I VIEWED MY UMICH ADMISSIONS FILE.

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their experience of reviewing their undergraduate admissions file from the University of Michigan. They discuss the process of accessing the file and reveal the ratings they received on various aspects of their application, including extracurriculars, essays, and academic performance. The video offers insights into what admission officers look for and provides advice on how to improve one's application.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video creator was accepted into the University of Michigan and shares their undergraduate admissions file experience.
• 📧 The process to view the admissions file involved emailing the Ross undergraduate Office of Admissions and setting up an appointment.
• ⏰ The creator was given only 20 minutes to review their file and was not allowed to take pictures or videos.
• 📚 There were two readers who evaluated the file on a scale of one to five across six categories, plus an overall rating.
• 🏅 The categories included extracurriculars, common app essay, community essay, why Michigan essay, business case essay, and artifact essay.
• 🤔 The creator's extracurriculars were noted as lacking business-related activities, which was seen as a negative point.
• 📝 The common app essay received mixed reviews, with one reader rating it average and the other giving it the highest score.
• 🏛 The community essay was criticized for not showing individual contribution, but the creator's involvement in the community was acknowledged.
• 📈 The business case essay was seen as lacking a sufficiently meaningful problem and originality, but the creator's understanding of business principles was noted.
• 🎓 The artifact essay was appreciated for showing the creator's ability to provide societal impact through business.
• 📊 The final ratings from the readers varied, with one giving a 3.7 and the other a 4.3, highlighting the subjectivity in the evaluation process.
• 📘 The academic rating was very positive, with comments praising the creator's outstanding academics and extracurricular involvement.

Q & A

What was the process for the speaker to view their undergraduate admissions file?

The speaker emailed the Ross undergraduate Office of Admissions to request viewing their file, and after a couple of days, they set up an appointment for the following week. They were given 20 minutes in an empty room to take notes on their file without taking any pictures or videos.

How many readers reviewed the speaker's admissions file?

Two readers reviewed the speaker's admissions file.

What rating scale was used by the readers to evaluate the speaker's application?

The readers used a scale of one to five, with five being the best and one being the worst.

In which categories were the speaker's application evaluated?

The categories included extracurriculars, common app essay, community essay, why Michigan essay, business case essay, and artifact essay.

What was the speaker's rating for the extracurriculars category?

The speaker received a rating of 4.1 out of 5 for the extracurriculars category from both readers.

What was the feedback on the speaker's common app essay from the readers?

The first reader rated the common app essay a 3.3 out of 5, considering it average and typical, while the second reader rated it a 5 out of 5, appreciating the leadership and meaningful connections made.

What did the readers comment about the speaker's community essay?

The first reader rated it 3.7 out of 5, noting a lack of individual contribution, while the second reader rated it 4.1 out of 5, mentioning a lack of reflection on community members but appreciating the knowledge shared about the speaker's actions.

How did the speaker's 'Why Michigan' essay fare in the readers' ratings?

The first reader rated it 3.7 out of 5, and the second reader rated it 4.3 out of 5. The readers noted that while it didn't connect directly to business experience, it did a good job of convincing them of the speaker's aptitude through other experiences.

What was the speaker's business case essay about?

The speaker's business case essay discussed a local problem of crowding at their school and proposed a localized navigation app as a solution, touching on engagement, profit, margins, and marketing.

What were the readers' comments on the speaker's artifact essay?

The first reader rated it 3.7 out of 5, noting that it tells what the speaker did in the organization but doesn't show examples of how it was done. The second reader rated it 4.3 out of 5, appreciating the collaborative and communicative skills and the speaker's potential for positive societal impact through business.

What was the final rating given to the speaker's application as a whole?

Reader one rated the application as a whole 3.7 out of 5, while reader two rated it 4.3 out of 5.

What was the academic rating given to the speaker?

The first reader gave an academic rating of 2, indicating excellent overall curriculum, outstanding academics, and strong University of Michigan interests. The second reader did not provide a numerical rating but described the speaker as an outstanding student academically with strong leadership.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Introduction and Overview of Admission File Process

The video starts with the host explaining that she will be reviewing her undergraduate admissions file for the University of Michigan. She details how the process to set up an appointment was straightforward for her, though others have experienced varying timelines and access. She was given 20 minutes to review her file and chose to focus on the negative feedback to help viewers learn from her mistakes. The video will cover six different categories evaluated by two readers, including extracurriculars, essays, and a final overall rating.

