okay, this is what my confirmation e-mail says

[college2004]

<p>Thank you for applying to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. We have
received your application and have begun to process it. </p>

<p>Please verify the information at the bottom of this email and contact us if
anything needs to be corrected. You do not need to respond if all of the
information is correct. If you are sending additional documents to complete
your application, please be sure that your full legal name and eight-digit
University of Michigan ID number appears on each page. Your U of M ID
number is XXXXXXXX.</p>

<p>If you have not already done so, transcripts must be sent directly from the
educational institution you have attended. Likewise, test scores must be
sent to us directly from the testing agency. ACT scores may be requested
online at <a href="http://www.actstudent.org/scores/send/index.html;%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.actstudent.org/scores/send/index.html;&lt;/a> the ACT code
for U-M Ann Arbor is 2062. SAT I scores may be requested online at
<a href="http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/scores/sending.html;%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/scores/sending.html;&lt;/a> the SAT I
code for U-M Ann Arbor is 1839.</p>

<p>We look forward to reviewing your application. We appreciate your interest
in the University of Michigan and also invite you to find out more about us
through our web site at <a href="http://www.admissions.umich.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.admissions.umich.edu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p>

<hr>

<p>does this mean they've started reading my application.... or that they've finally received it and... ? i don't know.</p>

[cruella]

<p>It means exactly what it says...they have received your application and have begun to process it.</p>

[wolverineman]

<p>I have a question about this message also. Does this e-mail mean your file is complete and they have begun reviewing your app?</p>