University Of Michigan Early Action Acceptance Rate

Last Updated on June 5, 2024 by Oluwajuwon Alvina

The University of Michigan is a prestigious institution known for its rigorous academic programs and vibrant campus community. For students looking to apply to the University of Michigan under the early action process, it is important to understand the acceptance rate trends in order to gauge their chances of admission.

With an acceptance rate of 17.7% for the Fall 2022 admissions cycle, the University of Michigan is a highly competitive school to gain acceptance to. In order to stand out as a strong candidate, students will need to have a high GPA and SAT score in order to be considered for admission.

For students aiming to apply to the University of Michigan, it is recommended to have a GPA between 3.75 and 4.00, along with an SAT score of at least 1350. These requirements are crucial in order to increase your chances of being accepted to the University of Michigan, especially given the competitive nature of the admissions process. It is important to dedicate time and effort into preparing a strong application in order to showcase your academic abilities and accomplishments to the admissions committee.






University of Michigan Acceptance Rate17.7%
Recommended GPA Requirements3.75 – 4.00
SAT Score RequirementAt least 1350

University Of Michigan Early Action

Through the University of Michigan’s Early Action program, you can apply earlier in the admissions timeline—by November 1 of your senior year in high school—and receive a decision on admission earlier on in the process. The Early Action decision will be one of three: admit; postpone for a final decision by early April; or deny.

You do not need to apply EA, but this fast-paced approach may fit your needs by providing you with a decision by late January. It’s a great option if you know that Michigan is one of your top choice schools. There are, however, a few aspects of Early Action to be aware of before you jump in, particularly:

The Chief Advantage of Early Action

Early Action provides you with a guaranteed decision date. For many students, this enables better planning.

To Apply

Applying for Early Action typically involves the same steps and materials as regular admissions. A complete application includes the following forms and information and must be postmarked by November 1:

  • The Common Application OR the Coalition Application (Note: Please submit only one. There is no advantage to submitting one over the other.).
  • The U-M Questions
  • High School Transcript (and a second transcript translated in English if you took any classes at a non-U.S. high school)
  • School Report
  • One Teacher Evaluation (core academic teacher, or other non-relative who is familiar with a student’s academic aptitude)
  • Students who wish to have an ACT/SAT score considered as a part of their application should self-report their ACT/SAT score on their application or through Enrollment Connect by Nov. 12 for Early Action consideration. Those who do not wish to have an ACT/SAT score considered as a part of their application should indicate that on the testing question within the application and self-report any other score information they wish to have considered as a part of their application, such as AP or IB exam scores.

Deadlines and Decisions

Complete application and materials — postmarked by Nov. 1
Early Action decision release — by late January
Final equal consideration deadline — Feb. 1

Note: Students who apply via Early Action but don’t meet the requirements or deadlines will be rolled into the regular decision applicant pool. All materials must then be postmarked by Feb. 1 and decisions will be released by early April.

Sending Test Scores

EA candidates have through Nov. 12 to self report test scores to qualify for EA consideration. EA applicants who are otherwise complete, but who have not self-reported an ACT/SAT score to our office by Nov. 12 will be reviewed as test flexible candidates for early action. We encourage students to send test scores to U-M immediately after taking the exam; students who submit their requests for test results after they have taken an ACT or SAT will need to ensure that scores be sent to us by the deadline. Check with ACT or SAT regarding individual policies. You may also self-report your scores on your application, but will be required to submit officials scores to validate your self-reported scores upon enrollment. 

Notification

All admissions decisions will be posted on Enrollment Connect. When your decision is ready to view, you will be sent a notification via email from [email protected] with the subject line “Your University of Michigan Application Status Has Been Updated.” The decision notification email will NOT be sent if you have already viewed your decision. Please add this email address to your safe list so that your notification does not go to your junk or spam folder. However, given variations in online security, we recommend that you check both your inbox and junk mail folders just to be sure. Notifications will be released to the email address you provided on your application. If you need to update your contact information, you can do so using the “Verify Application Answers” button on the Application menu of Enrollment Connect.

Applicants who have been admitted will also receive paper correspondence. We will send your admissions decision to the address you provided in your application; if you have provided a mailing address, we will send the decision there. If you have only included a permanent address, that is where your decision will be sent.

