Blog

As a sophomore at the University of Michigan, I may be two years removed from the college admissions process, but that stomach-drop feeling from seeing a postponement at the top of my application portals is burned into memory. Receiving postponement from any college or university is frustrating and disappointing, and it can feel like the end of the road for your chances of attending the school. However, having undergone the entirety of the college admissions process – acceptances, rejections, waitlists, postponements, and all else – I want to assure you that postponement is SO far from rejection. If your Early Action application to the University of Michigan has been postponed, you’ve come to the right place. Speaking from both personal experience and general best practice, I’ve put together some of the most important next steps that you can take to improve your chances of turning that postponement on your portal into a “Welcome to the University of Michigan!”

Step 1: Stay Active.

I can’t stress enough that a postponement puts your college application in a very different position than a rejection or a waitlist. A postponement only means that the university is postponing making a decision on your application at this time, and your application will be moved into the regular decision pool for consideration, providing additional time to review your credentials and determine how your strengths and academic achievements would fit with this year’s first-year applicant pool. With that being said, these next few months are going to be crucial for you to remain hard-working as a student and involved in your extracurriculars. These additional months give you the opportunity to further bolster your profile with strong grades and AP scores, meaningful involvement and leadership positions in your extracurriculars, and opportunities to learn more about the university and express specified interest. Do not passively wait for that later decision – maintain your academics and stay involved in the activities that you enjoy!

Step 2: Stay in Touch.

Building up your academics and profile as an applicant in these coming months is useless if no one hears about it! As a postponed applicant, the next most important step you can take is to stay in strong contact with the university. Additionally, you could request to speak with a department advisor to learn more about the major or program you are interested in. The conversation will likely be insightful, reassuring, and very helpful. You can also fill out the Expression of Continued Interest form for the University of Michigan. This form is an excellent opportunity to provide an update on your grades, any notable changes or awards in extracurriculars, your conversations with any U-M department advisors, and most importantly, your clearly expressed interest in the University of Michigan.

Step 3: Stay Positive.

While you await further information from U-M, get to know all of your other options! The college admissions process is, to an extent, somewhat unpredictable. Postponements and rejections can feel so personal – I know I took each one to heart. But a wonderful college education and experience is possible at any university, so after demonstrating your interest and following up with U-M Admissions, it is helpful to get to know your other options as well. In all honesty, my biggest advice would be to stay excited about the entirety of the college process. These months can be hard as you grapple with unexpected acceptances and rejections, and wait uncomfortably through postponements and waitlists. But the college experience that awaits you – whether you choose U-M or another university – is incredible and so exciting. I encourage you to hold that thought in the back of your mind as you go through the admissions process. Stay open-minded and picture yourself in a number of different schools and environments. I did not think I would end up at Michigan – I expected to go to another university entirely. Now that I’m here, I can’t picture myself anywhere else. I want to remind you that in a year from now, you will look back at this time and laugh at how concerned you may have felt – it truly does all work out. Everyone ends up exactly where they are meant to go!