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How To Answer UMich's Supplemental Essays 2024/2025
04/12/2024•19 minute read
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UMich's Prompts
How to Answer UMich's Essays
Prompt 1 Essay Examples
Prompt 2 Essay Examples
Wondering how to answer University of Michigan’s supplemental essays? In this blog, I’ll go over the do’s and don’ts when writing the supplemental essay for Michigan. I’ll review example essays from students who got in to determine the best practices and mistakes to avoid, providing clear, concrete examples for all my tips and suggestions.
Remember, any admissions officer will tell you that they don’t have a lot of time to spend on each essay they read. This means you have very little time to leave an impression. Your writing has to be clear and concise, but responding thoroughly to the prompt is also paramount.
While working as an admissions officer at the University of Michigan, I found that a large percentage of students didn’t answer all of the components of the supplemental essay prompts. Those who did write a compelling and thorough response stood out from the other candidates.
The best way to write a stand-out essay is to learn from the best — then do better! So let's review the supplemental essays of four students who were admitted. These are already solid essays, but to make sure you’re writing the perfect one, let's go through each one together and provide tips to help you to write a polished, stand-out essay.
University of Michigan's Supplemental Essays in 2024/2025
Michigan is a pretty competitive university. For the Class of 2027, only about 18% of applicants got accepted. Every aspect of your application needs to be excellent - including the essays.
Besides the Common App and Coalition App essays, Michigan asks you to answer the two additional prompts below. These prompts are still the same as last year's and haven't been changed.
UMich's Essay Prompts
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Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words/maximum 300 words)
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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; minimum 100 words /maximum 550 words)
Let’s get right to business: how should you answer each Michigan prompt, and what mistakes should you avoid?
How To Answer University of Michigan’s Supplemental Essays
As I’ve mentioned earlier, what I’ll do here is go through 4 essays of students who got accepted.
I’m going to highlight what they did well — and more importantly, what could have been done differently. That way, you’re looking at the best ones, and then taking it a step further to write an amazing essay!
Prompt 1 Essay Examples
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words/maximum 300 words)
Example Essay 1
Raised in a home where religion was a gray area—my dad being Jewish/atheist and my mom purely atheist—I was never encouraged to adopt a specific faith. My curiosity was often dismissed, leaving me without a spiritual compass.
So, it felt surreal to find myself at a Korean church retreat, far from home. The Korean setting was a surprising cultural twist. Even as the only non-Korean attendee, I felt welcomed rather than alienated. But it was in the chapel where I finally faced my spiritual ambivalence head-on. Despite not sharing their religious convictions, I found myself moved by the community’s genuine warmth and the sanctuary it provided from my usual crowded, busy, and tech-driven life.
After coming back home, I decided to dive into the religious communities around me. Wanting to learn more about my heritage in Judaism, I also started to go to the temple. Now, I am currently an avid member of both circles, and I frequently play music for the church.
While I might question the textual inconsistencies, I could not argue the striking kindness and inclusivity their faith inspired. This experience broadened my view on spirituality and the positive communal roles that religion can play. As a UMichigan student, I would bring my unique perspective, having navigated both secular and spiritual landscapes, enriching the campus dialogue on faith, ethics, and cultural diversity.
What They Did Well:
1. Memorable Topic
The reason Michigan gives so many examples in the prompt is to give students a range of ideas as to what they might consider a community.
Community itself usually means the people you’re around or the people you live with, but community can actually mean any group of people with whom you share an interest.
So even though they give all of these examples, it is unusual for a student to write about something that’s not in the prompt. The prompt says “among other things” - It doesn’t say “choose one of the communities listed.” Remember that unique topics are always interesting to admissions officers.
Though this student chose one of the topics listed (religion), they approached it in an unconventional way. The way they described their upbringing caught my attention. It was interesting that this person didn’t have a religious background, yet went to a Korean church, even though they weren’t Korean.
