Mississippi State University: Understanding GPA Requirements for Admission

Gaining admission to Mississippi State University (MSU) requires careful consideration of several factors, with GPA being a significant one. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the GPA requirements for prospective students, along with other important admission criteria.

What GPA Do You Need To Get Into MSU?

Mississippi State University (MSU)’s average GPA is 3.46. The average GPA at Mississippi State University is 3.6. This means Mississippi State University (MSU) is very selective. Often times, schools in this range are trying to increase their selectivity and “prestige”. This average GPA requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's.

GPA Ranges of Admitted Students

The following data illustrates the GPA ranges of students who were admitted to MSU:

3.75+: 51%
3.50-3.74: 18%
3.25-3.49: 11%
3.00-3.24: 8%
2.50-2.99: 9%
2.00-2.49: 3%
Below 2.00: 0%

Compensating for a Lower GPA

If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.6, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes.

Other Factors Influencing Admission

It's important to remember that admission decisions rely not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements.

Standardized Testing: SAT and ACT

Mississippi State University (MSU) requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. MSU’s ACT code is 2220 and the SAT code is 1480. Request that official ACT or SAT scores be sent to Mississippi State University directly from the testing agency. MSU has a rolling admissions policy.

Average Scores

Mississippi State University (MSU)’s average SAT score is 1200 - this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). To be a competitive applicant for Mississippi State University (MSU) your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 1070, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. The 25th percentile SAT score is 1100, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1340.

Mississippi State University (MSU)’s average ACT score is 75. To be a competitive applicant for Mississippi State University (MSU) your ACT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 63, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. The average ACT score at Mississippi State University is 25. The 25th percentile ACT score is 21, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 29.

Test-Optional Policy

Test-Optional: Students who choose not to participate in ACT or SAT testing will be reviewed for admissibility.

Sending Scores

You have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 21 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can.

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Superscoring

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore.

ACT Writing Section

Mississippi State University considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration.

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Mississippi State University is 77.6%. The overall acceptance rate for Mississippi State University was reported as 53.9% in Fall 2020 with over 18,300 applications submitted to this school. Because this school is not selective, you have a great shot at getting in, as long as you don't fall well below average. Aim for a 1100 SAT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission. Last year Mississippi State University (MSU)’s acceptance rate was 65.24. Acceptance rate alone does not indicate your likelihood for getting into Mississippi State University (MSU) - it’s a very high level understanding of the true competition. Use the acceptance rate as a general guide for curating a list of 10-15 schools that fall into different ranges of competitiveness.

Application Requirements

Here's a breakdown of the application requirements for MSU:

High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Recommended
College Prep Courses: Required
SAT/ACT Scores: Considered if submitted
Recommendations: Neither required nor recommended

Required and Recommended College Preparatory Curricula (CPC)

The Required and Recommended College Preparatory Curricula (CPC) are approved by the IHL Board of Trustees and maintained in the IHL Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

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Required Units

English: 4 units - All must have substantial writing requirements
Mathematics: 3 units - 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 units - Physical Science, Biology, Advanced Biology, Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Marine Biology, or another science of comparable rigor.
History: 1 unit
World History: 1 unit
Government: 1/2 unit
Economics: 1/2 unit or Geography 1/2 unit

Advanced Electives

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.

Additional Considerations

Units must require substantial communication skills (i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking).
A technology course is defined as one that emphasizes the use of technology as a productivity tool. Instruction should include utilizing various forms of technology to create, collaborate, organize, and publish information. The application of technology as a productivity tool, rather than specific hardware and/or software packages should be the focus of the course.
A computer science course emphasizes computational thinking to solve problems. Courses will involve the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware, and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society and should include a focus on one or more of the following core concepts: computing systems, networks, and the internet, data and analysis, algorithms and programming, and impacts of computing.
Pre-High School Units: Courses taken prior to high school will be accepted for admission provided the course earns Carnegie credit and the content is the same as the high school course.

Application Process

Application Fee Waiver

Mississippi State University will waive the admissions application fee for freshman applicants who submit an approved ACT/SAT or NACAC Request for Waiver of College Application Fee form obtained from and signed by their high school counselor. This waiver is need-based and not related to the scores received on the ACT/SAT test. Once this form is completed and signed, students can upload the form to their applicant portal.

Transcripts

Upload your official high school transcript (grades 9-11 with senior schedule) to your Mississippi State University applicant portal. School counselors may upload transcripts through Slate.org once counselors are verified by Slate. 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.

