University of Michigan Essay Writing Requirements

April 19, 2018

Admissions Rate: 26%

Located in Ann Arbor, MI.

The University of Michigan is a state university with a high rating, possessing a great history in the field of sports, arts, and science.

The University of Michigan receives a great number of applicants year after year. Last year they took about 42% out of the in-state candidates and about 24% of the out of the state candidates. Currently, the school has 28 312 proud students of Michigan Wolverine.

With a 3,211 acres campus, more than 250-degree programs and more than 900 student organizations, Michigan is home to endless opportunities. Students who are looking for a large school with a diverse student body and a lot of school spirit, will find this and much more at the University of Michigan.

If you want to know more about Essay Writing Requirements and Application Requirements keep on reading, because in this article we will cover such important things like:

  • Essay Questions
  • What does College Want to See?
  • Common App (yes/no)
  • GPA/SAT Score Requirements for Admission
  • Application Tips

Essay Questions

All applicants must submit 3 essays:

  1. Personal essay from The Common Application or The Coalition Application (limited to 250 – 650 words)
  2. An essay related to their community from the U-M Questions (minimum 100 words / maximum 300 words)
  3. An essay related to the curriculum from the U-M Questions(minimum 100 words / maximum 550 words)

Also, there is an activity essay: if you can only perform one of the activities listed in the “Activities” section of your application, which one would you continue to do? Why? (Minimum of 50 words / Maximum of 150 words).

First-year students can find essays which are going to be included in the University of Michigan Questions on the Internet. Transfer students must answer the same questions, but should ignore the references to preferred admission and dual-study programs.

We strongly recommend applicants to stay within the word limits. Any words that go beyond this limit will be cut off, and applications with incomplete essays will not be considered competitive.

What does College Want to See?

What do admission officers look for in your application essays? What do your essays tell them about you?

Admission officers look for several things, so try answering these questions about yourself:

  • Do you have clear and compelling reasons for getting to the University of Michigan now?
  • Do you have a clear idea of your goals and why did you set them in the first place?
  • Can you communicate well?

The University of Michigan application essays tell them whether you found the time and put the effort to think about where you were in life, where you are now, what you hope to achieve by entering this university and why. With your essays, you have a chance to show that you know why you picked this exact university, that you are a good fit for this exact program and that they can be sure that you are a good fit to this university.

Michigan gets more applications from academically qualified students than you can even imagine, that is why they are looking for somebody with big motivation, leadership skills, and a big desire to take advantage of the opportunities that the University of Michigan has to offer.

Of course, they are looking at your grades, test scores, and curriculum. You did not work for anything. But there is so much more to this.

The applications are read several times to see the quality and quantity of the time you have spent inside your classroom and outside of it. Your essay should be grammatically correct, so don`t forget to use grammar checker and punctuation checker for your needs. They are eager to know more about your passions and see enthusiasm. That is why it is necessary to note each and every kind of extracurricular activities, from 20 hours spent in a community acting troupe to the weekend job.

It is all important. Do not just say that you were engaged in Habitat for Humanity. Be specific. Did you contribute 300 hours to the organization? Or 30 hours? Tell everything about it. The University of Michigan looks for students who can make an impact not only on campus but also on society.

You have to be driven, motivated, have a good sense of self-worth, know why you came to this university and how you can contribute.

Common App (yes/no)

In order to simplify the process of admission for some students, the University of Michigan offers potential Wolverines two options for submitting an online application:

The Common Application, which the U-M Office of Undergraduate Admissions began accepting in 2010 and is now collected at about 700 colleges and universities around the world.

Or students can now choose a new Coalition Application, an alternative online application, accepted in more than 110 institutions, which must meet certain standards for graduation rates and student financial aid.

GPA/SAT Score Requirements for Admission

Average GPA: 3.83

You have to be almost at the top of your class if you have GPA of 3.83. You will need mostly all A’s to be able to compete with other applicants. It would be better if you take AP or IB courses to show academics at a college level will not be a problem for you.

If your GPA is at or below the 3.83, you will need a higher SAT or ACT score for compensation. This will help you to compete effectively with other candidates who have higher GPA rates than you do.

You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to the University of Michigan.

Average SAT: 1450

The average SAT score at University of Michigan is 1450 on the 1600 SAT scale.

What's your Essay Score?
Essay Checker for College Applications or Perfecting your Daily Writing.
Try Free Now

University of Michigan Application Essay Tips

  • Being Organized. You can apply to colleges online or by mail. I suggest doing it online since this way applications are processed quickly and can have built-in checks to ensure that all materials are included. Moreover, email applications are easier to verify. In any case, following this advice, you will be able to succeed.
  • Start early. This advises never gets old, maybe because so many people still do not follow it. Complete writing essays, collect recommendations and fill out the forms a few weeks before they are really needed. Put these earlier dates on your calendar and do not forget about them. You can find accurate information about deadlines on the college websites.
  • Be consistent. Use the same name in all your forms. Decide whether you want to use a shortened version of your legal name or your middle name, and then always use the same version. For example, switching names – from Bill to Billy – increases the odds that your materials will be misfiled.
  • Be careful. Negligent mistakes in your application can hurt your chances of getting in. After you finish the application, put it aside and check it for errors a few days after. Ask the teacher or parent to check it. Or check out this cute Robotdon website, which will check it for you. Save and review everything before submitting.
  • Let your school know. You must tell the school officials which colleges you apply to so they can send your transcripts. People you ask to write letters of recommendation also need to know where you are applying to if they send letters themselves.

If you get a notification saying that something is missing, do not panic. Just call the admission office and kindly ask what you can do now. And here is the reason for saving all those copies and sending them earlier.

That is all for this article. I hope this information was useful and inspiring. And even though the University of Michigan is quite competitive – believe in yourself, work hard and don’t give up. Good luck!

The Best Articles from Robotdon

The Robotdon email digest is a weekly summary of the most popular and inspiring essay-related content. We curate the best so you can stay continually informed.