05:01

📚 Evaluating Extracurriculars

The first category is extracurriculars, where the host lists her activities, such as soccer, a blood cancer campaign, Science Olympiad, and more. Both readers rated her a 4.1 out of 5, noting her commitment to soccer and a few leadership roles. However, they pointed out that her extracurriculars lacked a focus on business, which was important since she applied as a business major. The host reflects on this, agreeing with the feedback but explaining the limitations due to her STEM-focused high school.

10:01

✍️ Assessment of the Common App Essay

In this section, her Common App essay, which discusses how soccer shaped her identity, received mixed feedback. The first reader rated it 3.3, stating it was typical and average, while the second reader gave it a perfect 5, praising its connections to leadership. The host acknowledges the common nature of sports-related essays but expresses that she tried to bring a personal perspective.

🏘️ Community Essay Evaluation

For the community essay, where applicants write about a community they belong to, the host received a 3.7 and a 4.1. Both readers critiqued her essay for lacking personal contributions to the community, focusing more on what the group did rather than her individual role. The host agrees that this is an area she could have improved.

🎓 The 'Why Michigan' Essay

The 'Why Michigan' essay, which applicants typically struggle with, was rated a 3.7 and 4.3. The readers noted that while she mentioned several aspects of Michigan, she failed to tie them directly to her business interests, which she struggled with due to a lack of business-related experiences. The host reflects on how difficult it was to make these connections.

📱 Business Case Discussion Essay

In the business case essay, where the task was to propose a solution to a community problem using business principles, the host described a navigation app for her high school. She received ratings of 3.3 and 3.7, with feedback that her solution was not meaningful enough and her app idea was unoriginal. She reflects on how she realized the app idea may not have been the best, but she was praised for addressing other business aspects like engagement and marketing.

🏆 Artifact Essay and Reflections on the Blood Cancer Campaign

The artifact essay, where she uploaded materials related to her blood cancer campaign work, earned a 3.7 and a 4.3. The first reader felt she didn't provide enough details on how the work was done, while the second praised her collaborative and communicative skills. The host reflects on how she presented her work and contributions.

📊 Final Rating and Reader Comments

After evaluating all the categories, the readers provided final ratings: 3.7 from the first reader and 4.3 from the second. The first reader highlighted that her essays were average, but they also noted her local applicant status. The second reader praised her leadership and competitiveness but said she would have been rated higher if she had more business activities. The host found the feedback unsurprising and mostly things she already knew.

🎓 Academic Rating and Overall Performance

Finally, the academic rating, which was evaluated separately, highlighted her strong academic performance, including a 1550 SAT and 4.0 GPA. One reader rated her academics as 'excellent' and emphasized her involvement and strong University of Michigan interest. The second reader echoed these comments but did not give a specific rating. The host believes her academics were the strongest part of her application, contributing significantly to her acceptance.

💡 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

The host concludes by reflecting on the admissions process, finding it humbling but also full of insights she already knew about her strengths and weaknesses. She hopes the video provides useful information for future applicants and apologizes for not posting it before the early admissions deadline. She invites viewers to ask any questions in the comments or reach out to her directly.

Keywords

💡Undergraduate Admissions File

The undergraduate admissions file refers to the collection of application materials, essays, and reviews submitted by the student when applying to a university. In the video, the speaker discusses their experience viewing this file, which played a significant role in their acceptance to the University of Michigan. The admissions file provides insight into how the application was evaluated.

💡University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is the educational institution where the speaker was accepted. It serves as the focal point for the video, with the speaker reflecting on their successful application and the feedback they received. This university's admission process is analyzed and discussed, particularly in relation to the speaker's essays and extracurriculars.

💡Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars refer to activities outside the standard academic curriculum, such as sports, clubs, or volunteer work. The speaker highlights the importance of extracurriculars in their application, mentioning involvement in soccer, blood cancer campaigns, Science Olympiad, and political activities. These activities were evaluated by admissions readers as part of the application review process.

💡Common App Essay

The Common App Essay is a central component of many college applications, allowing students to reflect on personal experiences. The speaker's essay focused on how soccer shaped their identity and leadership skills. The essay received mixed ratings from two readers, showcasing differing perspectives on how well the speaker conveyed their personal growth through sports.

💡Why Michigan Essay

The 'Why Michigan Essay' is a specific essay prompt asking applicants to explain why they want to attend the University of Michigan. The speaker admits struggling with this type of essay, as they had limited business-related experiences to connect with their chosen field of study. Admissions readers evaluated this essay for how well the speaker communicated their fit for the university.

