Here’s the difference between the two deferral letters:
If additional information has specifically been requested, such as first semester grades from senior year, it’s because one of the people reviewing your file thought it was necessary to best assess your application. There was either a concern with your grades through 11th, or perhaps the bulk of your most rigorous classes are in senior year. Either way, they weren’t confident that you would be admitted with what they currently saw in your file. Your application has been “set aside” and will continue on for further review once the additional information has been submitted. Once received, your application will be marked as complete and go back to the reviewer that had requested the information.
For students that received the other deferral letter, their application has gone through a complete review and received a final evaluation. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Since U-M sends minimal, if any, denies during EA, students that just missed being admitted, or are among the weaker candidates, all received this letter. Here’s an important distinction for students that received this letter. Sending in an updated transcript will NOT automatically generate an additional look at your application. It will just be added to your file and your territory counselor will not necessarily know it’s there unless they happen to look for it or you alert them. If Michigan is still your top choice, my advice is to write your territory counselor now and let them know that you are still very interested and plan to send in updated grades once they are available. Then once your updated transcript has been sent in, wait a couple of days for it to work it’s way through the system and then follow up with another email to let them know it should now be ready for them to review.
For either group, new test scores that are submitted will automatically generate an email to your admissions rep to alert them that new scores are in the system. Sending in additional letters of recommendation, new awards, etc. will rarely have any impact. At this point, strong grades, improved test scores, and continued interest are going to be the most influential in improving your standing.