<p>Back to the OP point. The spike in applications in the last three years are not isolated random occurrences. Most elite universities that join the common app see a surge in applicants that lasts several years. Michigan is no exception. As long as Michigan is considered a reasonable reach or a match, top students will continue to apply at a rapidly increasing rate annually, and as long as the percentage accepted continues to drop in chunks, the yield will hold, if not increase, as the university’s top rated programs and excellent environment will take care of the rest. For this reason, the quality of the students enrolling in the university will continue to rise as it has for the last two years. By 2014, Michigan’s acceptance rate will be in the 25%-28% range, and the mid 50% ACT/SAT will be 29-33 / 1280-1480. For the Bicentennial, Michigan’s acceptance rate will drop to 20%, and the mid 50% ACT/SAT for incoming freshmen will be 30-34 / 1320-1520. Whether Michigan becomes more selective after 2017 depends on how the university is perceived by high schoolers, and how generous their FA packages are. With the new fund raising campaign which is set to start later this year and is expected to top the $5 billion mark come 2017, reportedly targeting scholarships and financial aid, I am fairly certain that Michigan will soon be meeting 100% of financial need for all US students, regardless of residence status.</p>