* GPA: Your high school grade point average is a crucial factor.
* Course Rigor: The difficulty of your high school courses (AP, IB, honors) is heavily weighted.
* Essays: Your application essays demonstrate your writing skills, personality, and fit with the university.
* Extracurricular Activities: Participation in clubs, sports, volunteer work, and other activities shows your interests and commitment.
* Letters of Recommendation: Strong recommendations from teachers and counselors speak to your character and abilities.
* Background and Context: The university considers your background and circumstances to understand your achievements in context.
While there's no magic number, you can expect that successful applicants generally have very strong scores. To give you a sense, the middle 50% range of admitted students typically have scores significantly above average. Thinking of scores in the range of 1450-1570 (SAT) or 32-35 (ACT) is a good general benchmark, but keep in mind this is just an indicator, not a guarantee. Scores outside of this range aren't automatically disqualifying, but applicants with lower scores will need exceptional strength in other areas of their application.
It's best to check the University of Michigan's official website for the most up-to-date information and to understand their holistic review process. They often publish some data on admitted student profiles, but they emphasize that these are just averages and not admission requirements.