident that the information you have given us is more than sufficient for a final decision and ask you not to submit anything additional beyond what is required.” Does this mean I can expect a possible acceptance on 2/1 possibly?
@sushiritto , I too live in SoCal. Minnesota is not nearly as gloomy as Michigan, mostly because of the lake effect snow and cloudiness in Michigan. It’s downright depressing in January and February. (although Minneapolis is a lot colder).
As for student-to-teacher ratio, we all know that Michigan is not 15:1. I had maybe 5 classes that were that ratio in 4 years there. I had a 400 level class (US History Since 1933 with Sidney Fine) with 425+ students, and other upper level history and business law classes with 150+. They’re likely counting discussion groups taught by TAs, that are mixed in with lectures, which adulterates the ratios. Yes, the UCs also have the same issues too.
Michigan was ranked #8 when I was there in the 80s. It’s now Top 25. I think the rankings are probably BS anyway. https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2017/09/13/u-s-news-rankings-for-57-leading-universities-1983-2007/
I agree with you that North and West Quad are nice, but Markley isn’t and while Alice Lloyd is certainly better than when I lived there, it’s “Ikea remodeled”. Seems that every school is remodeling their dorms, but can you honestly tell me that you would pay $70K a year for your child to live in Bursley, because I know a couple of people that do just this.
Michigan is a bargain in state, and so are UVA, William and Mary, Wisconsin, UNC, and the UCs. But OOS, it isn’t, and it’s atrociously expensive.
There are certain expectations that come with that much money and IMHO, I just don’t see the value there. (Same thing goes for UVA and UCs out of state too, which are also very expensive).
@kakashi27 https://admissions.umich.edu/apply/freshmen-applicants/selection-process
Please read this through. It your still not sure they want your grades then email /call them to make sure.
We are supposed to leave @sushiritto alone so we can get the stats from the EA but I have to agree with him. My son’s a junior in engineering and Michigan had been nothing but supportive. I won’t go into the things he has done but when starting a tech club freshman year his group applied for over $15,000 of Grant money to help. In the Badger leadership training he did as a freshman they got $10,000 of it https://lsa.umich.edu/bli
Plus they paid for all his expenses to come back to campus in the summer for their program. They told him and another student just to pick “any” Arbnb on campus and arrange for Michigan to pay for it! They paid his expense to come back to school and back.
They told him to fly out to California for a tech conference.
When he started his club virtually the same day it was registered, Several Alumni reached out to see if there was anything they could help with. They also became their mentors these first few years. A professor in the school of information reached out to them to help get graduate students to become involved. They were asked to lecture to the graduate students also. When my son put together the first of its kind tech conference last year at Michigan, once he mentioned Michigan no one said no. These were both large companies like Ford and very small companies through out the Midwest. Michigan is actually doing a campus wide multi million dollar tech initiative and reached out to him to become a student fellow. I could go on… Lol.
He only has TAs in review sessions.
Kids leaving the games… Not him but that is the culture we live in.
Dorms… He was in West Quad first year. It’s gorgeous. Like a country club and nice woodwork. Apartments on North campus in Northwood 3… Well… Not so much. They need help but he doesn’t care… Lol.
Professor’s… He knows several by first name and they know him which is more important.
The kids that take initiative, the school will bend over backwards to make successful. Michigan takes a lot of pride helping their kids become successful. It can’t just be mine and @sushiritto child just feeling this way. All my friends kids that go here tell me the wonderful opportunities for their kids as well.
All valid points. It’s entirely possible that things have changed since I attended, and most of my points are based on my experience there.
That being said, I see no one defending the cost of sending a kid there for $70K-$72K/year OOS. Duke, Northwestern and several Ivies like Dartmouth and Cornell cost $76K-$78K/year, and we are talking about a state school with Michigan.
@sbdad12. My wife went there in the early 80’s and I didn’t go there but was on campus so much my friends “think” I went there even when I tell them I didn’t… Lol.
Yes, lots has changed for the better but there is no more Steve’s Ice Cream but Pizza Bob’s is still there and their chapati and hot fudge chocolate chip shakes ?!
