The University of Michigan is ranked as the 15th top university in the nation, tying with Cornell with its prestige, dedication to research, student retention, and graduation rate. And when a Midwestern school ties with an Ivy League school known for its selectivity and academic rigor, you know the University of Michigan is doing something right. So what is the University of Michigan acceptance rate? And how do you know if you meet their standards?

What is the University of Michigan Acceptance Rate?

The University of Michigan acceptance rate is 28.6% for its 2016 incoming freshman class. It’s a competitive school and when you take a closer look at its latest pool of accepted students, you can see just how competitive things get:

•    55, 504 applications were submitted to the University of Michigan
•    15, 871 of those applications were accepted
•    Average GPA is 3.87
•    The ACT mid-range is 30 to 34. Broken down by subject, the mid-ranges are
•    English: 31 to 35
•    Math: 28 to 34
•    Science: 28 to 34
•    English/Writing: 24 to 29
•    Reading: 30 to 34
•    The old SAT mid-range is 2050 to 2330 on the 2400 scale. The mid-range by subject is
•    Writing/Critical Reading: 1350 to 1530
•    Math: 700 to 800
•    The new SAT mid-range is 1440 to 1570 on the 1600 scale. The mid-range by subject is
•    Writing/Evidenced-based Reading: 710 to 780
•    Math: 730 to 800

Based on the anticipated 2016-2017 enrollment for all undergraduate students, the University of Michigan acceptance rate looks something like this:

•    A little over 16,000 of its students come from the state of Michigan
•    The next largest group of students are international students; close to 2,000 students
•    New York comes in third, with just a little over 1,600 students originating from there.
•    Men and women make up roughly equal parts of the University of Michigan student population. 14,551 students identify as men and 14,432 identify as women.
•    65% of the student body identifies as white/caucasian
•    15% of the students identify as Asian-American, 6% are Hispanic/Latino, 5% are Black/African-American, 9% reported as other, and 1% are Native American.

Now that you have an idea of what kind of student makes up the University of Michigan acceptance rate, you can determine if you currently have the academic standing to likely be admitted. If you don’t, now is a good time to figure out where you need to improve so you can increase your likelihood of being admitted.

Increase Your Chances of Getting into University of Michigan

The college application process can be very scary and is increasingly competitive. To be taken seriously as a candidate, you have to be the best of the best and a college consultant will help you get and stay on the path of success. They will coach you through some of the steps below and find other personalized ways to improve your chances of being accepted into the college of your dreams. Here are two ways to improve your chances of being part of the University of Michigan acceptance rate.

Pick Your Classes Carefully

One of the top things the University of Michigan considers when you submit your application is what classes were available to you and what classes you took. A rigorous course schedule full of A.P. and I.B. classes where you’ve earned A’s and B’s is one of the best ways to impress the admissions committee. This tells those going over your application that you take your education seriously, are successful when taking challenging classes, and you’re ready for college.

Another perk is that high schools often give a GPA boost to students who take A.P. and I.B. classes. With 77% of admitted students having a GPA of 3.75 and above, that extra boost will help you meet and exceed that mark. Remember, the rigor of your course load matters just as much as your GPA. So if you’ve earned a 4.0 taking all easy classes when your school offers more challenging ones, the University of Michigan’s admissions committee won’t be as impressed. So challenge yourself, do well, and ask for help if you get stuck.

Be a Standardized Test Champ

Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are used to measure your college readiness. They test you on what you know, your ability to problem solve, to think critically, and to perform well under pressure. The importance of earning top scores on whichever of these tests you take increases with each year. That’s because college admissions is becoming increasingly competitive each year. To make sure you do well on the ACT or the SAT, you should do the following:

•    Hire a tutor. Athletes and teachers don’t trust their training to their friends, why should you treat a test that helps determine your future any differently? Find someone who has taken the test, brought home a top score, and work with them.
•    Take the Pre-ACT or the PSAT. If you’re not sure which test you’re going to take, take both. These scores are not officially counted and are a great way to identify which test you perform better on.
•    Practice. A lot. Take practice tests you find online and/or in books. Take a look at the averages for each test section and use them as your minimum target. Focus on the sections you’re really struggling in and refresh yourself periodically on the ones you excel in.

It’s also a good idea to study the tests themselves to learn what the test takers are looking for when they ask questions. Not all questions are straightforward and developing a strategy with your tutor on how to answer the test questions, you can improve your score and decrease your stress while taking them.

At almost 29%, the University of Michigan acceptance rate definitely is one of the more competitive schools the country. Having produced alumni like Gerald Ford, Lucy Liu, Clarence Darrow, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, you will be in good company if you’re accepted. By picking your classes carefully and becoming a standardized test champ, you can increase your chances of being accepted and going to the University of Michigan.

Are you considering the University of Michigan? What are your thoughts about their rigorous requirements? We would love to hear from you.