Hello everyone, I'm a junior seeking insights about admission to Michigan State University. Does anyone know what GPA is typically required for MSU? Also, do they prefer weighted or unweighted GPAs? Thanks a bunch in advance.
Michigan State University (MSU) doesn't publish an explicit GPA requirement for their applicants. However, to give you some idea, the average GPA for admitted students is around 3.8. Although this number may seem high, do keep in mind that MSU takes a holistic approach to review applications, so a GPA falling a bit below this average does not automatically exclude you from consideration.
According to MSU's admission information, they evaluate both your cumulative GPA and the specific GPAs of your completion of college preparatory mathematics courses. So, more than the absolute GPA, they're interested in your academic performance trend, the rigor of your individual classes, and the progression of your course load.
As for your other question, MSU considers both weighted and unweighted GPAs. However, they're particularly interested in the details—that is, the difficulty of the classes you took to achieve that GPA. If you have a high weighted GPA because of challenging AP or IB classes, that will be more impressive than a high unweighted GPA in easier classes.
Overall, while your GPA is indeed a vital part of your application, it's not the sole deciding factor. MSU will also review other aspects like your extracurricular activities, personal essay, letters of recommendation, and standardized test scores (if you choose to submit them). Be sure to give attention to all of these components to present a strong, well-rounded application.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.