University of Michigan - GPA and Test Scores for Admission

By Allen Grove, About.com Guide

With an acceptance rate around 50%, the University of Michigan is one of the country's more selective public universities. In the graph above, green and blue represent accepted students. As you can see, the majority of accepted students had a GPA of B+ or higher, an SAT score (CR+M+W) above 1700, and an ACT composite score of 24 or higher. Your chance of getting accepted goes up significantly as those numbers go up. Realize, however, that high test scores and an "A" average don't guarantee an acceptance letter. Hidden beneath the blue and green on the graph is a bit of red -- some students who can boast of excellent numerical measures still get rejected from the University of Michigan.

On the other hand, a number of students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. The University of Michigan has holistic admissions, so the admissions officers are considering qualitative as well as quantitative information. Students who show some kind of interesting talent or have a compelling story to tell will often get a close look even if grades and test scores aren't quite up to the ideal. A winning essay, strong letters of recommendation, and interesting extracurricular activities all contribute to a successful application.

To learn more about the University of Michigan, high school GPAs, SAT scores and ACT scores, these articles can help:

• University of Michigan Admissions Profile
• What's a Good SAT Score?
• What's a Good ACT Score?
• What's Considered a Good Academic Record?
• What is a Weighted GPA?
• Articles Featuring the University of Michigan:
  • Top Public Universities
  • Top Midwest Colleges
  • Top Michigan Colleges
  • Top Engineering Schools
  • Top Business Schools
  • Big Ten Conference
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Association of American Universities