Special Admission Categories

Special Non-Degree (SND) Student

An applicant who is twenty-one (21) years old and who does not meet the regular freshman admission requirements, may apply for acceptance into the Special Non-Degree (SND) student category. Applicants must demonstrate adequate preparation for the courses they plan to schedule. SND students may schedule a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours during a regular term and three (6) semester hours during a five-week summer term. Students wishing to gain reclassification to a traditional major should discuss this during their initial meeting with one of the professional advisors in the University Academic Advising Center. Non-degree seeking adult applicants with previous college attendance who do not meet regular transfer requirements may be allowed to schedule courses for self improvement and/or job enhancement only.

Applicants Failing to Meet Full Admission Standards

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.

Students with Low ACT English Subscores

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).

Summer Developmental Program

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 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. Mississippi residents who apply and have not demonstrated adequate readiness in English or Reading or Mathematics will be granted Full Admission with Academic Deficiencies to the Summer Developmental Program. This is an intensive program that concentrates on high school subject areas (English, Reading, and Mathematics) that are applicable to success in first-year college courses. These remedial courses neither count toward a degree nor are they computed in a student's grade point average. Students who successfully complete the summer program by passing English, developmental Mathematics, developmental Reading and the Learning Skills Laboratory courses will receive admission to the fall term with mandatory participation in the year-long Academic Support Program.

Home School Applicants

Home School applicants are required to meet the same requirements as other freshman applicants.

SPATS Students

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. SPATS students may take courses during the spring, summer, or fall term.

Applicants Without a High School Diploma

An applicant who has not graduated from high school may substitute the state approved high school equivalency examination for the requirement of high school graduation. The approved high school equivalency exam will substitute for the requirement of high school graduation only, and not for the other requirements for freshman admission. Therefore, applicants who took an approved high school equivalency exam must submit an acceptable ACT/SAT score.

Maintaining Good Academic Standing

Academic Probation

Students whose cumulative MSU GPA is less than 2.00 at the end of any term will enter the next term on academic probation and will remain on probation until the GPA reaches 2.00 or higher. The course load for students on academic probation is restricted to a total of 16 credit hours; a student on academic probation who enrolls concurrently in excess of this limit in correspondence courses or at another institution will not receive credit at Mississippi State University for such courses.

Academic Suspension

Academic suspension shall be for at least one regular (fall or spring) semester. For students suspended at the end of a spring semester, the suspension precludes enrollment in any summer school session as well as the following fall semester. The student will be readmitted on academic probation following the expiration of the first suspension. A student who attends another university during a suspension from MSU must maintain a 2.0 GPA (calculated by MSU standards) on any transfer work. Students who fail to meet these criteria may be readmitted only on the recommendation of their dean and with the approval of the Provost.

Academic Dismissal

A student who has already received an academic suspension who fails to earn a current GPA of 2.0 or higher, and who has less than the required MSU Cumulative GPA, will be placed on academic dismissal. A student who receives an academic dismissal will not be automatically or routinely readmitted. In addition, readmission will not normally be considered until the student has been absent from the University for one calendar year. The Provost/Executive Vice President may approve the readmission of an academically dismissed student only upon the recommendation of the student’s academic dean based on a written petition by the student. Appeal for a waiver of suspension or dismissal, because of unusual circumstances, should be made through the student’s academic dean to the Executive Vice President or Provost for Academic Affairs.

VA Benefits and GPA

A student’s continued entitlement to the Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits is determined as follows: If a student’s cumulative average falls below the acceptable level, he/she will be placed on “first probation to receive VA benefits.” If during the first probation semester, a student does not improve his or her cumulative GPA, VA benefits will be suspended at the end of the semester. If a student’s cumulative GPA improves but an acceptable level is still not achieved, a “second probation to receive VA benefits” semester will be allowed. If the standards of progress are not achieved at the end of the second probation semester, VA benefits will be suspended. Based on VA rules and regulations, students receiving VA educational benefits will receive benefits only for courses that apply toward a degree program.

Academic Amnesty

Students who have not been enrolled in any post-secondary institution for five years may apply for admission or readmission under the academic amnesty policy through their academic dean’s offices. Academic Amnesty may be applied to a student’s record only once, and the new grade point average will be noted on the transcript at the end of the semester during which the request was approved.. Students admitted under this policy must complete current curriculum requirements in residence to earn a degree. With notification from the Dean of the Graduate School, the Registrar's Office will segment the student's academic record showing all courses and grades to be included in academic amnesty and recalculate the graduate GPA accordingly. The student is permitted to retake a course that was included as part of the 9 hours of coursework eliminated under the academic amnesty, if permitted by the academic program. All courses and grades attempted at MSU will remain a part of the student's academic record. A notation will appear on the transcript indicating the student was approved from academic amnesty.