The way the student approached the topic was unique and this was something that literally only this student could have written about.
2. Authentic Voice
I can hear the student’s authentic voice through their sentence structure and choice of words When the student says “I found myself moved by the community’s genuine warmth and the sanctuary it provided from my usual crowded, busy, and tech-driven life.” I got a sense of how they actually felt in the community.
Strive to show your true authentic self within the context of your essay - it always leaves an impression.
What Could Have Been Done Differently:
1. Translate Better to the Community at Michigan
This prompt is deceptively simple - and many students miss the nuance of the prompt.
When reading this essay, admissions officers are trying to determine how you behave within a specific community and get an idea of the activities of this community.
The assumption is that if you are this type of person in one community, you will be a positive, contributing member of the Michigan community as well.
The way this essay ended is also not very memorable. The ending should be specific as opposed to broad. A great way to end an essay to this prompt is by drawing my attention back to the main point. The connection between the community and how you will engage in/contribute to the community at Michigan needs to be clear.
Remember that the admissions officer reads essays very quickly, within 15-30 seconds. You’ll need to pull everything together succinctly to make your role in the community clear.
2. Refer to the University Correctly
This one applies to all the blogs we’re going to be looking at! The Student referred to the university as “UMichigan” - try to avoid this. You’ll leave a much better impression if you refer to the university the way the website refers to it: “University of Michigan” or “Michigan” or even “U-M.”
If you are unsure, look at the admissions website for the university. It will be very clear how the administration refers to the university and you should follow suit.
Likewise, if you are referring to a specific school or college (Michigan has both!), be sure you use the terminology correctly. For example, the College of Literature, Science and the Arts is referred to LSA everywhere and the School of Nursing is commonly referred to as UMSN.
Example Essay 2
This past February, I was awarded an internship at the [Name Redacted] Lab, located at the Georgia Institute of Technology, immersing me within a community of science-minded individuals who are incredibly passionate about their work. Composed of a broad scope of contrasting individuals, this community changed my perception of my field of interest.
I was tasked with building a bacterial freeze dryer with my high school’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team. This device would assist the team project, [REDACTED], making cheap, healthy food more accessible to feed desert inhabitants through hydroponics systems, nutrient biosensors, and frugal hardware. Piecing different ideas together between my labmates made me appreciate how engineers approached every problem like a puzzle. It became a bonding experience worth skipping lunches and making daily trips to Home Depot. I truly enjoyed the camaraderie amongst our group. As a result of their generosity to teach less experienced members, I learned essential skills, such as coding, pipetting, CADding, and lab expertise, that will carry on beyond high school.
After ten months, I’m glad to call my labmates close friends, people who sacrificed sleep and worked tirelessly for the developmental models of our project. Despite many of our differences: race, ideology, and background, we were all equally passionate about utilizing science and intellectual heritage to help others. Science isn’t about nurturing ourselves; it is about sustaining the development of others to give them the same opportunities as us.
Interacting with this community has become an ongoing experience that has genuinely engulfed me in an environment of hard-working, passionate individuals. This eye-opening opportunity has taught me my purpose in life: helping others and giving back to those who provided me with this life-changing experience.
What They Did Well:
1. Demonstrate Maturity
The way the student highlighted the camaraderie of working with others signaled the student maturity, which is a good quality to highlight. The quality of this student’s writing is such that the student showed their maturity as opposed to just stating that they are mature.
2. Translated Well to the Community at Michigan
The writer made it clear that this community was based on an intellectual shared interest or passion.
I liked the phrasing that the writer used in the line “became a bonding experience worth skipping lunches and making daily trips to Home Depot.” This line highlights the student’s character and the voice sounds real.
What Could Have Been Done Differently:
1. Keep the Prompt in Mind
The second paragraph had a bit too much many details of the engineering team, all of which were not necessary. More specifics about the community itself would have more impact.
