High School Counselors
The Freshman Admissions Process
Freshman applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible in the fall of their senior year. Depending on the size and quality of the applicant pool, applicants who apply later may be at competitive disadvantage in our admissions process. We will communicate admissions decisions on a periodic basis beginning in late fall through early spring. We will make final decisions on all complete files by the first week of April. We recommend application by November 15 for consideration for merit scholarships.
Students can begin the application process starting August 15 by downloading the pdf version.
Each year competition for admission to U-M is intense. Please refer to our Fast Facts for information on our Freshman Profile, selectivity, and yield, and national rankings.
Each application will receive a minimum of two very thorough, individualized, and holistic reviews. First, the application file will be assigned to an application reader for its initial evaluation. The reader thoroughly reviews the details of each student file, and then makes a recommendation for admissions status. The reader's recommendation is kept separate from the application file, so that it will not influence the second reviewer's assessment. The file will then be forwarded to a professional admissions counselor for a second review. Each counselor is responsible for applications from a specific geographic region; this allows each counselor to develop a deeper knowledge of schools and school systems in his/her region. The counselor evaluates the file and then also makes a recommendation for admissions status. From there, the file is forwarded to an assistant director of admissions who will validate the admissions decision, or if necessary, refer the file to the admissions review committee for a final review.
During the evaluation process the reviewers will consider a broad range of criteria. Factors that illustrate the student's academic achievement and potential; including high school grades, standardized test scores, curriculum choices, and the educational environment of the student will be given the most consideration. Other factors, including, but not limited to; extracurricular achievements, special skills and talents, unique personal backgrounds, the quality and content of the essays, and the counselor and teacher recommendations will also be considered by the reviewers.
Incomplete applications can cause significant delay and may negatively impact a student's application. Please refer students to our Admissions Requirements.
Students can begin the application process starting August 15. All applications, regardless of methods, are reviewed equally by our office. However, to enhance data integrity, legibility, and delivery, we encourage the use of the online application and offer tips for using it. Students should be reminded to print the counselor recommendation page from the online application and give it to you to complete and attach their official transcript. The high school mails these documents to our office. Please do not attach hard copies of applications submitted online. If needed, you may also print out a pdf version of our high school counselor recommendation form.
The paper version of the application may be printed from the web or requested from our office. Students should plan on 4-6 weeks after requests to receive mailings.
Letters of Recommendation
Students should be reminded to print the counselor recommendation form and the teacher recommendation form if they are completing the online application. You or the high school principal should complete the counselor recommendation form, attach an official copy of the student's transcript to it, and mail it directly to our office. If a student is completing a paper copy of the application, the counselor recommendation form should not be detached from the application.
Students should select a teacher from an academic subject (English, math, science, or social studies) who knows them well, and ask them to complete the teacher recommendation form. The teacher should then return the recommendation to the student in a sealed envelope, with their signature across the flap. If they prefer, teachers can also choose to send the recommendation directly to our office. To review helpful hints in writing recommendations for your students, we are pleased to share advice for you provided by Willis J. Stetson, Jr., Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania.
The paper version of the application may be printed from the web or requested from our office. Students should plan on 4-6 weeks after requests to receive mailings.
Parents and Pre-Seniors
We all know parents have many questions, and we are happy to help you with their concerns. We have a special section on our website just for the parents of college-bound students.
We have a number of resources to assist 8th-11th graders as they begin the college exploration and preparation process. Please refer your younger students to the section of our website especially designed for them. We also recommend a number of other websites and books to assist in the college planning process.
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit
The University of Michigan does grant credit by exam for the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations. To find out acceptable achievement levels, please use this this link.
High School Profile
We would love to visit every high school, but it is just not possible. The High School Profile assists us with evaluating the student's transcript and accomplishments. The most current information about your high school is extremely helpful. To find helpful items listed on a high school profile, please see the document provided by Carol Lunkenheimer, Dean of Admissions at Northwestern University.