Academic Fresh Start

Students who have not been enrolled in any post-secondary institution at any time for at least 24 consecutive months may petition for admission or readmission through their academic dean’s offices under the academic fresh-start policy. All college credits earned prior to being granted academic fresh start will be eliminated from the computation of the student’s grade point average and may never be used toward graduation at Mississippi State University. The student’s transcript will reflect the complete academic record but will contain the notation at the appropriate point that all academic work prior to the consecutive twenty-four months absence would be declared void for the purposes of academic standing and graduation. Students admitted under this policy must complete current curriculum requirements in residency to earn a degree.

Academic Forgiveness (Course Retake) Policy

Effective fall semester 2007, for courses taken during or after fall semester 2003, an undergraduate student will be permitted to retake up to two (2) courses, not to exceed eight (8) credit undergraduate semester hours, or one (1) course not to exceed nine (9) credit undergraduate semester hours, in which he or she made a B, C, D, or F with the original grade remaining on the transcript but not counted towards the student’s GPA. After the retake, the original grade is left on the student’s record but is not counted in the grade point totals.

Graduate School Academic Standards

To graduate, the student must complete all University and degree program requirements listed in the Graduate Catalog. A graduate student cannot graduate under any of the following circumstances. No graduate courses with pass/fail credit are accepted as part of a graduate program.

Provisional Admission

The provisionally admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 or higher GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a C unless one-course retake is approved per the Graduate Course Retake Policy). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's Program of Study. Courses with an S grade or transfer credits cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the Graduate Coordinator for the program’s specific requirements. While in provisional status, a student may be limited in the type of funding that can be used for a graduate assistantship (eg, positions that are state funded).

Academic Probation (Graduate)

A graduate student should be placed on probation by the department when academic deficiencies occur but the student can potentially meet all degree requirements successfully. A student may also be placed on academic probation if they fall short of any other standards for satisfactory academic performance established by their academic unit. Specific information relative to retaking of courses or completing remedial work will be established by the appropriate academic advisor, graduate committee, and Graduate Coordinator and shall be documented in written form. This remediation plan must specify a required date of completion. If the student intends to pursue the academic appeal process relating to the reason for being placed on probation, they must do so during the first probationary semester.

Academic Dismissal (Graduate)

A student shall be dismissed by the Graduate School for failure to meet University requirements as stated above after the academic unit confirms that there are no extenuating circumstances. The student may refer to the Graduate Catalog for information regarding the appeals process (see Academic Dismissal Appeal Procedure). A student who has been dismissed from a graduate program and has not been reinstated via the appeal process cannot apply for readmission into that program, except by meeting the conditions necessary to request Academic Amnesty (see Academic Amnesty). Students are entitled to only one academic dismissal appeal.

Graduate Student Appeal Process

The following section outlines the graduate student appeal process and should be followed for any appeal a student wishes to make (e.g., dismissal, probationary status). Students should also note AOP 12.37 Graduate Student Academic Grievance Procedures for issues not related to academic performance or standing within a program. A graduate student wishing to appeal a decision of dismissal must begin the process within 15 business days, excluding University holidays. The entire appeal process consists of up to three stages. Any new information added to the supporting documentation after a denial will be submitted to the denying unit for review with their option to include a letter addressing the new information which will be included in the appeal. This letter will be submitted within 5 business days of receipt of the additional material.

Appeal Stages

Appeal to the Department Head: The appeal to the Department Head is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation within 15 business days. The Department Head informs the Graduate Coordinator and Academic Dean when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Department Head may convene an existing or ad hoc departmental committee to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Department Head, or the Department Head may choose to render a decision themselves. The Department Head may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals committee.
Appeal to the Academic Dean: If the appeal is denied at the departmental level, the student may appeal the departmental decision by submitting a written request with all relevant supporting documentation to the Academic Dean within 15 days of the receipt of the Department Head's decision. The Academic Dean informs the Graduate Coordinator and Department Head when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Academic Dean may convene an existing or ad hoc college committee to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Dean, or the Dean may render a decision themselves or by someone appointed by the Dean to review such matters. The Academic Dean may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals committee.
Appeal to the Provost: If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Academic Dean, the student may submit a final appeal to the Provost. The appeal to the Office of the Provost is submitted by letter along with relevant supporting documentation within 15 days of receipt of the Academic Dean's decision. The Provost will inform the Dean of the Graduate School when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Provost may request that the Dean of the Graduate School convene a subcommittee consisting of three voting members of the Graduate Council who do not have a conflict of interest with the graduate student or the student's department to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Provost. A subcommittee chair will be named by the Dean of the Graduate School. Relevant supporting documents submitted by the student, department, and/or the Graduate School will be assembled by the Graduate School and delivered electronically to the subcommittee for review. The recommendation of the subcommittee will be conveyed to the Provost in writing and copied to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Provost may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals subcommittee. The Provost will render a decision in writing to the student and copy the notification to the Department Head, Academic Dean, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Recourse to the Provost is the final stage of appeal.

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