Certainly you’re under no obligation to, but you’ve yet to articulate a single reason why you need to leave Michigan.
I see reasons you shouldn’t leave:
-
You started something and you didn’t finish.
-
If you’re the rock star you claim you are, you’ll have a great relationship with your prof.
-
The academic world is small - if you’re in the same discipline at the other schools (if you even get in), your profs will know one another - and unless you can articulate a true reason to leave - your old prof isn’t likely going to have great things to say about you to the new profs…especially if you just walk out on him.
But why are you trying to leave?
Since you mentioned only two schools you could leave for - I have to assume you don’t actually need to leave.
What I see is a young person who is determined to do something without stepping back and looking at the potential consequences.
So you started writing essays - that doesn’t mean you have to follow through. If you apply and get turned down (98% likely based on stats not to mention they already turned you down) and the prof at Michigan finds out - and he needs to know - because you need to be transparent…depending on the prof you might be taking a dagger.
You need to step back, talk to an advisor, and get an objective POV.
Many “rock stars” ruin themselves by handling things the wrong way - and while we don’t have all the details, this is my fear here. Also, many “rock stars” in their mind actually aren’t “rock stars” - but that’s a hard concept for many to understand.
Good luck.