The University of Michigan is known for its long history as a research institution. A highly ranked public university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the University of Michigan has produced many impressive alumni. These alums range from Michael Phelps to Larry Page to James Earl Jones. But with an 18% acceptance rate and a 1470 average SAT score, the University of Michigan is one of the most competitive public universities in the US. In this blog post, we’ll go over the ins and outs of the University of Michigan supplemental essays. After reading this article, you’ll able to put forward a stronger essay.
The University of Michigan evaluates applications contextually and holistically, seeking students who possess drive, empathy, initiative, and curiosity. Showcasing your unique qualities in a supplemental essay is easier said than done, though. Let’s dive right in.
University of Michigan’s 2025-2026 Prompts
- 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. (Required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 300 word maximum.)
- 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? (Required for all applicants; 100-550 words)
General Tips
When composing your University of Michigan supplemental essays, you may feel compelled to reuse certain essay drafts for different schools’ essay prompts. If the prompts and word counts are similar, this can work. However, you need to be extremely careful that you are not just reusing the essay, but repurposing it. Unless two universities have identical prompts (and that prompt is not about the university itself), then significant modification to the original essay will be necessary.
For example, the University of Michigan’s first supplemental essay prompt asks you to describe a community you belong to. There are plenty of other colleges (Duke and Yale, for instance) that post supplemental essay questions about community. Those prompts, though, may be focused on different aspects of the concept of community. As you get started in your college admissions process, it can be helpful to note when schools on your list ask similar questions.
When repurposing an essay, perhaps place your old essay next to the document where you’re composing the new essay. Focus on the prompt’s wording, and use the old essay for inspiration. This can be a stronger strategy than copying and editing the old essay. Instead, this strategy should help you focus the new essay on the specific questions asked by the prompt at hand.
University of Michigan Supplemental Essay Questions
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. (100-300 words)
This essay prompt is fundamentally about proving your readiness to make a meaningful impact at Michigan and beyond. The admissions committee wants to see concrete evidence of your potential impact based on your past experiences and future aspirations, making this fundamentally different from a typical “Why this school?” essay.
The prompt has two essential components that you must address: first, how you’re specifically prepared to contribute to developing leaders and citizens, and second, the formative elements—people, places, experiences, or aspirations—that have shaped this preparation. When approaching your response, start by identifying your contribution angle through questions like: What specific leadership qualities or civic-minded values do you have? How do you “challenge the present” in your current environment and context? What does “enriching the future” mean to you, and how do you embody this? Then, select 2-3 significant influences that have prepared you for contribution, such as a person who modeled leadership or citizenship, a place that shaped your perspective, an experience that helped develop your abilities, or an aspiration that drives your commitment to positive change.
The strongest essays will show a clear trajectory from your formative experiences to your future potential at Michigan and beyond. But remember to avoid redundancy with other parts of your application—if your Common App essay focuses heavily on leadership, consider highlighting your citizenship qualities or collaborative abilities instead of repeating this information. Also, use specific examples and anecdotes rather than abstract statements about wanting to “make a difference,” and be forward-looking by connecting past experiences to concrete ways you’ll contribute to Michigan’s campus and mission. You might structure your essay by opening with a formative experience and analyzing what it taught you about leadership or citizenship before connecting to how you’ll apply these lessons at Michigan. Alternatively, you could begin with your vision for the future, trace how specific influences shaped this vision, and demonstrate readiness to pursue it at Michigan.
Some common mistakes for this essay include being too vague about your specific contributions, focusing only on what you want to gain from Michigan rather than what you’ll give, listing accomplishments without connecting them to future potential, and using clichéd language about “changing the world.” Since the essay is 300 words max, every sentence must serve a purpose, so be concise but compelling. Choose experiences and aspirations that genuinely reflect who you are, not what you think admissions wants to hear, and research Michigan’s values, programs, and community to show genuine alignment with their mission!
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? (100-550 words)
In this essay prompt, you are expected to describe why the University of Michigan is a great academic fit for you. Let’s break it down.
The admissions committee asks you to share the following three pieces of information:
- “unique qualities” that lead you to want to be a student at
- a “specific undergraduate College or School”
- so that you can further develop/support “your interests.”
In other words, you need to say why (specifically) you would like to study at the University of Michigan; where (specifically) you would like to study; and what interests you would like to support through these studies.
You can take your University of Michigan supplemental essays in a few different directions. For instance, in this essay, you can focus on a specific program or course in the College or School you’re applying to that you would like to get involved in while at the University of Michigan. Then, describe how that program or course would bring you closer to achieving your career goals. Alternatively, you could focus on the unique career outcomes of students in your prospective major. You could go on to explain how your dreams align with those outcomes. To take things in a third direction, you could start with describing your academic interests. Then, explain how your department of interest might support those academic interests.
You may have noticed a common theme in this breakdown so far: specificity. Half the battle with this particular essay is doing thorough and thoughtful research into the programs at the University of Michigan that interest you. Given that the University of Michigan considers applicants’ demonstrated interest, according to the Common Data Set, this essay is a great opportunity for you to demonstrate your interest in the University of Michigan.
Taking the time to understand the opportunities available to you at a school doesn’t just help you write your essays. It also helps show the admissions officers how you will fit into their school. Perhaps your fit is not obvious or your interests are an atypical blend of disciplines. Alternatively, maybe you’re worried that your academic interests won’t stand out from the crowd. Whatever the reason, doing your research and being specific in your supplemental essay will go a long way toward emphasizing to the admissions committee how well you’ll fit in at their school.
If you need help polishing up your University of Michigan supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
