University of Michigan 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

University of Michigan 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay 300 words; 1 essay of 500 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

How to Write the University of Michigan Supplemental Essays 

Michigan Admissions is seeking students with “a drive to pursue academic excellence in a challenging and rewarding academic environment.” In the two questions they’ve posed below, they’re aiming to tease out what drives you both academically and personally, so take this opportunity to provide them with greater insight into what has shaped you and how you might contribute to the Michigan community once you arrive on campus. As with all admissions essays, you will want to infuse your response with details that will differentiate you from other applicants. Read on to discover our Michigan application essay tips!

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).

This prompt is asking for a lot from a 300-word answer, so let’s break it down. Admissions wants to enroll a cohort that is ready to make big changes in the world. To show that you’re a future leader, they want you to share what has shaped your journey thus far and what your future goals are. Maybe the show For All Mankind inspired you to major in Aerospace Engineering with a future goal of working on traveling to Mars with NASA. Perhaps growing up with a sibling with Down syndrome led you to petition your high school administration for more integration of special ed students into school culture, sparking a future goal of advocating for underrepresented communities. If you’re undecided about your major or what you want to do with your life, focus on how you have made changes for the good within your communities so far and what kind of person you hope to be in the future. Make sure you point to how U-M will help you become that person! 

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 word minimum; 500 word maximum)?

Here is your Why Essay, and it’s a nice, hefty one at 500 words. Your answer should be mostly focused on academic offerings: what you want to study, what subjects interest you, and how you will use the resources at your disposal to pursue your professional goals. This is where you prove to the University of Michigan that they are a good fit for you and vice versa. Getting this essay right requires a lot of research, so you’re going to want to dig deep into the programs that you’re interested in by finding classes, professors, and even extracurricular activities related to your desired major that excite you. The more specific you can get, the better. Show admissions that you know what differentiates U-M from other colleges and, in turn, you’ll distinguish yourself from other applicants. Finally, don’t forget to connect your own past experiences and accomplishments to the resources you choose to highlight. Paint a picture of where you’ll be found on campus (whether that be in the bio lab, math building, or theater) and what you hope to accomplish.

Stephen M. Ross School of Business 2025-26 Portfolio Prompt Explanations

Preferred Admission applicants to the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business will complete a portfolio. This portfolio is in addition to the materials you submit with your Common Application or Coalition Application. The Ross School of Business Undergraduate Admissions team conducts a separate review of your application and portfolio.

Business Case Discussion

Choose a current event or issue in your community and discuss the business implications. Propose a solution that incorporates business principles or practices. The review panel will look for creativity, drawing connections, and originality. Your response should be limited to approximately 500 words.

This case discussion helps us learn more about your understanding of business. The topic should be unique to your interests, experiences, and knowledge. There is no “right” or “wrong” business situation to choose — it’s truly up to you. We encourage you to select a topic that you are passionate about, and not a global topic that you are disconnected from.

This prompt is essentially asking you to do a case study: choose a problem in the world that means something to you and analyze it, describing its implications and proposing a solution using business principles and practices. We recommend a “backwards brainstorm” here. Start by thinking about what aspects of business drew you to the field, whether that be marketing, data analysis, financial accounting, or something else. Then, think about current events or issues you’re passionate about and see if any of them could be solved using your favorite aspect of business. Whatever issue you choose, be sure to describe what it means for business. For example, maybe you’re intrigued by operations management and think that your city’s poor website resources are hindering local businesses from obtaining necessary licenses, a problem that could be fixed by optimizing operations at the city level. Perhaps you’re most interested in marketing and realized that local restaurants in your town are being supplanted by big chains, a problem that does not bode well for local business owners and could be ameliorated through improved marketing and advertising efforts. Remember that Ross is looking for creativity, originality, and interesting connections, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box! (Could this be a chance to apply your penchant for visual marketing to analyze the effectiveness of billboards on your local highway? Or suggest that they’re more of a traffic hazard than good for the community?) Remember, your goal is not to solve the world’s problems but rather to give Ross an insight into your understanding of business and how you would approach an event or issue that means something to you. 

Artifact & Description

Upload an artifact that represents something significant about your life and shows how you’ve put learning into action. This could be related to something inside or outside of the classroom (like an extracurricular accomplishment you’re particularly proud of). The goal is to give you the chance to showcase a unique aspect of yourself.

Artifact examples can include a: 

• An academic project

• A community project

• Community newspaper article highlighting an important achievement

• Personal website 

• Piece on a school, extracurricular, or community program/event that you were instrumental in creating or implementing

• High school or community award that was meaningful or prestigious

• Local, state, or national competition related to a club or school activity 

• Picture of something of value to you 

• A culminating event for an ongoing activity from high school 

The options for artifacts are endless — there is no need to feel limited by this list. Note that your artifact does not need to be business related. Ask yourself:  “What are you most proud of from your four years in high school?”

We also ask that you submit a short description that explains how your artifact demonstrates your learning in action. Essentially, what did you learn from this experience? Please limit this response to approximately 250 words.

This prompt is about creativity, originality, and like most supplemental questions, sharing something about yourself that doesn’t appear elsewhere on your application. If you are a visual artist, this is the perfect place to upload some of your artwork, explaining how it represents your learning in action. In addition to the suggestions above, you could upload an audio file, essay, recipe, Minecraft structure, photo, or anything else that has significant meaning to you. Maybe you’ll upload a picture of your kitchen table with your notebooks open and a steaming pan on the stove in the background to show that, as the eldest sibling, you do your coursework while cooking dinner for your younger siblings, interspersing math equations with recipe measurements. Perhaps you play the viola in the school orchestra and you want to upload a file that includes 20 seconds of you practicing a tricky passage followed by the same clip in performance to show how much “behind the scenes” work goes into the final product. Whatever you choose to upload here, make sure you explain both its significance in your life and how it shows your learning in action. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Michigan Essays

We have been reading Michigan essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Michigan Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Michigan supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful Michigan essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances.