Broad College launches direct admit program for undergraduate students

For students eager to study at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business, admission is competitive, based on their academic performance and business and leadership experience. Fully launched this fall, the direct admission pathway offers an option for high-performing high school students to secure their future in business at Broad as soon as they arrive.

“The direct admit process gives prospective MSU students the assurance that they will be admitted into the Broad College,” Richard Spreng, associate dean for undergraduate programs, said. “This will make MSU and the Broad College more attractive to high-performing high school students.”

This fall, after running a series of pilot programs, the Broad College welcomed its first incoming class of 500 direct admit students. Next year, the aim is to increase the direct admission to 700 students.

“Students are currently invited for direct admit based on their application to Michigan State University,” Melanie Wallace, associate director of undergraduate admissions, said. “If a student applies to MSU selecting accounting, finance, human resource management, management, marketing or supply chain management as their major and has a 3.5 minimum GPA at the time of application, they are automatically considered for direct admit.”

Once direct admit students accept the invitation and begin classes at MSU, they must meet milestones to maintain their admission to the Broad College. These include completing 28 credits in their first three semesters, including a required computer science course, and earning a 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA, as well as a 3.0 minimum technical GPA that includes statistics, writing and economics.

“Direct admit students are reviewed every semester automatically — they don’t have to initiate this process — and then they are notified that they are confirmed,” Wallace said.

Direct admission is not the only pathway for Spartans to enter the Broad College. Students applying to MSU who do not receive a direct admission invitation but have an interest in business — whether they are coming directly from high school or transferring from another university — can apply to Broad through the college’s secondary admission option. Both direct and secondary admission pathways offer the same curriculum and opportunities and are highly competitive.

“Everyone who graduates from the Broad College has been through an admissions process,” Shannon Brecheisen, assistant dean for undergraduate academic operations and student experience, said. “When you think about the fact that MSU had over 10,000 applications this year for business and we are only targeting 500 through direct admission, it becomes clear that this is still a competitive process.”

Regardless of the admissions route a student takes to enter the Broad College, the classroom offerings and curriculum are unmatched. The college’s undergraduate programs prepare Spartans to become transformational leaders who positively impact business and organizations.