If you are considering submitting an application to Michigan State, the application fee costs $65.
Students who apply to Michigan State for the fall semester should anticipate a decision by October 1.
The following is an overiew of some of Michigan State's admissions stats.
Michigan State 2022 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.7 |
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 23% |
Mean SAT Score | 1196 |
Admissions Test Policy | Test Optional |
Applicants Who Submit SATs | 48% |
Applicants Who Submit ACTs | 16% |
Waitlist | No |
These are the application deadlines for Michigan State University.
Application Type | Offered | Application Deadline | Notification Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Early Decision I | No | –– | –– |
Early Decision II | –– | –– | –– |
Early Action | Yes | November 1 | January 15 |
Michigan State does not offer early decision but does offer early action.
🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. Michigan State will release EA admissions decisions no later than January 15.
➡️ Explore a list of some competetive colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
It is moderately difficult to get into Michigan State. Michigan State evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny.
In 2021, Michigan State accepted 83% of all applicants, about 42,150 from the 50,630 applicants.
Schools that are moderately difficult to get into, like Michigan State, accept fewer than 85% of all applicants. At least 75% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 50% of their high school class and scored over 1010 on the SAT or over 18 on the ACT.
Transfer student admissions is moderately difficult.
Michigan State has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.
Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important in the admissions process. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the admissions factors where you stand out.
Curious about the factors that are considered by Michigan State during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.
Admissions Factor | Level |
---|---|
Academic GPA | Very Important |
Application Essay | Very Important |
Character/Personal Qualities | Important |
Geographical Residence | Important |
Extracurricular Activities | Important |
Level of Applicant's Interest | Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Important |
Talent/Ability | Important |
Alumni/ae Relations | Considered |
Class Rank | Considered |
Work Experience | Considered |
First Generation | Considered |
Interview | Considered |
Recommendation(s) | Considered |
State Residency | Considered |
Standardized Test Scores | Considered |
Volunteer Work | Considered |
Make sure to check with Michigan State for more information on admission factors.
To apply to Michigan State, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Michigan State's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Area | Required | Recommended | Required for Some | Details (If Any) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Written Essay or Personal Statement | ||||
Interview | ||||
Transcript(S) of College Record | ||||
Transcript of High School Record | ||||
Standardized Test Scores | ||||
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) |
Students admitted to Michigan State have an average unweighted GPA of 3.7.
Out of all students that were admitted, 42% submitted a class rank. At Michigan State 23% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 54% were in the top 25% and 89% were in the top 50%.
At Michigan State University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
GPA | Percent of Students |
---|---|
4.0 GPA | 22.92% |
3.75 and 3.99 | 27.81% |
3.50 and 3.74 | 23.22% |
3.25 and 3.49 | 15.63% |
3.00 and 3.24 | 8.24% |
2.50 and 2.9 | 2.1% |
2.00 and 2.49 | 0.06% |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Michigan State directly.
About GPAs
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Michigan State considers ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
Michigan State is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
In 2022, 48% of Michigan State's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 16% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.
To be competitive with other Michigan State applicants, you should strive to score between 1110 and 1310 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Michigan State 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1310 and 25% of scored lower than 1110, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Michigan State student is 1196.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Michigan State students scored 670 or higher and 75% of students scored 550 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Michigan State students scored 650 or higher, and 75% scored a 550 or higher.
To be most competitive at Michigan State, you should strive to earn between 22 and 28 on the ACT.
An ACT score of 28 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Michigan State's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 28, and three out of four students scored lower than 28 on the ACT.
A 22 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Michigan State students. Only one out of every four students scored below 22.
Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.
For transfer students, it is moderately difficult to get admitted to Michigan State. Transfer applications are processed on a on a rolling basis as they are received.
Transfer students can enroll in Michigan State during the following terms:
• Fall Term
• Spring Term
• Summer Term
Can I defer my acceptance to Michigan State?
✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Michigan State.
Does Michigan State accept transfer credits?
✅ Michigan State accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Michigan State accepts:
• CLEP subject tests • DSST/DANTES
Does Michigan State accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
✅ Michigan State accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to Michigan State?
❌ No, Michigan State is test optional, so you can choose if you want to to submit your standardized test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application.
What is Michigan State's acceptance rate?
✅ The acceptance rate for Michigan State is 83%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Michigan State?
❌ Michigan State does not offer early decision.
To learn more about Michigan State, choose from the options below:
Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about Michigan State
Explore other colleges in Michigan or use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting into some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.
Admission Difficulty
How hard is it to get into Michigan State? Michigan State is a somewhat selective institution. The Michigan State acceptance rate is 83%. This means that the institution accepts 83 out of every 100 applicants.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Michigan State is Continuous processing.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Michigan State is Continuous processing.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
ACT Score
Estimated Chance
28 and Above
22 to 28
22 and Less
The median ACT score of an admitted student to Michigan State is 26. Students with an ACT score of 28 and above have a good chance of getting into Michigan State. Students with an ACT score that falls between 22 and 28 have an average chance of getting admitted, and students with an ACT score of 22 or below have a low chance of being offered admission.
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
SAT Score
Estimated Chance
1310 and Above
1110 to 1310
1110 and Less
The median SAT score for Michigan State students is 1196. Applicants with SAT scores of 1310 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Michigan State, while applicants with SAT scores between 1110 to 1310 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1110 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Michigan State.
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
At Michigan State, the average unweighted high-school GPA for admitted students is 3.72. This is the average, which means that some applicants submit GPAs lower than this and some applicants submit GPAs above this level. If your GPA falls below the average, strong test scores or other qualifications may help you make you a more competitive applicant.
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
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