I'm applying to the University of Michigan and I've heard they place a lot of emphasis on SAT scores. Does anyone know what an ideal score range might be? I've been scoring around 1350 in practice tests. Is that competitive enough, or should I retake it to aim higher?
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The University of Michigan typically accepts students with SAT scores ranging from 1340 to 1530, with a median score of approximately 1435 for admitted students. Your practice score of 1350 falls within the lower end of this range, placing you among competitive applicants, though not in the top tier of the testing pool.
The middle 50% of admitted students at Michigan score between 1380 and 1550, which means 25% of accepted students score below 1380, and 25% score above 1550. While your current practice score of 1350 could potentially secure admission, increasing your score above 1400 would significantly strengthen your application and align more closely with the university's typical admitted student profile.
It's crucial to understand that Michigan takes a holistic approach to admissions. Your SAT score, while important, is just one component of your application. The admissions committee also carefully considers your GPA, coursework rigor, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. Strong performance in these other areas could help compensate for an SAT score that's slightly below the university's median.
Given your current practice score and Michigan's competitive nature, consider taking the SAT again if you have time before application deadlines. Focus your preparation on areas where you can improve the most, as even a 50-point increase could make a meaningful difference in your application's competitiveness. Remember that Michigan superscores the SAT, meaning they'll consider your highest section scores from multiple test dates.
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