Of the 51% of enrolled freshmen in 2023 who submitted SAT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite scores were 1110–1320. Of the 14% of the incoming freshman class who submitted ACT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 24 and 30.
The university has seen steady increases to its applicant pool in recent decades, and the number of applications has more than doubled since the class of 2007 received 24,436 applications. Michigan state law does not require the state's public universities to reserve their spaces for Michigan residents.
Together with Michigan Technological University, Wayne State University, Kalamazoo College, Hillsdale College, Calvin University, and Hope College, Michigan State is one of the seven college-sponsors of the National Merit Scholarship Program in the state. The university sponsored 30 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 38 first-year students were National Merit Scholars.
=== Graduate ===
For fall 2023, the Michigan State University College …
