UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

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dasgut
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:20 am

UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by dasgut » Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:08 pm

Any one know how closely Michigan looks at the personal statement? Is it used the same way Berkeley uses it to find diverse candidates?

castlevania87
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Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:38 am

Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by castlevania87 » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:25 pm

I am having the same question too.

I have finished all my application documents except for this one.

Umich is the only school that requires such a thing among the schools I am applying. So I am not gonna put too much effort into it.

dasgut
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:20 am

Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by dasgut » Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:36 pm

I put about two sentences down. I know UMich is famous for it's legal problems with "diversity." Hence, I'm assuming that as a DWM that essay doesn't help or hurt me. Think it's a safe assumption?

owlpride
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by owlpride » Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:17 am

I have a feeling that Michigan cares even less than Berkeley (for example, Michigan does not have an equivalent of Berkeley's "Mathematical Opportunity Committee").

Fun fact about Michigan: not all admitted applicants are offered the same amount of funding. The graduate director can and does distribute departmental funding for grad students any way he like; some admitted students will be offered $30K for a TA position and others only $16K. Another fun fact: he will make calls to find out how interested you actually are in Michigan. If Michigan is high up your list, make sure that your professors know that.

dasgut
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by dasgut » Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:20 am

Wow. Seriously? I mean I could see the uneven allocation of funds REALLY bothering people.

castlevania87
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by castlevania87 » Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:45 am

What is exactly the famous Umich "diversity" legal issue?

dasgut
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by dasgut » Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:38 am

They were sued in the two Bollinger cases which the US Supreme Court ruled on last year.

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Gasquet
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement

Post by Gasquet » Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:22 pm

Any opinions on how seriously they look at the Personal Statement?

They are the only school that I know of that ask for both, a Personal Statement and a Statement of Purpose.

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Gasquet
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement

Post by Gasquet » Tue Dec 17, 2013 5:23 pm

Gasquet wrote:Any opinions on how seriously they look at the Personal Statement?

They are the only school that I know of that ask for both, a Personal Statement and a Statement of Purpose.
hmm, anybody applying to UMichigan this year?

dasgut
Posts: 250
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Re: UMichigan Personal Statement: Same Idea as Berkeley?

Post by dasgut » Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:58 pm

Not me. I don't need to have 3 rejection letters from AIM.



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