Freshman
Regular Admission.
- Submit application for admission.
- Submit a $40 non-refundable application fee.
- Must have graduated from an approved secondary school.
- Request that official ACT or SAT scores be sent to Mississippi State University directly from the testing agency. MSU’s ACT code is 2220 and the SAT code is 1480. (The writing test of the ACT and SAT are not considered for admission or scholarship awarding purposes.)
- Submit a six-semester high school transcript to Mississippi State University, as well as an official transcript upon graduation from high school. If the applicant has attended another college, he/she should request those transcripts be sent to the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.
- Must satisfactorily complete the following College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with an appropriate core grade-point average:
| Subject | Units |
|---|---|
| English | 4 - All must have substantial writing requirements |
| Mathematics | 3 - Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry or a higher level mathematics (Algebra I taken in the 8th grade will be accepted for admission purposes provided the course content is the same as the high school course.) |
| Science | 3 - Physical Science, Biology, Advanced Biology, Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Marine Biology, or another science of comparable rigor. (Two units must be lab based.) |
| Social Science | 3 - U.S. History 1 unit, World History 1 unit; Government 1/2 unit; and Economics 1/2 unit or Geography 1/2 unit. |
| Advanced Electives | 2 - Elect 2 units from Foreign Language, World Geography, 4th year laboratory-based Science, and 4th year Mathematics. One of the two required units must be a Foreign Language or World Geography. (Foreign Language taken in the 8th grade will be accepted for admission purposes, provided the course content is the same as the high school course.) |
| Computer | 1/2 - Computer as a productivity tool, not as a keyboarding device. |
Full admission to Mississippi State will be granted to high school graduates who complete the CPC with one of the following:
- A minimum 3.20 grade-point average (GPA) on the CPC.
- A minimum 2.50 GPA on the CPC and a composite score of 16 or higher on the ACT or a combined score of 770 or higher on the SAT.
- A minimum 2.0 GPA on the CPC and a composite score of 18 or higher on the ACT or a combined score of 860 or higher on the SAT.
- Standing in the top 50 percent of the class and a composite score of 16 or higher on the ACT or a combined score of 770 or higher on the SAT.
- Satisfy the National Collegiate Athletic Association standards for student-athletes who are full qualifiers under Division I guidelines.
Applicants who fail to meet full admission standards as listed above may, as a result of review, be admitted to the fall or summer term, provided that application materials are received prior to the first summer session. The review shall involve a consideration of high school performance, ACT/SAT scores, placement testing, and special interests and skills, as well as other non-academic factors.
Entering freshmen who have both a high school grade-point average of less than 2.5 on the college preparatory curriculum and a composite ACT score of less than 21 will be placed in the undecided major and will be advised by the University Academic Advising Center until 30 credit hours of core classes have been completed.
Students with an ACT English subscore of 16 or lower (SAT subscore of 430 or lower) will be required to successfully complete EN 0103 Basic English before advancing to the English Composition sequence (EN 1103 and EN 1113). Students with an ACT Math subscore of 18 or lower (SAT subscore of 450 or lower) will be required to take MA 0103 Intermediate Algebra before advancing on to math requirements within the chosen degree program.
A student-athlete must meet the requirements of the Southeastern Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Mississippi State University neither awards credit nor accepts transfer-college-credit based solely on ACT, SAT, or other comparable tests commonly administered to high school students primarily for college admissions purposes. Documents and other proof that students have met the University entrance requirements are kept on file in the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, Room 100, Montgomery Hall.
Admission with Deficiencies.
If the initial review indicates inadequate readiness in English, reading, or mathematics, applicants may be required to participate in counseling and testing, which will be held on campus prior to the beginning of the summer session. Applicants who successfully complete the counseling and testing program may be admitted to the University, with the requirement that they participate in the year-long Academic Support Program.
Applicants who fail to successfully complete the counseling and testing program may be admitted with the requirement that they enroll in the Summer Developmental Program. This is a 9-week intensive program that concentrates on those high school subject areas (writing, reading, and mathematics) essential to success in first-year college courses. Students who successfully complete this summer program will be allowed to continue in the fall, with mandatory participation in the Academic Support Program during their freshman year. Developmental courses taken during the Summer Developmental Program are remedial and neither count toward a degree nor are computed in a student’s grade point average. Students who fail to successfully complete the Summer Developmental Program will be counseled to explore other post-secondary opportunities.
Home Schooled.
Home School applicants are required to meet the same requirements as other freshman applicants. Official ACT/SAT scores and transcripts (or portfolios) are required.
Early Admission.
A superior secondary-school student may be admitted to the freshman class as an EARLY ADMISSION if he or she (a) has earned a minimum of 15 acceptable credits, (b) has earned a standard composite ACT score of 25 or an SAT combined score of 1130, (c) ranks in the upper 25 percent of his or her high school class, and (d) is recommended for early admission in a letter from the high school principal.
Special Program for Academically Talented Students (SPATS).
Academically talented students who (a) have finished at least their junior year in high school, as judged by their high school officials, (b) in the judgment of parents and high school administrators are mature enough to profit from college work, and (c) have a standard composite score of 25 on the American College Test, may apply for admission to a special program in which they may earn regular college credit.
A SPATS student is advised to take a maximum of six credit hours (two courses). Courses taken must not be the equivalent of those which the student will take in the senior year of high school. Students are expected to return to high school and finish a normal senior year. The courses may not be substituted for high school credits to meet college admission requirements. Credit is reserved until the student has graduated from high school. Information concerning the program and application forms may be obtained by writing to: Office of Admissions and Scholarships, P.O. Box 6334, Mississippi Sate, MS 39762. Telephone: (662) 325-2224. Email: admit@msstate.edu .
Admission by Examination.
An applicant who has not graduated from high school may substitute the General Educational Development Test (high school level) for the requirement of high school graduation. The GED will substitute for the requirement of high school graduation only, and not for the other requirements for freshman admission. Therefore, applicants who took the GED must submit an acceptable ACT/SAT score. An interview is required, along with review of other information. Applicants who hold the GED and who cannot meet other requirements for freshman admission may enroll at Mississippi State as transfers after meeting the normal requirements for transfer admission from another regionally accredited institution.
Admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine.
(See College of Veterinary Medicine section in Part II.)