2016-2017 University of Michigan Application Thread

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Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words).

Are you guys answering this question by talking about your hobbies or are you taking a different approach like "I am passionate about helping people or making a difference, etc"?

Seems to me like the second question about diversity is more fit to talk about your hobbies.
 
Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words).

Are you guys answering this question by talking about your hobbies or are you taking a different approach like "I am passionate about helping people or making a difference, etc"?

Seems to me like the second question about diversity is more fit to talk about your hobbies.

I just talked about how much I love playing and listening to music.
 
Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words).

Are you guys answering this question by talking about your hobbies or are you taking a different approach like "I am passionate about helping people or making a difference, etc"?

Seems to me like the second question about diversity is more fit to talk about your hobbies.
2nd question I'd think maybe hobbies, unusual life experiences, talents, etc
 
I have strong ties to Michigan, essentially my whole family lives there and I grew up there (until I was 13), do you guys have any tips for how to incorporate that into my secondary? I'm thinking possibly in what makes me unique to the class?
 
I have strong ties to Michigan, essentially my whole family lives there and I grew up there (until I was 13), do you guys have any tips for how to incorporate that into my secondary? I'm thinking possibly in what makes me unique to the class?
University of Michigan is half Michigan residents. Having ties to Michigan is not unique lol. However, there is the "any optional info" area of the app that this seems 100% appropriate for.
 
Question, once we submit there's an area that allows for files to be uploaded. What's this for? I'm guessing update letters and such? Or are they expecting resumes/CV's to be uploaded?
 
Question, once we submit there's an area that allows for files to be uploaded. What's this for? I'm guessing update letters and such? Or are they expecting resumes/CV's to be uploaded?
I imagine update letters. Your application is your CV lol
 
WELP! Just submitted the secondary! And now the wait begins.... 😀 Good luck everyone!!
 
My email filtered the secondary as junk. :sour: Starting essays now!
 
Is anyone writing anything for the optional is there anything else you would like us to know? Like maybe why mich or something? I was thinking about briefly talking about my second major in economics to show academic diversity.
 
Anyone else see they changed the acceptance notification dates this year? It's usually October 15th, but now it says the 20th of each month, starting in october.....
 
For the leadership essay, would it be a negative to basically reuse one of my meaningful experiences from my primary? I essentially wrote it exactly to this theme, but just wondering if that would seem to be overkill. Thanks
 
For the leadership essay, would it be a negative to basically reuse one of my meaningful experiences from my primary? I essentially wrote it exactly to this theme, but just wondering if that would seem to be overkill. Thanks

You could just write one line pointing to your AMCAS entry. Or you could copy and paste, but add that this was pet if your AMCAS. Or you could point to your AMCAS entry and add more details. Or you could point to your AMCAS entry as most significant leadership experience and then mention a relatively minor leadership experience in this space. I have no idea how schools would look at any of these options.


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Hey everyone! Reapplicant here, and I am excited to apply to Michigan! Got accepted in a Master's program here, but elected not to go. Love the school! Anyway, I am curious on if anyone who has finished the secondary put anything down for the "any other information you would like to provide." What are they looking for here? Just curious. Thanks!
 
Hey everyone! Reapplicant here, and I am excited to apply to Michigan! Got accepted in a Master's program here, but elected not to go. Love the school! Anyway, I am curious on if anyone who has finished the secondary put anything down for the "any other information you would like to provide." What are they looking for here? Just curious. Thanks!

You could always use it to provide more information about yourself that you would have liked to on the personal statement but were unable to because of space limitations. You could also potentially use it for significant updates, but given that less than a month has passed since AMCAS opened for submission, I don't know if most people would have those. I am personally thinking of using it for the former.


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I'm trying to decide what I will write my passion essay about. I'm deciding between my love of baseball or writing about my passion to attend Michigan. I already wrote about baseball in my leadership essay, but it is really what I am most passionate about. However, I am also very passionate about attending Michigan, as my father did, my entire family is from the area, and I have always wanted to go there since I was a kid. What do you all think? Thanks
 
I'm trying to decide what I will write my passion essay about. I'm deciding between my love of baseball or writing about my passion to attend Michigan. I already wrote about baseball in my leadership essay, but it is really what I am most passionate about. However, I am also very passionate about attending Michigan, as my father did, my entire family is from the area, and I have always wanted to go there since I was a kid. What do you all think? Thanks
I wouldn't do the passion to attend one. Maybe save that for an additional info prompt or something. Might just be me, but I feel like using it for the passion essay would come off as tacky, like a brownnoser. Trying too hard.
 
are you guys writing the first question answer as something medicine or social issue related? i have mine written about the preservation of public wilderness land because it's something I've been passionate about for years but it has little to do with being a doctor...
 
Did anyone else get a secondary complete email last night? I never actually hit 'submit' (only 'save') and received a complete email. Freaking out right now because I wanted to redo my leadership essay. I can still edit the application for what it's worth.
 
