Really disappointing and somewhat unexpected waitlist from UMichigan

Colleges & Universities University of Michigan
1

My first question. Does UMichigan reject people? Or do they just waitlist everyone? Because the offer for waitlist was given in the third paragraph of my letter, so it sounded odd.

We have completed a final individualized and comprehensive review of your University of Michigan application and all supporting documents. While you have many impressive qualities, we regret to inform you that we are not able to offer you a place in the College of Engineering for Fall 2015. Our high application volume, coupled with the very strong credentials of our applicants in recent years, has contributed to an increasingly competitive admissions process.

Because college is an important next step, we encourage you to make enrollment plans at another college or university. Many applicants who are not admitted to the University of Michigan as freshmen continue their interest in U-M and enter as transfer students. You may wish to consider applying after the successful completion of two year’s study at another college or university. Our website contains more information about transfer guidelines at admissions.umich.edu/apply/transfer-students.

Meanwhile, we occasionally admit a small number of applicants before the end of June from our waitlist. Please notify us of your intentions to accept or decline this waitlist offer before May 1, 2015. Go to Wolverine Access (https://wolverineaccess.umich.edu)—New & Prospective Student Business—Application Status. If you choose to accept the waitlist option, you must confirm on two separate pages. Visit our website at https://umich.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2081 for more information on the waitlist.

Thank you for your interest in the University of Michigan. You have our best wishes for success in your pursuit of higher education.

Sincerely,

Erica L. Sanders
Interim Director

NOW. Here is my question. Why was I waitlisted. Here is my stats.

OBJECTIVE

ACT: 35 composite (36 math and science, 35 reading, 34 english, 11 writing)

SAT: 2310 (800 math, 760 critical reading, 750 writing)

SATII: 800 Math II, 800 Physics, 790 Bio, 720 US History

GPA: 98/100 UW, 109 weighted, should be a 4.0

9-11TH GRADE COURSELOAD (Grade taken, AP score): AP Biology (10, 5), AP World History (10, 5), AP Calculus BC(10, 5), AP Statistics (11,5), AP Computer Science (11, 5), AP English Lang (11, 5), AP US History (11, 5), AP Physics B (11, 5)

12TH GRADE COURSELOAD: AP Spanish Language, AP English Lit, AP Government and Politics, AP Chemistry
I am taking two online courses because our school does not offer - Multivariable Calculus, and AP Physics C: Mechanics, and this appears on school transcript.

OTHER CLASSES: Science Research (4 years), Orchestra (4 years), Philosophy

OTHER: Middle-class, Indian, 16 years when graduating (skipped a grade)

SUBJECTIVE

SPORTS: 4 years varsity cross country, 4 years varsity tennis (2nd singles sophomore year, 1st singles and captain junior year)

CLUBS (Grades, Leadership positions, Awards): Robotics (10-12, President, NA), Mathletes (9-12, Captain, Top 50 in county and AIME 2x qualifier ARML and NYSML), Spanish Honor Society/National Honor Society

INTERNSHIPS: Interned at MSKCC (Summer after 10), Simons at SBU (Summer after 11), CSHL (Senior year)

VOLUNTEER: 100 hours at local hospital, 500-600 hours in building Q&A application for school to facilitate online tutoring

AWARDS: I won the RPI medal this year, a few others, Philosophy Slam 4th place, Long Island Science Congress Honors, accpeted to PROMYS (didn’t attend), National Merit Semifinalist, National AP Scholar

ESSAYS: 7/10 - 8/10

2

Should I appeal? Like what is this?? 30% acceptance rate, and I am waitlisted? I got into other East Coast highly selective universities, so, should I do something about this?

3

“I got into other East Coast highly selective universities, so, should I do something about this?”

Are you saying that you would rather attend Umich over these schools? You might want to refer to other posts in the Michigan forum, adcom was very clear that they would be using the WL a lot more this year to control yield. Perhaps you didn’t present a convincing case for why you want to attend Michigan?

4

Do you actually want to go to Michigan? If so accept the waitlist. Michigan doesn’t have an appeal process.

5

@96blue‌ I am not sure if I want to go there. I might. It depends. And, I am just looking for a reason to WHY I was waitlisted…I mean I did apply on February 1st. And my essays were not the greatest in the world.

@Mich08‌ I mean, yes. I want to go into engineering. And as prestigious as they are, I do not know whether I will be attending due to lack of a great engineering program. Would you say Duke/JHU BME trump UMich engineering? Especially if I intend to get a business degree (MBA) later on? Where did you get the information about WL-yield control?

6

Did you research the school? UMich has a world class engineering program. As to why you were waitlisted, you will never know. They admit holistically and less than stellar essays could have been the deciding factor.

