Chances of Getting Into U of M Ann Arbor (Dearborn: credit, dorms)

[canudigit]

Our daughter recently applied to U of M Ann Arbor. She is a high school senior with a 3.9 GPA, she got a 30 composite on her ACT test, and is currently enrolled in a dual enrollment program at U of M Dearborn where she just earned an "A" in both of the classes that she took this past semester. She has been involved in some volunteer work in the community over the past two years as well.

A couple of days ago, she got an email from U of M Ann Arbor that said that she is on the deferred list and said this:

"After multiple individualized and comprehensive evaluations of your application to the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts for Fall 2012, we believe that you have something uniquely valuable to contribute to our campus. However, our high application volume, coupled with the very strong credentials of our applicants in recent years, has contributed to an increasingly competitive admissions process. As a result, your application has been deferred for a final decision until a later date."

They also told her to keep sending any and all transcripts that would increase her chances of being accepted, and I just had her transcript with the two "A"s from U of M Dearborn sent over to Ann Arbor.

So...to any of you who have attended or graduated from U of M or know how the admission process there works...does it sound like she has a chance at getting in at all? It would mean so much if she could, since we live 20 minutes from campus and she really wants to go there. I figure that since she is a Michigan resident and has already proven that she can succeed at one of their satellite campuses that would help, but I'm still concerned that she won't get in. They said that they will let her know at a later date and she will either be admitted, denied, or waitlisted.

Anyone, based on what I posted above, have any idea what her chances might be? It's so darned hard to get into that school!!!

Thanks!

[Sparrow_temp]

I take it your daughter is white. I can't think of any reason other than affirmative action/racial bias and thus the deduction of "points" in their scoring that would have put her on "deferred" status.

Pick another school for an undergrad degree than the outrageously expensive U of M and use the savings to fund graduate school. They probably did you a favor in any case. Unless you're very wealthy or have a full tuition scholarship, the community colleges are the better way to go. You'll be taking the same classes but in a smaller classroom environment. You're saving a ton of money and the credits are transferable to your university of choice. The more specialized classes that a school like U of M would provide any additional value for don't really happen until your 3rd year anyway. I'd argue that they really don't happen until grad school but people like to believe that all of that money had to have bought them a better education than just the name recognition of the school.

[canudigit]

Yep, she's white, and that's actually something that hadn't occurred to me. Hmm...well, if that's why she ultimately ends up getting rejected, then so be it, she can't exactly change her racial make up, right?

Actually, since we only live 20 min. from campus and she could commute, U of M isn't all that expensive. For an undergrad who is a Michigan resident, it is around $14,000/year. Out of state students who must secure campus housing pay close to $50,000/year, so to me, that $14,000 sounds like a downright bargain! U of M Dearborn uses as one of its main marketing points that it is so inexpensive at around $10,000/year, so I still feel that U of M Ann Arbor is also a good deal for someone who lives nearby. Our daughter has been accepted at a few small, Christian universities in California and Seattle, and at around $35,000-$40,000/year, even with the scholarships that they are offering her, she would still come out way ahead going to good old U of M.

Thanks for the feedback. It gives me something to think about and helps me to realize that there are so many other factors that go into getting accepted into a university than just academic achievement.

[zthatzmanz28]

My niece is finishing her sophmore year. She landed some scholarship for journalism or writing so I suppose the process was different for her? I think the weighted classes she took in high school helped as well as being valedictorian played a part in being offered the scholarship? I do know 3-4 of her friends with less than 4.0 gpa were either deferred or out right told no thanks. The 2 that were deferred applied to other schools (State I believe) and one was accepted and the other went to Central.

[canudigit]

Thanks, good to know. Your niece must be pretty exceptional to garner a scholarship at U of M, we haven't even considered that a possibility.

Well, if she doesn't get in, it won't be the end of the world, she can either continue at Dearborn (a really good school in its own right but quite a commute and no dorms available) and transfer over to AA later, or just go somewhere else. She is getting bombarded with stuff from universities all over the country (like every other college bound high school senior!) and some of them are really good schools, such as Case Western, Cornell, U of Chicago, Tulane, and Drexel. Time will tell, I guess.

Thanks again for your feedback.

[finance500]

I just graduated from UofM. Last year UofM moved to the common application, which resulted in about 10,000 more applications for the current freshman class. This year we are expecting another 10,000 jump in applications and the admission rate will subsequently fall to approximately 30% - down from 50% when I applied. Each year it will be more difficult to get into UofM, and in a few years the admission rate will hover around 20%.

The good news is that they take a decent amount of deferred students, so there is definitely still hope. Also, transferring to Michigan after taking a year (or two) is possible with good grades (above a 3.5).

[ram2]

Originally Posted by Sparrow_temp

I take it your daughter is white. I can't think of any reason other than affirmative action/racial bias and thus the deduction of "points" in their scoring that would have put her on "deferred" status.

Pick another school for an undergrad degree than the outrageously expensive U of M and use the savings to fund graduate school. They probably did you a favor in any case. Unless you're very wealthy or have a full tuition scholarship, the community colleges are the better way to go. You'll be taking the same classes but in a smaller classroom environment. You're saving a ton of money and the credits are transferable to your university of choice. The more specialized classes that a school like U of M would provide any additional value for don't really happen until your 3rd year anyway. I'd argue that they really don't happen until grad school but people like to believe that all of that money had to have bought them a better education than just the name recognition of the school.

I second this. There are other colleges in Michigan that provide equal or better undergraduate education than U-M, for less cost.

U of M was sued several years ago for reverse discrimination due to the school's policy of accepting minority students with poor grades over "non-minority" students with excellent grades.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Yep, she's white, and that's actually something that hadn't occurred to me. Hmm...well, if that's why she ultimately ends up getting rejected, then so be it, she can't exactly change her racial make up, right?

Nope, the previous poster is wrong. Race is not a determiner, due to the Supreme Court case from ~03 IIRC.

Actually, since we only live 20 min. from campus

That's your biggest problem.
@ 20 minutes, you either live in Washtenaw, Wayne, or Livingston counties (more than likely). The majority of students at UofM are from those 3 counties (and Kent county). Anyone in most the other 78 counties in Michigan have it easier, as they are in a underrepresented county, and they get a bonus.

I also take it she's not a legacy either.

But it's odd that she has a 3.9 and a 30 ACT and didn't get in. Maybe retake the ACT?
Go to EMU for a year or two and transfer? That's what I did.
Went to HS in Washtenaw county, got a 3.2 and a 1500 SAT (old numbers), was a legacy and wasn't accepted. Because both my parents worked @ U of M, I found out that if I were from an underrepresented county, I would have been accepted.
Went to EMU for 2 years, got a 4.0, transferred in no problem.

I can tell you how it used to work for undergrad admissions, but I worked there before the lost court case.

[canudigit]

We live in Monroe County. Would that make a difference?

Also, I'm not familiar with what a legacy is.

Thanks to all of you for your responses. I really mean that, I like reading any input that I can get.

[urbanliving99]

Legacy just means a parent graduated from that college. Keeps the alumni dollars flowing...