Michigan is pouring money into improvements and really stepping it up with their Go Blue program https://goblueguarantee.umich.edu/
Even though it’s not really published, they have begun giving out of state families financial aid through their Michigan Grant’s program and other the last 3-4 years. . But yes, it’s crazy expensive for OOS families.
It seems Michigan is trying to run like a private school with their $15 bil endowment
Not many publics have that type of cash. Got to give them credit. The avg family income is like $156,000. One of the wealthiest out there. There must be a good reason why families keep coming and want to go to Michigan. I grew up in Detroit Suburbs but live in Chicago now. There is simply no comparison to our state public and Michigan.
If your on campus now you will see multiple buildings going up and they just finished a year renovation of the student union.
Some other projects https://umaec.umich.edu/projects/major-projects/
https://record.umich.edu/articles/roundup-u-m-construction-sites-across-campus/
It’s pretty impressive.
But yes, OOS state schools are expensive. Once you get past first year living off campus and getting off the meal plan can really have some nice deep savings BTW. ?
First when did you tour UMich last? Have you toured the campus in the last 10-20 years? They’ve rebuilt and constructed many new buildings. The remodeled student union will be opening soon. The Biological Sciences building is new. I could go on.
The CDS states 15:1. If you have alternative facts, post a link. My kid hasn’t complained one bit about class sizes. Not once.
$70,000-72,000? Maybe you know someone spending that amount of money. That’s not anywhere near the amount that’s coming out of my checking account. Tuition is $50K. A dorm is $12K. Books are almost nothing. There are plenty of apartments to choose from after freshman year. If you’re OK with living with 4-6 kids, then you can find an apartment for half the cost of a dorm. Food is much cheaper in A2 than the SF Bay Area.
Bottom line for me is that I find tremendous value for an OOS family. And for the Class of 2022, 45% of the UG population were from OOS students and 3% were international. And the overall acceptance rate has decreased to 23%.
No idea why you’re belittling the university on an EA Admissions thread. Start a new thread if you desire to trash Michigan. I’m collecting stats from this thread.
BTW, so far acceptances and deferrals are running about 50/50 so far. But no where close to being done.
Any measurable difference in weather between MN and MI, if any, is not even worth a discussion coming from CA.
At any rate, UMich starts after Labor Day and ends late April. With a month of vacations, a student only lives in A2 for about 7 months a year.
UMich is in the top 10 of schools most applied to, along with the UC’s and NYU, so they’re not hurting for “customers.”
Agree. I understand it is disappointing to be deferred. But if someone thinks the school has so many negatives then just drop the application and accept another offer. It would certainly not be worth to pay tuition unless one thought the school was worth it.
We toured it at the end of September. I saw all the building that was going on, including the Union. Building is happening at all of the 14 different campuses we toured so that doesn’t make a difference to me.
I don’t know what major your son has, but I’m sure class sizes haven’t decreased much since I attended.
$70-$72K comes from here:
https://finaid.umich.edu/cost-of-attendance/
Michigan’s tuition goes up every year, and I used the increase from the last few years to project 2020-21. How far am I off if you say it’s inaccurate? You could easily spend $1500 on plane tickets between the West Coast and Michigan, and that’s not really included in their estimates. Sorry, but I don’t define $65-$72K as being a value.
As for commenting on the weather from SoCal, I spent the first 28 years of my life living in places like Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, which has given me perspective on weather in each place.
Your comment about belittling Michigan is well taken, and I’m sorry that I seem negative on the school, especially on a thread that is about happiness for a lot of kids. I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade.
I love my school, and have good memories there. I’m jaded because of what I see is the school limiting the ability for people to send their admitted kids there, and it has become the realm of people who are rich and don’t care about price, or those that make just enough money or less to qualify for aid. The rest of us, even alums who love and support the school, are shut out or have to suck it up. I would probably feel this way if I went to another school with the same price tag, like UVA or the UCs, as an OOS parent.
Anyway, I won’t comment anymore. Michigan is really great, there are so many positives going for it, and I do hope for those that got in, they have a great experience, and for those deferred, you keep trying.