MSU, which is listed 72nd on U.S. News and World Report’s national ranking overall, was ranked sixth out of the more than 300 universities included in the 2012 list.

The ranking was based on factors including rate of freshman retention — 91 percent of freshmen returned as sophomores in fall 2011 — and the average test scores and class rank of accepted applicants — the 2012 freshman class has an average GPA of 3.4 to 3.9 and ACT scores ranging from 23 to 28.

University Undergraduate Division Coordinator Gary Wood attributes the university’s freshman-to-sophomore year retention rate to the nurturing environment MSU provides for students as they begin their college careers.

“We have good academic advising, we have good tutoring programs. Most freshmen have contact with tenured faculty during their first year,” he said. “I think the campus generally has an environment of supporting students and students supporting each other.”

Media arts and technology senior Kara Parker said although she received B’s in high school, she was inspired to work harder in college.

“As I got to college, I was given classes that kind of fueled my passion,” Parker said. “I was never big on reading books or studying in the traditional sense, but MSU has given me the chance to get more hands-on experience — to pursue experiences that have helped me grow as a student.”

MSU Director of Admissions James Cotter said admissions are geared toward well-rounded students, not just students who received 4.0s in high school.

“We don’t define an academic requirement as defining the student, but rather their experiences clarify who they are,” he said.

“In our review process, we look at academic record, but we also look at what it is that a student brings to the table. How are they going to make us better? When you look at our student population, I think that some of the most valuable lesson that our students learn are things that they learn from each other.”

However, Cotter was hesitant to label the university as geared toward just one type of student.
“I could argue that Michigan State University is a great institution for a wide array of students, not just B students but A students and A students, and on occasion even a B- student,” Cotter said.

“The university is large, and with that largeness comes a tremendous amount of diversity.”