Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For University of Michigan Applicants:

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? 550 Word Maximum.

Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

My intellectual passions were shaped in a multitude of spaces and situations—from the everyday, to the urgent. One evening when I was five years old, my mother and I were huddled on the bed together. As my baby sister was bottle-fed milk, she suddenly started choking.

After a panicked several minutes, our neighbor, an EMT, saved the day—and my sister’s life. He responded to my mom’s frantic calls and was there within minutes, still clad in pajamas.

This act of heroism—the ability to save a life—stayed with me. While my mission to become a physician began with that emergency moment, volunteering as an EMT and assisting my dad with day-to-day tasks has enabled me to discover new health-related insights.

With the University of Michigan’s collaborative, mission-based, and empathy-embracing learning community, I can build foundations for a health profession that supports all aspects of health—urgent matters, chronic conditions, preventative solutions, along with access and equity.

I appreciate LSA’s opportunities for advanced biomedical discovery—but also its interdisciplinary freedom. I’d explore through distribution coursework, uniting with peers across diverse perspectives. In Foundations of Intergroup Relations, I can continue addressing bias and prejudice from an education-focused standpoint. As a mentor with the Wingman Program at my high school, I currently conduct outreach to embrace diversity, inclusion, and equity. With Michigan peers, I can also dissect societally-shaped inequities and biases in Urban Inequality in America.

I can’t wait to delve into Michigan’s biology- and neuroscience-related fields of exploration, from collaborative coursework to hands-on research. Hoping to advance preventive cardiology and personalized health care, I’d love to explore genetics-based insights, from expression to CRISPR, in in-depth courses like Genetics. Further, I hope to deepen this initial understanding of the organ systems through working in animal studies in Human and Animal Physiology Laboratory; I was fascinated learning about the functionality of the heart and sinus rhythms during EMT volunteering. From watching early PBS shows on TV to AP Psychology lessons, I’m interested in exploring mental health difficulties, psychological disorders, coping mechanisms, and treatment methods in Introduction to Abnormal Psychology. I’d love to understand neuroscientific bases of human behaviors, along with psychological factors that can influence health.

With Michigan LSA, I can also explore healthcare developments and address inequities through research and service. I’d be inspired to work with a mentor like Dr. Andre Monteiro Da Rocha, whose research in aging-associated cardiovascular illness and tailored prevention is inspiring to me. Given the importance of prevention in cardiovascular health, I am concerned by the unequal access to healthful foods, healthcare, and more for disadvantaged communities. In Undergraduate Research in Biology, Health, and Society opportunities, I hope to explore insights for cardiovascular prevention via community health initiatives.

With hopes to promote equity and access, I also appreciate Michigan’s work with local communities. I can research wide-reaching solutions—while also making immediate change. With the Detroit Initiative, I hope to work with community-based organizations, promoting healthcare and nutrition access. Passionate about inclusion and equity, I would also love to assist communities through Cass Community Social Services, and empower local students with the Center for Educational Outreach.

At the University of Michigan, I hope to pursue the passion I discovered long ago. With its unmatchable community, I would channel learning toward collaboration, innovation—and access for all.