💡Business Case Discussion Essay

The Business Case Discussion Essay is a Ross School of Business-specific essay in which applicants describe how they would solve a local problem using business principles. The speaker chose to propose a navigation app for their high school, which was critiqued by readers for lacking originality and meaningful business implications. This essay is a crucial element for business school applicants.

💡Artifact Essay

The Artifact Essay involves submitting an artifact that demonstrates a significant experience or learning moment. The speaker submitted materials from their work on a blood cancer campaign, including a flyer and Excel sheets tracking donations. Admissions readers evaluated the essay based on how well the speaker demonstrated learning and societal impact through this experience.

💡Demonstrated Interest

Demonstrated interest refers to actions taken by applicants to show genuine interest in a particular college or university, such as visiting the campus or contacting admissions officers. One of the admissions readers noted that the speaker lacked demonstrated interest, which could have impacted their overall evaluation. The concept plays a subtle but important role in college admissions.

💡Academic Rating

The academic rating is a separate evaluation of an applicant's academic achievements, including GPA, SAT/ACT scores, AP courses, and overall curriculum. In the video, the speaker received high academic ratings due to strong SAT scores, a 4.0 GPA, and participation in advanced courses. This rating is distinct from the evaluation of extracurriculars and essays.

💡Admissions Reader

An admissions reader is someone who evaluates an applicant's file, including their essays, extracurriculars, and overall fit for the university. The speaker’s file was reviewed by two admissions readers who gave varying ratings and feedback on different aspects of the application, such as essays and leadership roles. These readers play a critical role in the decision-making process.

Highlights

Process for setting up an appointment to view the admissions file was easy.

Appointment to view the file was set up within a week.

Only 20 minutes were allowed to take notes on the file.

No pictures or videos were allowed while viewing the file.

Two to three readers typically review an admissions file.

Ratings are on a scale from one to five, with five being the best.

Six different categories are evaluated in the admissions process.

The final rating includes an overall assessment of the application.

Academic rating is done separately from the category ratings.

Extracurriculars were rated with a focus on leadership and commitment.

The lack of business-related extracurriculars was noted.

Common App essay received mixed ratings, highlighting the subjective nature of reviews.

Community essay was criticized for not reflecting on individual contributions.

Why Michigan essay was praised for convincing the reader of the applicant's aptitude.

Business case essay was criticized for not presenting a sufficiently meaningful problem.

Artifact essay was appreciated for showcasing collaborative and communicative skills.

Final ratings varied between readers, indicating different perspectives on the application.

Academic ratings were very positive, highlighting the applicant's strong academic performance.

The video provides insights into what college admission officers look for in applications.

The video is intended to help future applicants understand the admissions process.