University Of Michigan Average GPA

Average GPA: 3.88

The average GPA at University of Michigan is 3.88. This makes University of Michigan Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.88, University of Michigan requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average. You’ll need mostly A’s, ideally with several AP or IB classes to help show your preparation at a college level.

If you’re a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.88, you’ll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you’re prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.

Admissions Rate: 22.9%

The acceptance rate at University of Michigan is 22.9%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, 23 are admitted.

This means the school is quite selective. If you have strong academic scores, you have a great shot at getting in.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is quite selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you’re able to score a 1530 SAT or above, you’ll have a very strong chance at getting in. But if you get a 1340 SAT or below, it’ll be a steep uphill battle for you to get admitted.

Average GPA: 3.88

The average GPA at University of Michigan is 3.88. This makes University of Michigan Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.88, University of Michigan requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average. You’ll need mostly A’s, ideally with several AP or IB classes to help show your preparation at a college level.

If you’re a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.88, you’ll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you’re prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.

Admissions Rate: 22.9%

The acceptance rate at University of Michigan is 22.9%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, 23 are admitted.

This means the school is quite selective. If you have strong academic scores, you have a great shot at getting in.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is quite selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you’re able to score a 1530 SAT or above, you’ll have a very strong chance at getting in. But if you get a 1340 SAT or below, it’ll be a steep uphill battle for you to get admitted.

While on the central Ann Arbor campus, students become a part of a broad, branching community dedicated to higher learning and the value of a well-rounded education. 

The sprawling campus hosts over 500 buildings, creating a genuine sense that, while on these grounds, a student is in a city all its own.

Though the university is divided into four campuses, students should not fear the travel from one class to another. 

A constant shuttle system is available to help students get from one point to another, just another sign of the consideration that the University of Michigan puts into every decision.

The student leadership team is dedicated to making sure that each and every student has the opportunity to get involved in the buzzing life of this campus. 

Through togetherness dinners, intramural sports, and more than 1,500 clubs to choose from, the University of Michigan takes pride in creating an environment that pulls students from all over the world, hoping for an opportunity for fun as well as learning.  

To learn more about how to take advantage of every route to acceptance, read on!

University of Michigan Early Action Acceptance Rate

University of Michigan
Astrophobe, Dana frontCC BY-SA 4.0

The University of Michigan does not release early action acceptance rates. 

Why, then, does this University still receive thousands of early action applications per year? 

Two critical factors are at play here: overall acceptance rate and quality of education.

Though this campus is large, the number of applications it receives per year– easily tens of thousands– means that the University of Michigan is highly selective. 

Most years, this university maintains around a twenty-five percent acceptance rate, and recent years have only seen this rate drop. 

The most current round of incoming students was among the most competitive yet, with only a twenty percent acceptance rate overall. 

The University of Michigan was ranked twenty-fifth in the nation the same year by US News and World Report, which cited its strong retention rate and student outcomes as important factors in the process. 

The Times Higher Education also lavished its praise, stating this university as one of the top twenty in the world

No matter where one might turn, there is no getting around it; this university is known for its wildly strong educational system.

In 2020, QS World University Rankings awarded the Ann Arbor branch of the University of Michigan the title of number one campus in the nation, while WalletHub went on to declare this community the best college town.

Both in education and overall student experience, the University of Michigan keeps applicants clamoring for an opportunity to join the ranks. 

In this competitive environment, every tiny advantage helps!

University of Michigan Early Action Decision Date

The University of Michigan released all early action decisions by late January, with a final early action decision deadline of February 1st

Decisions can be accessed through the online application portal, which also sends an email alert to each potential student. 

To be sure every student has ample opportunity to learn the answer they are waiting for, the university sends a third notification in the form of a written letter.

Upon decision day, students receive one of three answers: acceptance, rejection, or waitlisting. 

It’s natural to feel anxiety in the weeks between submitting an application and waiting for a response, especially considering most applicants selecting the early action option have openly chosen the University of Michigan as their ideal pick. 

In the waiting period, it can be helpful to stay hopeful by looking at all they stand to gain from acceptance.

