When the University of Michigan announced that it would be offering an Early Decision program for the first time to high school applicants in the Class of 2026, many of us were hopeful for the possibilities that this new application type offered. The University of Michigan is a top choice for many of our applicants, and we were excited to tell those students that they had an opportunity to demonstrate just how committed they were to Ann Arbor.

When the university released its Early Decision notifications on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, we were as eager as our students to hear the results. We celebrated every single one of our Early Decision admits. Still, then, as we began to hear from students who were deferred, we were increasingly alarmed by the process by which Michigan was handling these deferrals.

The path to college acceptance is already stressful for students, and Michigan’s choice to defer candidates not to Regular Decision, but instead to Early Action, introduces an unnecessary level of complexity and anxiety. 

Typically, when a student is deferred from Early Decision, they are moved to Regular Decision and receive a decision in March or April. When Michigan defers a student from Early Decision to Early Action, however, they will receive their Early Action decision in late January, shortening the timeline for students to submit mid-year grades or their optional update form, the ECI. For many students (especially East Coast students, where the school year begins later), Michigan may not receive mid-year grades in time to evaluate them. 

Universities typically defer students from Early Decision to allow for the evaluation of mid-year grades or to assess the applicant in the context of the entire applicant pool. By deferring to Early Action, Michigan defeated the purpose of this admissions type. Admissions officers won’t have a whole applicant class to compare with, and they may not have mid-year grades to make a more informed decision. 

Worse, Michigan sets students up for a double deferral. Historically, Michigan has prioritized in-state applicants during its Early Action release, deferring many out-of-state applicants to its Regular Decision process. Students who have rushed to submit their materials and had their hopes raised for a January decision may simply be disappointed again. 

Deferring to Early Action sets students up for additional stress and an increased risk of possible deferral. It hardly seems like the way to treat students who were so committed to Michigan that they were willing to make a binding agreement, especially given that Michigan gains no new information from this deferral. 

Students deserve a fair process, and there is a reason no other university handles ED deferrals this way. We’re here for our students every step of the way, and we hope to see Michigan offer a more transparent and fairer process next year.