The student also stated that this is their purpose in life, which is quite a heavy phrase for a 17 year old. The question is asking you about community, no one is expecting you to talk about your purpose in life yet. This essay could have been improved if the student kept the prompt top of mind.
Prompt 2 Essay Examples
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; minimum 100 words /maximum 550 words)
Essay Example 1
As a passionate bassoonist and a dedicated student of linguistics, I know that the University of Michigan presents an unparalleled confluence of opportunities that match both my artistic and academic pursuits. When I began my college search, I was set on finding an institution that could support my dual interests at an elite level. UMichigan not only meets but exceeds these criteria, making it the ideal choice for me.
Upon diving into UMichigan's music program, I was thrilled to discover the extensive performance ensembles available to undergraduates. The program's two orchestras and two wind ensembles present rich opportunities to fully immerse myself in and contribute to serious musical productions. Unique to UMichigan, undergraduates are also required to participate in chamber ensembles, aligning perfectly with my aspirations for a hands-on and intimate musical education. Furthermore, the music program's strong jazz focus suits my passion for jazz and desire to broaden my musical abilities. With a jazz faculty receptive to bassoonists, I would have a chance to enrich my musical abilities beyond classical compositions.
Further elevating the music program is its visionary approach to repertoire. While the classics like the Mozart concerto are an integral part of the education, there is an equal emphasis on modern compositions. The "CoLab" program serves as a wonderful platform for direct collaboration with composers, a necessary tool for musicians and composers alike that I am frankly surprised is not more commonly found in other school music programs. I also appreciate UMichigan's focus on creativity and innovation in composition with the mandatory world premiere performances for masters degree students in chamber music. This catalyst for new, unique music helps nurture the music program on all levels, including the undergraduate level, where new compositions are an essential part of the program.
Shifting to the realm of linguistics, I was intrigued by the long-standing tradition and forward-thinking approach at UMichigan. Established in 1945, the linguistics department's history is rich and storied, yet its focus remains on cutting-edge research. The department's distinctive strengths in speech perception, minimalist syntax, and language contact would provide me with a rigorous theoretical grounding. Additionally, the interdisciplinary nature of the program opens the door for me to combine my interests in music and linguistics, a prospect I find deeply exciting.
Finally, my interaction with the bassoon professor, Mr. [redacted], sealed my conviction that UMichigan is the place for me. His immediate and enthusiastic response to my inquiries demonstrated a level of commitment and passion that I seek in an educational environment. Like me, he values both the classical and the contemporary in music, embodying the balance I find so appealing in UMichigan's curriculum.
Given the broad and innovative educational experiences that UMichigan offers in both music and linguistics, I am confident that it is the ideal environment for me to flourish academically and artistically. It's not just about the prestige or the school spirit; it’s about finding a program that aligns with my core interests and offers unique avenues to explore them. In this, the University of Michigan is unparalleled.
What They Did Well:
1. Specificity
The student talked about very specific resources such as the CoLab’ program which offers collaboration with composers and he connects it clearly to his interests. Understanding what the university offers is important for this prompt.
The student also focused on his passion for jazz and his connection to that environment through the interaction he had with the bassoon professor.
What Could Have Been Done Differently:
1. Accolades and History
Many students make the mistake of restating information from the website about the university’s top programs or world-renowned faculty. All admissions officers are very familiar with the content on the website and sometimes they even wrote the content themselves.
A better choice is to replace any general information that can be found on the university website with writing that adds value to your essay, connecting what you want with what the university has.
Praise for the university does not tell the admissions officer about you, which is what they really want to know from your essays.
Example Essay 2
Through my academic and professional ventures, I have synthesized a vision for my future: founding an institution that implements and enhances Artificial Intelligence in everyday objects to cater to the needs of those with disabilities. Voice-assisted AI technology, such as Alexa, Siri, or Cortana, already exists on a large scale, helping ordinary people complete simple tasks such as closing the light or playing a song with even less effort. While a small improvement to the daily lives of the common man, these technologies are a major advancement for those with visual-impairment, cognitive issues, brain injuries, or genetic conditions that may require accommodations. Using a fascinating field in computer science, I will make these accommodations possible on a wide-scale, providing accessibility both physically and mentally.