Did anyone else get a secondary complete email last night? I never actually hit 'submit' (only 'save') and received a complete email. Freaking out right now because I wanted to redo my leadership essay. I can still edit the application for what it's worth.
I got one Friday night, but I actually hit submit.
 
Did anyone else get a secondary complete email last night? I never actually hit 'submit' (only 'save') and received a complete email. Freaking out right now because I wanted to redo my leadership essay. I can still edit the application for what it's worth.
Yes..... I got one too. Was planning on calling today.
 
Rushed the turn around on my secondary and now I wish I could redo my second essay...Hoping to still get an II :xf:. This is truly my dream school!
 
Hey everyone!

So I'm an IS applicant, and my undergraduate college runs on a quarter system. Because of this, my committee letter won't be complete and submitted until mid July-Aug. My primary application will be verified in the next couple of days so I'm really stressed about not being able to fully submit my app within 3-7 days due of the committee letter. I have pre-written a lot of prompts, so it's frustrating I can't control the timeline.

What do you all think about this? Am I at a disadvantage?
 
Hey everyone!

So I'm an IS applicant, and my undergraduate college runs on a quarter system. Because of this, my committee letter won't be complete and submitted until mid July-Aug. My primary application will be verified in the next couple of days so I'm really stressed about not being able to fully submit my app within 3-7 days due of the committee letter. I have pre-written a lot of prompts, so it's frustrating I can't control the timeline.

What do you all think about this? Am I at a disadvantage?
Just bit of a disadvantage as U of M is rolling admissions, but out of your control. Pre-write your prompts and do the best you can to submit ASAP after committee letter is rec'd. Good luck.
 
Hey everyone!

So I'm an IS applicant, and my undergraduate college runs on a quarter system. Because of this, my committee letter won't be complete and submitted until mid July-Aug. My primary application will be verified in the next couple of days so I'm really stressed about not being able to fully submit my app within 3-7 days due of the committee letter. I have pre-written a lot of prompts, so it's frustrating I can't control the timeline.

What do you all think about this? Am I at a disadvantage?

My understanding is that you can fill out an submit the secondary with the LORs pending. Once the school receives the LOR from AMCAS your file will be marked complete and ready for review.


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For people that have submitted, did y'all write about why you want to go to Michigan in the other information section?
 
I haven't actually sent my letters in yet, since the last one won't be done until the end of July, but my status message still says my file is complete and under review. I know that at least two years ago, people received interview invites before their letters were in - crossing my fingers that Michigan is doing this again!
 
Secondary received 5 minutes after verification! LM >80
 
When do interview invites start rolling in?
 
Complete! I really like this school, I hope they like me back 🙂
 
Do you think it would be OK to talk about being the captain of a U18 boys soccer team for the leadership one? I've written about some of my more impressive leadership experiences elsewhere.
 
Would it be better to write about soccer or research for the passion essay?
 
It'd be better to write about whichever you're most passionate about. Which one would you rather do if you had to pick? If you weren't applying to med school, and weren't trying to look good for adcoms?
 
It'd be better to write about whichever you're most passionate about. Which one would you rather do if you had to pick? If you weren't applying to med school, and weren't trying to look good for adcoms?
I would probably choose soccer, I genuinely like both! But I've been passionate about soccer for 15 years. But it's hard to not think in the mindset of what looks good to adcoms.

I wrote about music. Doesn't have to be medical. They know we probably like medicine. Unless you're really really passionate about research, in which case do that and make sure your enthusiasm comes through!
Yeah I already wrote both essays because I was so indecisive! It's hard to say but I am more passionate about soccer.
 
I would probably choose soccer, I genuinely like both! But I've been passionate about soccer for 15 years. But it's hard to not think in the mindset of what looks good to adcoms.


Yeah I already wrote both essays because I was so indecisive! It's hard to say but I am more passionate about soccer.
Go with soccer then. They can tell if you're just bull**** trying to impress. They want to see that you're a well rounded person and not just some drone being what you think they want to see.
 
Has there been any indication as to when IIs may go out this year?
 
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According to this calculation (pulled info from past SDN threads, add avg days b/w 1st secondary and 1st II in 2014 and 2015 to the 2016 1st secondary date), there's a bit more time to wait. The "predicted" first II is this Saturday, so I'd expect it early next week. However, this method is highly unscientific: mostly my way of procrastinating on actually writing the secondaries. I was already off on Pritzker :shrug:
 
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According to this calculation (pulled info from past SDN threads, add avg days b/w 1st secondary and 1st II in 2014 and 2015 to the 2016 1st secondary date), there's a bit more time to wait. The "predicted" first II is this Saturday, so I'd expect it early next week. However, this method is highly unscientific: mostly my way of procrastinating on actually writing the secondaries. I was already off on Pritzker :shrug:
So for Loyola and Northwestern, I should expect my II sometime in 1900? Let me go check my mail, it should be somewhere there.
 
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