Campus creates park-like atmosphere

Maybe it’s because the bright blue sky formed such a breathtaking contrast with the new green of trees leafing out in early May, but Michigan State looked to me like a vast and well-tended park. Sidewalks snake through gentle rises in the landscape, and a river runs through the campus. I guess I’d expected something Spartan (they are the Spartans, after all), but the Michigan State campus is beautiful.

Most of the campus is built with classic red brick, but parts are starkly modern. The art museum looks like the Tesla Cybertruck; in fact, it was the setting for Lex Luthor’s mansion in 2016’s movie Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. A new multicultural center wears Spartan green.

Size provides abundant academic opportunities

Unlike the University of Michigan, which has an overall admit rate of 18%, Michigan State is still within reach for good students. It has an admit rate of 87% and no quota for in-state students. And there’s no lack of opportunity here. “We embrace our largeness,” said senior admissions counselor Amber Longtin to the gathering of about 40 IECA counselors. “It gives students lots of opportunities.”

Majors declared end of sophomore year

You don’t have to decide on your major until the end of sophomore year. When you apply to Michigan State, you list your major, but it’s not a factor in admissions. You are admitted to the university as a whole.

Students find community through neighborhoods

To counterbalance the size (over 40,000 undergraduates), Michigan State strives to help students find a community on campus. Residence halls are broken into “neighborhoods,” or you can choose one of three “residential college” options, which are types of living-learning communities.

Applying to Michigan State

When applying to MSU, they will take the weighted GPA from your transcript. MSU is test optional through 2026, and they say that they’re more focused on your academics than on test scores. Showing an upward trend in rigor and grades is good. If you have a “bobble” in your trajectory, be sure to explain it. Your GPA and your essay are marked as “very important” in the Common Data Set. Scholarship consideration is automatic. Your GPA impacts the money you may receive. An out-of-state student with a minimum GPA of 3.4 can get scholarships starting at $7,000 annually with scholarships from admissions going up to $15,000 annually; additional scholarships are available for high-achieving students.

Colleges offer diverse academic programs

Undergraduate Colleges at MSU and some interesting majors

• College of Agriculture & Natural Resources: construction management; packaging; landscape architecture https://www.canr.msu.edu/
• College of Arts & Letters: professional and public writing; apparel and textile design; humanities–pre-law https://cal.msu.edu/
• Eli Broad College of Business: supply chain management (#1 in nation); hospitality business https://broad.msu.edu/
• College of Communication Arts & Sciences: advertising management; digital storytelling; communicative sciences and disorders https://comartsci.msu.edu/
• College of Education: elementary education, secondary education (ranked #1 by USNWR); kinesiology https://www.education.msu.edu/
• College of Engineering: biosystems engineering; materials science and engineering; computational data science https://engineering.msu.edu/
• College of Music: composition; performance; music education https://music.msu.edu/
• College of Natural Science: actuarial science; chemical physics; computational mathematics; integrative biology; statistics https://natsci.msu.edu/
• College of Nursing: bachelor of science in nursing; RN to BSN https://nursing.msu.edu/
• College of Social Science: criminal justice; public policy; urban and regional planning https://socialscience.msu.edu/
• Plus three Residential Colleges:
• Lyman Briggs College for STEM majors https://lbc.msu.edu/
• James Madison College for social justice, political science, pre-law https://jmc.msu.edu/
• Residential College in the Arts & Humanities: two pathways–language and culture or community engagement (social justice, community activism, non-profits). https://rcah.msu.edu/

Business school offers direct admission pathway

According to Longtin, freshmen who apply to a major in the Broad College of Business and have a weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher will automatically be considered for direct admission into the program. This is a holistic process that will have a heavy emphasis on a student’s engagement in business-related areas such as DECA or FBLA. If not directly admitted to business, there is a second phase where you can reapply after completing some on-campus course requirements. This process considers grades, engagement while at MSU, and a case study you complete as a part of the application process; 40% to 60% of applicants are typically admitted through this path.

• Undergraduate Direct Admission – MSU Broad College of Business
• Secondary Admission – MSU Broad College of Business

Engineering students take pre-engineering pathway

For the College of Engineering, first-years all take a pre-engineering pathway to learn about the various fields of engineering. Then MSU will tell you what you need to take for the major you choose. Calculus is recommended; it’s especially useful to have AP Calculus BC for engineering.

Undergraduate Admissions | Michigan State University

Classes balance lectures with smaller sections

At a school this size, you’re going to have large classes in your introductory courses, but the university makes the size more manageable. A large lecture class will typically be split up with teacher assistants (TAs) holding “recitation” to cement the learning. Some classes have labs and seminars as well.

Study abroad programs lead public institutions

MSU claims the #1 spot in studying abroad among public institutions. A quarter of all undergraduates engage in study abroad.

Honors College serves top applicants

First-year applicants to Michigan State are automatically considered for the MSU Honors College, which typically takes around the top 5% of incoming students. Honors students have access to increased flexibility and more rigorous courses along with the ability to live in a newly renovated Honors residence hall, honors floors in other halls, and the ability to take up to three graduate-level courses while completing their undergraduate degree. Honors students have a second academic adviser through the MSU Honors College to help them navigate the additional opportunities available to them.

Dining halls provide unlimited meal plans

The meal plan for freshmen provides unlimited swipes. Dining halls have allergen-free stations and one hall, called Thrive, is completely allergen free. You can get Kosher meals and observe seder or Ramadan on campus. Bonus: soft-serve ice cream in all the dining halls!

Residence halls create neighborhood communities

Michigan State has 27 residence halls arranged in five neighborhoods, each with its own engagement center and small doctor’s office. Each residence hall has its own service center. Some halls have community-style bathrooms and some have suite style. There is also gender-inclusive housing where transgender and nonbinary students can choose to live together. Students must live on campus for two years, and on-campus housing is guaranteed through sophomore year.

Advisers provide comprehensive academic support

Following a virtual new student orientation program, students are connected to their academic college to meet with an adviser to select their first semester courses. After that, they recommend meeting with the adviser once a semester. In addition to the university adviser, you’ll get a major adviser and if in honors, an honors adviser.

Of course, Michigan State professors hold office hours, but the university provides a writing center, a math center, a study skills center and help rooms for disciplines like organic chemistry and physics. You may visit as often as you like.

University offers overlooked academic excellence

With a football stadium that holds 75,000, you can’t consider Michigan State to be a “hidden” gem, but I think it’s an overlooked one. Here you’ll find top-notch opportunities and excellent academics, and you don’t have to play the lottery to get in.