MSU officials expect the grade-point averages of the incoming freshman class to be even higher than last year.

The higher GPA is part of a five-year trend at MSU that some officials don’t expect to end anytime soon. Last year’s class entered the university with an average 3.52 high-school GPA.

“I would expect that the pattern will continue,” said David Byelich, MSU’s director of the Office of Planning and Budgets.

Higher GPAs are expected because a rising number of applicants is causing MSU to increase its enrollment standards, Provost Lou Anna Simon said.

University officials won’t know the exact GPA of the freshman class until all members complete enrollment for the fall.

But GPAs aren’t the only academic standards on the rise for the freshman class. Byelich said the trend carries over to ACT scores, as well.

Since 1997, ACT scores have risen from 23.3 to a 24.0, and Byelich said the incoming freshmen scores this year also should comply with the trend. The rising academic-characteristics are a response to the interest high school seniors are showing in the university.

“You either have to be a little bit more exclusive, or make MSU bigger,” said Thomas Wolff, associate dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering.

“Until we have more dorms, we can’t take in more freshmen.”

MSU’s residence halls can hold more than 14,000 students, with more than 43,000 students enrolled at the university.

“I truly believe Michigan State has a lot of opportunities for small school environments on the large campus,” he said.

“But I don’t think it gains much for us to grow any.”

So to keep enrollment numbers down, standards go up - making MSU a more exclusive institution.

“Total numbers of high-school graduates is increasing, but MSU’s enrollment are near flat-lined or only increasing slightly,” Wolff said.

“So yes, it is getting a little more exclusive, but I don’t think it’s a big problem.”

And it isn’t just MSU who is raising its standards - students seem to be, too.

Wolff said more students every year are graduating from high schools with better grades and a clearer knowledge of the basic fundamentals. MSU is just reflecting the changing times.

Incoming freshman Brian Johns said he’s not worried about the university becoming too exclusive.

The Farmington Hills resident and criminal justice freshman graduated from high school with a 3.3 GPA.

“Just because GPAs are high doesn’t categorize anyone,” he said. “You can still get whole different collection of students with higher GPAs.”