Boston University vs University of Michigan admissions difficulty: which is harder to get into overall?

The University of Michigan is usually considered harder to get into than Boston University, especially for applicants who are not Michigan residents. Michigan gets a very large volume of applications, is a top public university with especially strong demand for programs like engineering, business, and computer science, and its out-of-state pool is notably competitive. Boston University is also highly selective, but in broad admissions conversations, Michigan tends to be viewed as the tougher admit overall.

The biggest reason this comparison can feel confusing is that Michigan’s selectivity changes a lot by residency and, in some cases, by school or program. In-state applicants have a different admissions landscape than out-of-state applicants, while BU does not have that public-university residency dynamic. So if you are from Michigan, the gap may feel smaller than people online suggest.

BU tends to fit students applying to a private, urban university where selectivity is serious but a bit less tied to residency status. Michigan tends to be tougher for students aiming at a flagship with national draw and especially intense interest from high-achieving applicants across the country. For certain applicant types, especially out-of-state students targeting high-demand majors, Michigan is often the steeper climb.

If you are building a list, I would treat both as selective schools, but I would place Michigan slightly higher in difficulty overall in most cases. The exception is that for some students, especially depending on state residency and intended program, the difference may be modest rather than dramatic.