Freshman Admission - [ admission requirements ]
- Steps to Complete
- High School Course Requirements
- Full Admission
- Full Admission with Academic Deficiencies
- Yearlong Academic Support Program
- Additional Information
- Recommended Courses for the Class of 2012:
Complete the following steps
- Complete the application for admission.
- Submit a non-refundable $40 application fee.
- Request that official ACT or SAT scores be sent to Mississippi State. We encourage that these test scores come directly from ACT or SAT
ACT College Code - 2220
SAT College Code - 1480
The writing test of the ACT and SAT are not considered for admission or scholarship awarding purposes. - Request your high school send your official six-semester high school transcript (through your junior year) to Mississippi State University; faxed transcripts will not be accepted.
- Submit official transcripts from each college or university attended; faxed transcripts will not be accepted. An applicant may not ignore previous college attendance and MUST list all colleges attended on the application for admission.
- Supply Mississippi State with proof of immunity to measles and rubella.
Transcripts and other documentation sent via U.S. Postal Service should be submitted to:
Office of Admissions & Scholarships
P.O. Box 6334
Mississippi State, MS 39762
The Office of Admissions and Scholarships may also be contacted by calling (662) 325-2224 or sending an e-mail to admit@msstate.edu.
High School Course Requirements
To be accepted into the freshmen class at Mississippi State University, students must satisfactorily complete the following College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with an appropriate core grade-point average:
- English -- 4 units, all requiring substantial communication skills components.
- Mathematics -- 3 units: Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. (Algebra I taken in the 8th grade will be accepted for admission provided the course content is the same as the high school course.)
- Natural Science -- 3 units chosen from Biology, Advanced Biology, Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics, Advanced Physics, or another science course of comparable rigor. (Two science units must be laboratory based.)
- Social Studies -- 3 units, including U.S. History, World History (substantial Geography component), Government (1/2 unit), and Economics (1/2 unit) or Geography (1/2 unit).
- Advanced Electives -- 2 units chosen from Foreign Language, World Geography, 4th-year laboratory-based Science, and 4th-year Mathematics. One of the units must be Foreign Language or World Geography. (Foreign Language taken in the 8th grade will be accepted for admission provided the course content is the same as the high school course.)
- Computer -- 1/2 unit: computer as a productivity tool, not as a keyboarding device
Pre-high School Units - Algebra I, or first year Foreign Language, or Mississippi Studies taken prior to high school will be accepted for admission provided the course content is the same as the high school course.
Full Admission
Full admission to Mississippi State University will be granted to high school graduates who complete the required CPC listed above with one of the following:
- A minimum 3.20 grade-point average on the CPC.
- A minimum 2.50 grade-point average 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 grade-point average 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.
The writing test of the ACT and SAT are not considered for admission or scholarship awarding purposes.
Full Admission with Academic Deficiencies
Mississippi residents who fail to meet full admission standards as listed above may, as a result of review, be admitted to the fall or summer semester. The review shall involve a consideration of high school performance, ACT/SAT scores , placement testing, and special interests and skills, as well as other nonacademic factors.
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 yearlong Academic Support Program.
Mississippi residents 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 an 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 term 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.
Yearlong Academic Support Program
This program is designed to assist students who successfully complete the Summer Developmental Program, as well as other students, with their freshman courses. The Academic Support Program staff includes special tutors in mathematics, science, reading, and writing, as well as career counselors. The goal of this program is to provide individualized support for marginally prepared students who are enrolled in regular academic credit courses.
Home Schooled
Home-schooled applicants must submit the following:
- Home-school transcripts or portfolio summarizing home school education
- ACT or SAT scores
Special Non-Degree
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. Students in this category will be advised by and will schedule classes through the University Academic Advising Center. 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. To move from the SND status, students should satisfactorily complete twelve (12) semester hours with a C or better average in core courses that are applicable to a degree at MSU. 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. For students admitted to a degree program, a maximum of eighteen (18) semester hours of credit earned while in the SND classification may be counted toward a baccalaureate degree, pending approval by the dean of the college or school from which the degree is sought.
Degree-seeking adult applicants with previous college attendance must meet regular transfer student requirements and, therefore, may not apply for admission under the Special Non-Degree option.
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 should file a letter of intent with the Director of Admissions and Scholarships to enroll under this option.
Applicants Without A High School Diploma
1. Applicants who have completed high school from a school that does not hold regional accreditation must submit the following:
- Transcripts reflecting academic performance
- ACT or SAT scores
Applicants may be required to appear for an on-campus interview.
2. Home-schooled applicants must submit the following:
- Home-school transcripts or portfolio summarizing home school education.
- ACT or SAT scores
Applicants may be required to appear for an on-campus interview.
3. Applicants who have not completed high school must submit the following:
- Qualifying scores on the General Education Development Test (GED)
- Any transcripts reflecting academic performance in high school
Applicants may be required to appear for an on-campus interview.
Additional Information
Entering freshmen who have both a high school grade-point average of less than 2.5 on the CPC 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 requesting admission to the College of Engineering, may also be required to enter MSU with an undeclared major and be advised by the staff of the University Academic Advising Center until they meet the minimum university standards for admission into a degree program. Please visit the Bagley College of Engineering Website or contact Robert Green, Undergraduate Coordinator, College of Engineering for additional information.
Students may meet general admission requirements to the university, but not meet the requirements for a specific department. Applicants should contact the academic department in which they intend to major for additional requirements.
For admission information or an application, or to inquire further about university admission requirements, contact the Office of Admissions & Scholarships, P.O. Box 6334, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Phone: (662) 325-2224 or send e-mail to admit@msstate.edu.
Recommended Courses for the Class of 2012:
For freshmen entering fall 2012 or later, it is recommended that students satisfactorily complete the following College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with an appropriate core grade-point average:
- English -- 4 units, Compensatory Reading and Compensatory Writing may not be included.
- Mathematics -- 4 units, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and any one other Carnegie Unit of comparable rigor and content. (e.g., Advanced Algebra, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, Discrete Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, or AP Statistics.)
- Natural Science -- 4 units, Biology I, Chemistry I, and any two Carnegie Units of comparable rigor and content. (e.g., Physics, Physical Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, AP Chemistry, Physics II, AP Physics B, AP Physics C – Electricity and Magnetism, AP Physics C –Mechanics, Botany, Microbiology, or Human Anatomy and Physiology.)
- Social Studies – 4 units, Includes World History, U.S. History, Introduction to World Geography, U.S. Government, Economics, and Mississippi Studies. (Credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state may stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies.)
- Arts – 1 unit, Any visual and/or performing arts course that meets the requirements for high school graduation.
- Advanced Electives -- 2 units, Foreign Language (I and II): or Advanced World Geography and a Foreign Language (I); or any combination of English, mathematics, or lab-based science courses of comparable rigor and content to those required for the entering class of 2012.
- Computer -- 1/2 unit, Course should cover the use application packages, such as word processing and spreadsheets, basic computer terminology and hardware operation.
Pre-High School Units such as Algebra I, Foreign Language I, or Mississippi Studies taken prior to high school will be accepted for admission, provided the course content is the same as the high school course.
