University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor admits approximately 17.9% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 6 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places the university among highly selective institutions nationally, falling within the Highly Selective tier for admission rates between 10-25%. The peer median admission rate of 78.1% highlights the stark difference between University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor's selectivity and typical four-year institutions, with the university admitting 60.2 percentage points fewer applicants than its peer median. Even among competitive public research universities, University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor's acceptance rate represents significant selectivity that creates uncertainty even for highly qualified applicants. The institution's selectivity reflects both its academic reputation and capacity constraints relative to application volume. Students considering University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor should recognize that strong academic credentials alone do not guarantee admission at this level of selectivity. Most successful applicants will need backup options, as the majority of qualified candidates will not receive offers due to space limitations rather than academic deficiencies. This level of selectivity requires strategic college list building that includes institutions with higher acceptance rates but comparable academic quality and post-graduation outcomes.
A directional estimate — not a prediction
Admitted students at University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor typically score between 1350-1530 on the SAT, with the middle 50% falling within this range and a median of 1473. SAT Math scores range from 680-780, while SAT Verbal scores span 670-750, indicating strong performance across both quantitative and verbal reasoning. The institution also accepts ACT scores, with the middle 50% of admitted students scoring between 31-34. These test score ranges represent performance levels achieved by top students nationally, with SAT scores ranking at the 99.0th percentile compared to all test-takers. The peer median SAT score of 1198 demonstrates that University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor admits students scoring 275 points higher than typical at comparable institutions. Students scoring below 1350 on the SAT should expect to be at a competitive disadvantage in the admissions process but are not automatically excluded, as 25% of enrolled students score below this threshold. Conversely, students scoring within the 1350-1530 range are academically competitive for admission, though test scores represent just one component of the holistic review process. Applicants should consider whether their academic profile aligns with these ranges when building their college list and developing realistic admission expectations.
Understanding institutional priorities and student support
University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor enrolls 17.6% Pell-eligible students and 20.6% first-generation students, indicating meaningful enrollment of students from diverse economic and educational backgrounds despite selective admissions. The Pell share, while lower than at many public institutions, demonstrates the university does admit students from lower-income families who qualify for federal need-based aid. First-generation students, representing more than one-fifth of the student body, indicate that the university successfully enrolls students whose parents did not complete four-year degrees. Transfer students comprise 16.4% of enrollment, suggesting meaningful pathways for students beginning at community colleges or other institutions. The combination of high selectivity with meaningful socioeconomic diversity reflects institutional priorities that balance academic achievement with access considerations. Students from lower-income families should note the 17.6% Pell share when assessing whether they would find community among peers with similar backgrounds. First-generation students can expect to find substantial representation, with more than 1 in 5 enrolled students sharing their educational background. The transfer share indicates opportunities for students who begin their college careers elsewhere, though transfer admission likely remains competitive given overall institutional selectivity.
Given University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor's 17.9% acceptance rate, most applicants—even those with strong academic credentials—will need backup options. The schools below offer comparable career outcomes with different admission profiles.
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University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor demonstrates exceptional retention and completion outcomes across student populations. 97.6% of freshmen return for sophomore year, significantly exceeding the peer median retention rate of 83.7% by 13.9 percentage points. The six-year graduation rate reaches 93.2%, also substantially above the peer median completion rate of 65.9%, indicating strong institutional support for degree completion. Pell-eligible students graduate at 86.8%, creating a 6.4 percentage point gap compared to overall completion rates. While this gap indicates some additional challenges for lower-income students, the absolute completion rate remains strong and the gap is moderate compared to national patterns. The retention and completion data suggest that students who gain admission can expect robust institutional support for academic success and degree completion. Lower-income students should weigh the 6.4 percentage point Pell completion gap when considering this institution, recognizing that while outcomes remain strong, some additional challenges may exist. Prospective students should view these retention and completion rates as indicators of the academic environment and support systems they would experience, with very high likelihood of retention and graduation for admitted students across demographic groups.
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