The University of Michigan has been home to some of the brightest minds in American history. Fields medalists, Nobel prize winners, and Macarthur fellows alike have all graced the magnificent halls, establishing this as a campus that nurtures young minds to their fullest potential.

In the world of the arts, alumni of this university have stunned on the stage and screen alike, with such graduates as Glee’s Darren Criss and Broadway star Gavin Creel. 

Before becoming a presidential hopeful, Ben Carson received his education at none other than the University of Michigan. 

Two-time winner of the National Book Award Jesmyn Ward advanced her education at the University of Michigan, where she learned to shape the influences of her personal history into impactful fiction. 

From one corner of success to the other, every notable alumnus started out the same way: as an anxious applicant waiting for their response.

University of Michigan Early Action Deadline

University of Michigan Campus
Natecation, University of Michigan North CampusCC BY-SA 4.0

In order to qualify for early action, applicants should have all materials submitted by November 1st

The acceptance team personally pours over each and every application to ensure that it can continue to maintain the high standards this university has set, not only academically, but through character.

Since its founding, the University of Michigan has maintained a dedication to progress and diversity. 

In 1871, it joined the ranks of coeducational colleges in America when it opened its doors to women as well as men. 

By doing so, it set forth a new value that the university proudly holds to this day.

Of all Fall 2021 undergraduate students, a full fourteen percent of students are the first in their immediate families to attend college, while nineteen percent are Pell Grant recipients.

The university does everything it can to encourage students of all backgrounds and minorities, including the LGBTQ+ population. 

As of this year, seventeen percent of students on campus identify as members of this community, and the university is proud to support them from their first day to their last, creating a ninety-three percent graduation rate. 

As part of this continued mission to support these and other often-targeted groups, the University of Michigan proudly supports outreach missions, allowing students the opportunity to put their education to the test with valuable real-world experience. 

Through the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, students have the chance to work with underserved communities in the fight for affordable housing in Brazil. 

Across the globe, the University of Michigan’s students advances their own skills while shaping the world around them!

University of Michigan Early Action Deferral Rate

The University of Michigan does not share early action deferral rates, but according to rates released by other top-tier universities, the odds are high. 

The average overall early action deferral rate falls anywhere between thirty to fifty percent of applications, and for competitive schools such as this, it may be even closer to eighty percent!

Once being deferred– or “postponed,” as the University of Michigan classifies it– an application has around a ten to fifteen percent chance of being accepted. 

However, any student receiving a deferral letter should not automatically give up hope. 

There is still much they can do to actively take advantage of this process to show their own dedication to joining this renowned university.

After postponing a decision on any application, the University of Michigan allows students to complete an Expression of Continued Interest form. 

This form simply reiterates the applicant’s dedication to joining the ranks of this university and allows them to update any grade information that may have changed. 

Though optional, this step is highly recommended as a way to update the staff on the progress of an applicant’s senior year, as the early action process often cuts off their grades in their moments of highest focus. 

Students who take this route should complete the form by no later than February 20th. 

After completing this form, applicants can expect to hear their final result by early April, along with all regular applicants. 

How to Apply to the University of Michigan for Early Action

To apply to the University of Michigan for early action, an applicant must complete all the regular steps of the application process by the early deadline.

This process starts with the common application, which can be completed either on paper or online. 

Next, students should move on to answering the University of Michigan questions, a vital step in showing that the applicant’s values fit those of the university.

This application requires students to submit their current and past high school grades and a school report.

Because the University of Michigan cares as much about character as it does about grades, the application process requires that potential students submit at least one letter of recommendation from the non-relative teacher of their choice. 

Applicants should choose this teacher with care, ensuring that the teacher has the chance to see the applicant in an academically rigorous course.  

Though not required, it is highly recommended that applicants submit copies of their SAT and ACT scores as well. 

To give applicants as much time as possible in completing this step, the University of Michigan provides an additional week to have final scores in, with an overall deadline of November 15th. 

Though the University of Michigan is highly selective, this should not dissuade applicants from attempting to join the fun of life on campus.  

With a bit of research, a stellar application, and a respectful knowledge of the university values, early action can be a fantastic way for applicants to find the fast answers they need to make the best decisions moving forward.

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