Michigan applications have more than doubled since the Class of 2020

The University of Michigan received 55,504 first-year applications for the Class of 2020. For the Class of 2030, it received 115,125.

The entering class barely moved. First-year enrollment stayed at roughly 7,000 to 7,300 students across the period.

When applications double and seats stay flat, the admit rate falls even if the applicant pool is no stronger than before. That is the core argument of our latest data edition: at many public flagships, falling acceptance rates are driven mostly by volume, not by rising standards. The practical effect for families is the same, though. A school that looked like a safety a decade ago may now be a reach.