7

@lb43823 You said yourself that your essays weren’t the best… you’re a strong candidate but I’m sorry it sounds like you didn’t take the Michigan application seriously, and they must have sensed that.

8
  1. it’s never, ever a good idea to wait until the very last moment to apply to Michigan because
  2. they might think you won’t attend and the application was a last-minute check box on the Common App
  3. they have thousands of kids who want to attend, apply early and show the love and/or have brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents who have attended UofM and it’s been this way for decades
  4. they have hundreds if not thousands of deferred kids who e-mail them weekly in Jan before you even submitted your app telling them they will accept an offer of admission the minute they get accepted

perhaps it’s a combination of the above. You were a strong candidate, but did they know you really wanted to attend? Or did your application scream that you really wanted to go to MIT or somewhere else. This is a college application, very similar to a job application. Did you do your homework before you wrote your supplemental essays and put your best foot forward? Other than that, you will never know…there are just too many darn applications for a freshman class of 5,000 across all the colleges in UofM and negligible differences in the stats of the kids applying and accepted. Fortunately it sounds like you will have other options and you can accept the waitlist offer and change your mind if accepted in May, June or July. If you don’t need financial aid, find your counselor and tell them you’ll come if you get accepted off the waitlist or let it go and move forward with another college.

It stings to be rejected when you are a top student and used to getting everything, but it will absolutely be OK and as a parent I have the right to say, maybe a lesson learned when you are sending out job applications, resumes and cover letters.

9

@momofthreeboys‌ @Mich08‌ @96blue‌ Yeah, but I still think it is very strange. Do you personally know/ have heard of applicants like me getting waitlisted?

10

Stats alone don’t get you into Michigan. If they sensed ambivalence in your essays, that might be why you were waitlisted.

11

@onceuponamom‌ Would you please read one for me? I shall PM it to you.

12

True, stats alone won’t get you accepted. Early application is an imperative and from there who knows…but I did have a chuckle or two or three at all the kids who posted they were upset at UofM tumblr when they put a pic of a sloth up…tee hee…It’s the Michigan Wolverines not the Michigan Sloths. Do your homework if you are going to apply :slight_smile:

13

Take this for what it’s worth, and that’s probably not much. You’re 16. We don’t always get everything we want and we don’t know why. That’s life. You have some great options. Choose one and be happy. There are soooo many other kids on here who would love to have your choices.

14

^agreed, some of us are scared we wont get in anywhere, you have options and thats a good thing. In regards to michigan engineering its one the top schools out there, and it could have possibly been that you didn’t truly understand how amazing their engineering department was and didnt portray that in your essays. This year especially, it seems like they are looking for those who really want to go there and would feel unbelievably blessed to be given the opportunity. To those who feel that way, im sure they spent a good amount of time in their essays to ensure that michigan knew how much it meant to them.

15

Yes. UMich did reject high stat applicants like you every year. You just need to look up the old threads. Nevertheless, I am not surprised if they will accept some high stat students from the waitlist. Those usually have the lowest yield rate in the past.

16

IB, Michigan will reject hundreds, if not thousands of applicants with your credentials. That what elite universities do, The overall acceptance rate may be 30% (probably a little lower this year), but the acceptance rate for OOS applicants is more like 20%, and for the CoE probably even lower, like 15%. The mid 50% SAT/ACT for the entire freshmen class is just tiny notch lower than those at schools like Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Penn etc…, but for OOS students enrolling at the CoE is likely higher. There are literally over 1,500 freshmen with your stats enrolling at Michigan this coming fall. And the fact that you applied on February 1 (instead of October 31) and that your essays were only so so (by your own admission) does not help matters.

Not only does Michigan reject many applicants with similar stats to yours, but it is doing so at an increasing rate because unlike most other elite universities, Michigan’s applicant pool is growing rapidly.

17

“And my essays were not the greatest in the world.”

Well there’s your answer.

18

Is it even worth accepting a spot on the waitlist? They probably waitlisted thousands of applicants, but I’m not even sure if they would even pick more than 1-2% of those waitlisted… :confused:

19

To be honest, I think when you apply plays a HUGE role in your chances of getting accepted. Applying to UofM on the last possible day screams “I really do not want to go here”. You are placed near the bottom of the barrel of all applicants. By the time your admission’s counselor reads your application and the final decision is made by the committee, the university may already be nearing the number of students they were planning to accept. With that in mind, the acceptance rate may be considerable lower for the last few thousands of applications reviewed. I’m sure the university has data on what percentage of people who enroll based on when they apply. Students applying that late in the admission’s cycle generally do place the University of Michigan high on their list. Don’t be bitter that you did not get in. You did not place the university high on your list, why should they value you in return?

20

Very similar stats to yours, also applying from out of state. Oh well… I probably wasn’t gonna go anyways.

Still disappointed, though.