Transcripts

hey guys welcome back to my channel um

in today's video we're going to be

viewing my undergraduate admissions file

that got me accepted into the University

of Michigan so hopefully that should be

fun and exciting

um my process for setting up an

appointment to view my file was pretty

easy I just emailed the Ross

undergraduate Office of Admissions and I

asked somebody view my file and then

they got back to me like a couple of

days and then I set up an appointment

the following week to view my file where

I just pretty much walked to Ross in

their office and they took me to an

empty room where they gave me 20 minutes

to take notes on my file and I wasn't

allowed to take any pictures or videos

of it but that was my process I'm just

just saying this because I feel like

everyone I've talked to has had like a

different process for reviewing their

files like some people had to wait like

four months to read their files or some

people had like like 45 minutes to view

their files and I only had 20 but if

you're not I wrote down everything I

humanly could in those 20 minutes so

without further Ado let's get into it so

the layout of this video should be

pretty simple most people usually have

two to three readers that look over

their files I had two readers and

essentially these Raiders

um rated me from a scale of one to five

five being the best one being the worst

um on six different categories so these

categories are my extracurriculars my

common app essay my community essay my

why Michigan essay then my business case

essay and my artifact essay and then

lastly they give me a final rating

um on my file as a whole and they also

do a separate academic rating on the

side apart from these category ratings

um just a heads up though

I only had 20 minutes to view my file

and the packet that they gave me was

like 10 pages long so I didn't have time

to write every single thing that they

wrote on my file but what I did is I

just wrote down the negative stuff they

said on my file because I think that

would be more relevant to you guys um

because I want you guys to learn from my

mistakes and what I did wrong and if you

want to better understanding of what my

admissions file looked like um I do have

a video released on all my stats and

what I wrote my essays on in a separate

video so if you want to learn more then

click on that but other than that that

should be the layout for this video okay

so my first category was my

extracurriculars um so the actual

clicklers that I had on my common app

were soccer my blood cancer campaign how

I worked with my state District

representative I also have Science

Olympiad High School tennis NHS and a

couple of other smaller extracurriculars

um so for that category my first reader

rated me a 4.1 out of 5. they mentioned

that I my extracurriculars were heavy in

11th and 12th grade but I only had to

sustain extracurriculars that I high

school and they also mentioned that I

have nothing related to business but a

few leadership roles so they written me

a 4.1 out of 5. um my second reader also

rated me a 4.1 out of 5 and they

mentioned that I have a deep commitment

to soccer LLS which is my blood cancer

campaign the political government

Science Olympiad USTA they mentioned

that I have that I excelled to

outstanding time commitments I'm

sustained in three extracurriculars

throughout high school with four

leadership roles and they also mentioned

that I'm missing demonstrated interest

where it's likely available and I have

nothing related to business although I

have several leadership roles within

them yeah so as you can tell both of my

readers did go out of the way to point

out the fact that I didn't have any

business related extracurriculars on my

application which makes sense because I

did apply as a business major so that's

definitely something I'd wish I'd done

differently in high school but at the

same time like it was just hard for me

to do so because there wasn't a lot of

business what it said find my high

school it was like a very stem based

school with a lot of like sciencey and

math stuff but that's that definitely

makes sense I agree with that um and one

of the readers also mentions that I was

missing demonstrated interests where

it's likely available so I guess they do

care about that I never really went out

of my way to go on like campus tours or

like email admissions officers but I'm

not really sure what demonstrated

interest in Tales it can be in like a

lot of different things but that's

definitely some takeaways I've had from

viewing my first category so for

category two

um they rated my common app essays so

for my coming up essay I pretty much

talk about soccer and how it's helped

shape my identity and personality and

how it's helped me on and off the field

through different experiences

um and for this essay my first reader

rated me a 3.3 out of 5 and they say

that I use my essay to describe my

extracurriculars in an average and

typical way and then my second reader

actually rated me a five out of five on

that essay and they mentioned that this

is exactly what we're looking for

conveys leadership makes meaningful

connections from soccer to instances of

leadership involvement so that's what

both the readers said obviously they're

very different ratings

um even though they looked at the same

essay and I do know that like writing a

common app essay on a sport is like

basic but I did try to do my best to you

know connect it to my individual

experiences so I guess the second reader

really saw that and the first reader

just didn't like the fact that I wrote

it on a sport which and I can understand

that for my third category it was my

community essay so for the community

essay you essentially have to write an

essay on a community that you belong to

in your place within it

um so what I talked about is how I when

I was working with my state District

representative I've met other like young

active people who also were socially

driven to make positive impact in their

communities and use politics to drive

positive social change for this essay I

got my my first waiter reading me uh 3.7

out of 5 and then they mentioned that

there's no sense of individual

contribution to group but conveys

contribution to local community through

it and then my second reader rated me a

4.1 out of 5 and then they mentioned

does not reflect on her community

members are sure about connecting with

them but shares knowledge of what she's

done through it so I think definitely

something I wish I'd done differently is

kind of mention how I specifically

helped contribute to this community

because I really just talk about what we

do as a whole but I guess these readers

are looking for what I did specifically

to like help this community

um so that's definitely something to

take away from that so the fourth

category was the why Michigan essay that

we all love and Dread I literally hated

writing this essay or just Why Us essays

in general for colleges but oh well um

for this actually my first reader rated

me a 3.7 out of 5 and then my second

reader rated me a 4.3 out of 5 and then

in some of the comments that they made

are that does not connect to business

experience per se but does a fantastic

job of convincing us her aptitude

through other experiences and he also

