University of Michigan

Enrolled first-year students at Michigan average about a 3.90 high school GPA. There is no hard cutoff, but the rigor of your high school record and your GPA are both rated very important factors, evaluated in the context of the courses your school offers.

Michigan admitted about 15.6% of applicants in the most recent cycle, drawing more than 126,000 applications and enrolling roughly 7,500 first-year students.

Michigan keeps a large share of its class for Michigan residents — about 45% of enrolled first-years come from out of state, so the majority are in-state. The university publishes a single overall admit rate of roughly 15.6% rather than separate resident and non-resident figures, but with non-residents making up most applications and a minority of the enrolled class, out-of-state admission is more competitive. Geographic and state residency are listed as considered factors in Michigan's holistic review.

Yes. Michigan requires standardized test scores from applicants — it is not test-optional. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1360–1530 on the SAT and 31–34 on the ACT, with median scores around 1450 and 33.

A 1500 is competitive. It lands in the upper half of enrolled students, just below the 75th-percentile mark of 1530, and above the median of 1450. The middle 50% scored 1360–1530 on the SAT (31–34 ACT). Test scores themselves are only a considered factor, while GPA, course rigor, essays, and activities carry more weight.

Annual tuition and required fees run about $18,346 for Michigan residents and $63,962 for out-of-state students. On-campus food and housing add roughly $16,246. About 39% of first-years receive financial aid, the average aid package is about $35,086, and the university meets an average of 91% of demonstrated need.

Computer science is the single most popular major at about 25% of students, followed closely by engineering at 23% and business at 20%. The sciences and liberal arts each account for around 10%, with the remainder spread across other programs.

Yes. Michigan rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review — on the same tier as GPA, course rigor, and extracurricular activities, and weighted more heavily than standardized test scores, which are only considered. With an admit rate near 15.6%, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways a strong applicant stands out.

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