Students who show promise of meeting the high academic standards of the Shackouls Honors College will be admitted. Students are admitted based on several criteria: high school GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, a record of academic and extracurricular involvement as shown on the MSU online scholarship resume, recommendation letters, and an application essay. No one factor alone is sufficient for admission. The typical Honors College freshman achieved approximately a 30 ACT composite score and a 3.8 high school GPA.
For transfer or current Mississippi State University students seeking to join: a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.4 is required for admission, two letters of recommendation from university professors, and at least 60 credit hours remaining until graduation.
In order to retain full privileges of the Honors College, you must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 and enroll in at least one graded, three-hour Honors course per calendar year until graduation.
For all students in the Shackouls Honors College, a $50 programming fee will be added to the students' accounts each Fall and Spring semester.
Incoming freshmen honors students are strongly encouraged to live in the honors residential college (Griffis and Hurst Halls).