mentioned that I mentioned a variety of

Ross offerings at their school

so again like I just couldn't really

connect it to my business experience

because I like didn't have a lot but I

get where they're coming from but that's

what they said for my why Michigan essay

so the last two categories are specific

to Ross and their portfolio so for the

fifth category

um this was the business case discussion

essay where essentially you have to talk

about

um a local problem within your community

and how you would solve by using

business principles so what I did is

um I think it's been a while but I

remember you know designing a localized

navigation app to help solve like how

crowded it was at my school and help

students like navigate themselves around

high school and then I also talk about

like other business factors that go into

it like engagement and profit and

margins and marketing

um so for this essay my first reader

rated me a 3.3 out of five and then my

second reader rated me a 3.7 out of 5

and then the first reader says it's in

high school app to solve problems

copying on apps that already exist and

then my second reader mentions that

there's no business implications my

solution is a localized navigation app

and he says that it's not a sufficiently

meaningful problem but offers a cogent

description of how the app would

function so

um I kind of realized this after I

submitted my portfolio but like my

solution was probably not the best

solution because it was just an app and

I feel like a lot of the times an app

just comes across as not original

um because I feel like a lot of people

would do an app but they also mentioned

that I don't have a sufficiently

meaningful problem which

um yeah I don't really know what else to

say to that because I that I just chose

a problem that affected me in my like

high school but I think they liked how

even though my solution was not like the

best solution I just go out of the way

to like touch base on like everything

that goes into this solution like how it

make money like how I would ensure

there's like persistent engagement and

how the app would function overall so

that's what they said for my business

case essay so for the sixth category

this was the artifact essay um for this

essay we essentially have to like upload

an artifact that shows something

significant in your life and essentially

just shows you're learning and action so

for this essay I touch based on my the

blood cancer campaign that I worked with

and I essentially just upload a flyer as

well as a couple of Excel files that

like show like me tracking the donation

amounts as well as Trends upon it

um so for this essay my first reader

rated me a 3.7 out of five

they mentioned that

um tells what she did in organization

but doesn't show and does not give

examples of how this was done and then

my second reader rated me a 4.3 out of 5

and they mentioned that

um this essay suggests strong

collaborative and communicative skills

and then she they say that she learns

she can provide positive societal impact

through business so that's what they

said for the sixth category

all right so after these readers have

rated me on all these six categories

they left me off with the final rating

on my application as a whole along with

some final comments so reader one read

in my entire file as a 3.7 out of 5 and

the comments that they made is that I'm

a local applicant so likely to matr

um I'm not sure what that means but axes

are more limited than other applicants

and doesn't include many sustained or

busy extracurriculars essays are high

average writes about common and typical

things like play-by-play of sports games

issues at high school app to solve

problems Etc doesn't give examples of

working with others tells but doesn't

show business essay mentions Ross

offerings States business expansion from

classes but doesn't expand on her

interest

so that is what Raider won

um rated me on my entire file and then

waiter two rated me a 4.3 out of 5 and

they say that I had fabulous essays

filled with connections to experience

and demonstration of leadership makes

the students seem more competitive than

she does simply based off the

application extracurricular list would

have rated higher if she was in business

activities so those are what my two

readers rated my file as a whole

um nothing I'm not really surprised at

what they said um it's stuff that I

already knew but that's what they said

on my file okay so lastly I also had an

academic rating which is on a separate

page apart from all the other categories

um I'm not sure if these were also rated

by the same two readers or if it went to

like a different committee but I also

got two academic readings as a whole

um for my first rating

um basically they just mentioned how I

have a 1550 sat which I had a 1540 but

I'm assuming they probably super scored

it

um it states my 4.0 GPA my 35 act I

didn't take the S the ACT but I'm

assuming they just translated the 1558

sat to the ACT score and then they also

just list my AP scores and then they

just list my academic credits my honors

classes my AP classes and then in terms

of like the comment

they say that the first waiter said that

I had an excellent overall curriculum

outstanding academics excellent

involvement outstanding recommendations

excellent final comments I'm writing

Samantha too she's an outstanding

student academically with outstanding

involvement Senator around her interest

in business and policy making strong

University of Michigan interests

um so they rated me a two I'm not really

sure how the skill for the academic

reading works

um and then the second waiter they just

also list the same thing my GPI my SAT

and my exam scores for my AP exams and

then they they rate me

um I actually don't have a rating for

this one they didn't even mention a

rating but they say that I'm an

outstanding student academically and I'm

one of 84 students at my high school

ranked number one with strong leadership

and nice essays slash University of

Michigan interest that supports rating

overall outstanding candidate so yeah

that's what both of the readers said on

my academic mix and I definitely think

my academics were like a stronger part

of my essay compared to my

extracurriculars or my essays in general

so that essentially wraps up the video

and my entire College admissions found

what they said on it so hopefully

provided a little bit more information

and insight as to what like a College

admission officer is looking for and

what an ideal application would look

like

um I did mean to publish this video out

a little bit earlier before the November

action deadline but like the semester

has been crazy and I didn't have time to

get around to that but hopefully it'll

still be helpful because I know there's

like colleges that have a deadline in

January so that should definitely

hopefully help out

um I personally found this experience to

be um humbling because

um they like said a lot of strong things

about my file they also said good things

on iPhone too um but to be honest it

wasn't like stuff I already didn't know

about

but yeah

um again if you enjoyed this video or

you found it to be helpful make sure to

like And subscribe and if you have any

questions comment them down below DM me

I'll get back to you guys but yeah I

hope you guys enjoyed