Such aspirations are not possible without a strong foundation, however. University of Michigan's CSE division particularly aligns with my passion and ambitions of innovating assistive devices from the programming realm. The diverse intellectual communities there will foster my programming skills, vision for Artificial Intelligence, inclination to problem-solving, and academic socialization. The robust research environment, for example, will give me opportunities to collaborate with peers from prestigious schools and accomplished scholastic backgrounds to perform interdisciplinary research that spans the breadth of my interests. The Automotive Research Center specifically stands out to me due to its second and fourth Thrust Areas: Human-Autonomy Interaction and Intelligent Power Systems as they seem to encapsulate my academic inclinations.
I am also fascinated by the multitude of SURE Research Projects where I can regurgitate knowledge from courses like "EECS 492. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" and "EECS 445. Introduction to Machine Learning" to tackle complex problems. With assistance of the Business Engagement Center at U-Mich., I can traverse the path of founding a firm for A.I. developed disability aids, as I follow the steps of successful startups such as Cogitai and Soar Technology.
Lastly, the equity-centered engineering mindset speaks directly to my cultural values as I am a woman of color who strives to give representation and a sense of inclusivity to other minorities. Having been raised in [Place Redacted], the "hub of immigration," I cannot imagine myself in a homogenous university. U-M's agenda of diversity is therefore quite assuring and makes me feel in place.
What They Did Well:
1. Specificity
They were specific with their connection to what's offered at Michigan. They pulled in research projects and assistance from the business engagement center.
They identified their major and how what's offered can help The student understands that Michigan prides itself on the diversity of the students that go there and in the final paragraph, they talk about their upbringing and their diversity of it, similar to how UMich is diverse.
The student shows the admissions officer that they would both fit in and connect with the culture and community at Michigan.
What Could Have Been Done Differently:
1. Word Choice
Choose your words wisely and make sure every choice furthers the message you’re trying to get across.
For example, the student used “regurgitate” in this essay. The word “regurgitate” implies that someone is repeating what they heard by just throwing the information back instead of taking in the knowledge, understanding and synthesizing it, and using it. Vocabulary matters.
2. Relevancy
A good essay is one that’s cohesive and tells a narrative. In this essay, the disability aid topic was not strongly connected to the rest of the essay.
So in other words, don't select a random topic to include unless there's something that's actually connected to what you've done or what you're interested in, and that's clear someplace else in your essay or application.
Final Thoughts
You'll spend a lot of time staring at your responses. Sometimes you won't even see the obvious grammatical errors.
After you finish writing, don't look at the essays for a day or two. Then look at the essays again. You might see something you missed before.
Finally, ask someone you trust to review your responses for clarity and structure. Make your final edits and turn them in with the rest of your application.
While grades, a good GPA, and test scores are important, the University of Michigan takes a holistic look at applications. Your supplemental essays matter more than you may think! They allow you to show your enthusiasm for the school and why the University of Michigan is the best school for you.
What Makes Crimson Different
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- MIT Supplemental Essay - Harvard Supplemental Essay - Columbia Supplemental Essay - Princeton Supplemental Essay - Cornell Supplemental Essay - Brown Supplemental Essay - Upenn Supplemental Essay - Dartmouth Supplemental Essay - Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay - University of Chicago Supplemental Essay - NYU Supplemental Essay - Northwestern Supplemental Essay
About the Contributor
Michele Thompson
Senior Strategy Consultant
Michele is a Senior Strategy Consultant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with over 13 years as Director of Admissions at the University of Michigan, where she reviewed 20,000+ applications and managed end-to-end admissions processes. She has helped students gain admission to top universities, including Penn, MIT, NYU, and Georgetown.
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