University of Michigan supplemental essays
University of Michigan asks for two supplemental essays in 2026-27. Common App. Personal statement required (250-650 words).
That is two supplements plus the Common App personal statement: three pieces of writing in all. Early Decision closes November 1, 2026, Early Action closes November 1, 2026 and Regular Decision closes February 1, 2027. Every University of Michigan prompt is printed on this page in full, with its word limit and who has to answer it, checked against the college’s own admissions page.
Deadlines
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 1, 2026 |
| Early Action | November 1, 2026 |
| Regular Decision | February 1, 2027 |
Checked against admissions.umich.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/essay-questions. Confirm on the college’s own page before you submit.
The essays, 2026-27
Required · 100-300 words (hard cap, 100 minimum)
At the University of Michigan, we are focused on developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. In your essay, share with us how you are prepared to contribute to these goals. This could include the people, places, experiences, or aspirations that have shaped your journey and future plans.
Get a free read on this essayPaste your draft, see the verdict before you pay.No draft yet? Pick a topic for this promptRequired · 100-550 words (hard cap, 100 minimum)
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?
Get a free read on this essayPaste your draft, see the verdict before you pay.No draft yet? Pick a topic for this prompt
Your University of Michigan checklist
Two supplements, all required. The first deadline, Early Decision, is November 1, 2026.
- Common App personal statementRequired250-650 words
- Supplement 1Required100-300 words (hard cap, 100 minimum)
- Supplement 2Required100-550 words (hard cap, 100 minimum)
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Getting into University of Michigan
University of Michigan admits 15.6% of applicants. The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 1360-1530 on the SAT and 31-34 on the ACT.
About 1 in 6 applicants are admitted, at a college of 34,177 undergraduates.
| Enrolled students | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total | 1360 | 1460 | 1530 |
| SAT reading and writing | 680 | 720 | 750 |
| SAT math | 680 | 740 | 780 |
| ACT composite | 31 | 33 | 34 |
What SAT score do you need for University of Michigan?
A 1530 puts you in the top quarter of the students who enrolled, a 1460 at their midpoint, and a 1360 at the bottom quarter, meaning one in four enrolled students scored below it. The same three points on the ACT are 31, 33 and 34. A quarter of an enrolled class scoring under the 25th percentile is not a rounding error, so a score below the range is a reason to strengthen the rest of the application rather than a reason not to apply.
US Department of Education, College Scorecard (2026-09-17). Percentiles describe students who enrolled, not everyone admitted. SAT totals are the reading and math bands added together, which is how every source in this market reports them and is an approximation of about 10 to 20 points, because the two sections are correlated.
- What SAT score do you need for University of Michigan?
- University of Michigan sets no minimum. Among students who enrolled, the middle 50% scored 1360-1530 on the SAT: a 1360 sits at the 25th percentile, 1460 at the median and 1530 at the 75th. A score at or above 1530 is a clear strength in the application; below 1360 it is the part of the file the rest has to make up for. These are the figures University of Michigan reports to the US Department of Education, released in the College Scorecard of 2026-09-17.
- What ACT score do you need for University of Michigan?
- The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 31-34 on the ACT, with a composite of 33 at the median. There is no cutoff: a quarter of the enrolled class scored below 31. Reported by University of Michigan to the US Department of Education, College Scorecard release of 2026-09-17.
- What GPA do you need for University of Michigan?
- The honest answer is that the federal data behind this page does not contain one. Colleges report their admit rate and their enrolled students' test scores to the Department of Education; they do not report a GPA distribution, so any site quoting an exact average GPA for University of Michigan is either reading that college's own Common Data Set or estimating. What the reported data does say is that University of Michigan admits 15.6% of applicants, and the more selective a college is, the closer to the top of the class its admitted students sit and the more the strength of your course load counts alongside the number itself.
- How hard is it to get into University of Michigan?
- University of Michigan admits 15.6% of the people who apply, which is about 1 in 6 applicants. At that rate no set of numbers makes admission likely, a perfect one included, because the college turns away far more qualified applicants than it takes. Strong grades and scores get the application read; the essays, the recommendations and what you have actually done decide it from there.
What University of Michigan costs after grant aid, by family income, from the same federal data.
Sort your whole college list into reaches, targets and likelies, or find colleges that fit your GPA and test scores. Both are free and neither needs an account.
University of Michigan essay questions, answered
- Does University of Michigan have supplemental essays?
- Yes. University of Michigan asks for two supplemental essays in 2026-27. Every prompt is printed in full on this page.
- How many essays do you write for University of Michigan in 2026-27?
- Two supplements, plus the Common App personal statement.
Schools with similar admit rates
University of Michigan admits 15.6% of applicants. The colleges either side of it in our set by admit rate, most selective first, each with its own prompts and deadlines: Wellesley College (14.1%), Grinnell College (14.5%), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (15.3%), Wesleyan University (16.5%), University of Virginia (16.8%), Babson College (17.1%).