How selective are WashU and the University of Michigan admissions compared with each other?

WashU is typically perceived as the more selective of the two in overall admissions, especially in the private-school, highly curated applicant-pool sense. Michigan is also very selective, but because it is a large public university, its admissions landscape looks different and depends a lot on whether you are in-state or out-of-state. That difference is why people sometimes group them together and sometimes talk about them separately.

WashU tends to attract a self-selecting pool of applicants who are often aiming at other highly selective private universities, so the bar can feel especially high across academics, activities, and presentation. It is the kind of school where strong numbers alone rarely make someone feel safe, and the application often needs to look polished and intentional.

Michigan fits a somewhat broader range of students because of its size and public mission, but that does not make it easy, especially for out-of-state applicants. So when people say Michigan is "easier" or "harder," they are often talking about different applicant categories.

Another reason they get discussed differently is that WashU and Michigan represent two distinct admissions models. WashU is a private university with a smaller undergraduate population and a more boutique admissions feel. Michigan is a flagship public university with enormous demand, more variation by residency and school, and a wider spectrum of admitted students across colleges.

In practical terms, a student with a very strong profile might see WashU as the tougher private-school reach, while seeing Michigan as anywhere from highly competitive to somewhat more attainable depending on residency and program. So in broad terms: WashU is usually viewed as more selective overall, but Michigan can be just as difficult in certain applicant lanes.