Admissions Requirements

Full admission will be granted to the following:

1. All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 2.0 high school GPA on the CPC, as well as a score of 18 or higher on the ACT (composite or superscore) or equivalent SAT score based on the testing concordance in place at the time of the testing date.
2. All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 2.5 high school GPA on the CPC or a class rank in the top 50 percent, as well as a score of 16 or higher on the ACT (composite or superscore) or equivalent SAT score based on the testing concordance in place at the time of the testing date. (Click here and view Table A2.)
3. All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 3.2 high school GPA on the CPC. (Please note that students offered admission without an ACT or SAT score cannot be considered for freshman scholarships. Click here and view Table A2.)
4. Students who satisfy the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) standards for student-athletes who are full qualifiers under Division I guidelines

*Based on any SAT taken before March 2016

The University of Southern Mississippi accepts scores from both the old SAT (any SAT taken before March 2016) and the newly redesigned SAT. If you have taken the SAT after March 1, 2016, use College Board’s SAT Score Converter to compare your SAT scores to old SAT scores.

Students must have either an associate degree intended for transfer from a regionally accredited institution or have completed the 30 semester hours of designated coursework outlined below with a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average for admission.

• 6 semester hours of English Composition (English Composition I and II)
• 3 semester hours of mathematics (college algebra, quantitative reasoning, or higher mathematics)
• 6 semester hours of natural science (courses must be laboratory-based, with the lecture courses accompanied by the respective lab course)
• 9 semester hours of humanities and fine arts (common examples of acceptable coursework are history, philosophy, religion, world literature, art, music)
• 6 semester hours of social or behavioral sciences (common examples of acceptable coursework are anthropology, geography, sociology, psychology, social work)

Students must meet freshman admission requirements and have earned a minimum 2.0 cumulative college grade point average for admission.

Please note that transfer students admitted through this route must submit transcripts from all colleges/universities attended after high school and that transfer credits will be applied toward their degree at Southern Miss. 

An applicant who is at least 21 years old and does not meet any other admission requirements may apply for admission as a non-degree-seeking student, which is commonly referred to as the conditional status.  Students seeking admission through this route must have a minimum cumulative college grade point average of 2.0.

Students with this status may enroll in no more than 12 semester hours and must earn a minimum 2.0 grade point average during the first 12 hours of enrollment at the university.  Once these requirements are satisfactorily met, all restrictions are lifted and the student is considered degree-seeking.  Students admitted on this status may experience financial aid restrictions, including Pell Grant ineligibility. Once conditional status requirements are satisfied, all financial aid restrictions will be lifted.

Application Deadline: Jan. 15

Through course offerings and extra-curricular programming, the Honors College Foundations curriculum nurtures the habits of minds, spirit of curiosity, and sense of civic engagement that are at the heart of the Honors College mission. The curriculum is developmental, cultivating in students the intellectual skills and resources they will need as they advance to the mature achievement of the Honors thesis. The Honors College offers an enriched and challenging educational experience for students who exemplify such ideals as intellectual curiosity, creativity, openness to new ideas, passion for learning, and drive. 

The application is available to any student with a 24+ ACT (1160 SAT) and 3.5+ GPA*; students who do not meet these benchmarks but who believe that the Honors College is right for them should reach out to our Coordinator of Recruitment for more information. 

• Apply to the Honors College

*Standardized test scores earned through December will be considered for both Honors admission and Achievement Award eligibility. SAT scores are converted to the equivalent ACT score based on the testing concordance in place at the time of the testing date. For core GPA calculation, grades earned in college preparatory curriculum (CPC) coursework are computed on a four-point scale; thus, weighted grades earned in AP, advanced or honors classes are not calculated into core GPA. 

Application Deadline: July 1

The Honors College offers an enriched and challenging educational experience for high-achieving, highly engaged students. As a junior and senior in the Keystone curriculum, you have the exciting opportunity to chart your own course through the design and completion of an original research project -- the senior Honors Thesis. 

To be eligible for admission, students entering in the fall must have a minimum GPA of 3.4 on at least 45 completed college credit hours and must have completed at least three full-time semesters of college. To complete the Honors Keystone curriculum students must have at least four semesters remaining before graduation. Applications are read holistically, with special attention to writing skills and the extent to which the student embodies such Honors College values as intellectual curiosity, creativity, openness to new ideas, and drive. 

• Apply to Honors Keystone