• Be a resident of Mississippi.  
• Be a current tenth grader with a minimum of 12 Carnegie units of study upon the completion of the tenth grade. Students must earn a minimum of 13 units while at MSMS.
• Have a record of school performance that is above average (B or higher) in most subjects and superior (A) in mathematics and science.
• Have strong desire to attend MSMS. Students attending MSMS must be self-motivated to meet the academic requirements and succeed in the residential setting.
• Be noted for intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, and imagination.
• Have earned high scores on American College Test (ACT). Applications will not be reviewed unless applicants have submitted an ACT score.
• Submit a completed application.  

• Demonstrate clear evidence of strong interest in science and mathematics.
• Provide samples of writing ability.
• Submit school recommendation forms. Each applicant will request recommendations from the school counselor, a mathematics teacher, a science teacher, and another school official. Forms are in the application packet. TO HAVE THEIR APPLICATIONS CONSIDERED, APPLICANTS MUST MAKE SURE THESE FORMS ARE COMPLETED AND RETURNED ON TIME. IT IS THE APPLICANT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO DO A FINAL CHECK BY THE END OF THE 1ST WEEK OF FEBRUARY TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPLETED APPICATION IS RETURNED BY FEBRUARY 19, 2010.
• Upon invitation, undergo a personal interview. Applicants who score a 9 or above (of possible 15) will be invited for an interview.
• Other criteria as deemed significant by the State board of Education.

• All applicants should complete the following coursework:
• ENGLISH – 2 units
  (English I and English II)
• SCIENCE – 2 units
  (Biology required; Chemistry recommended.)
• MATHEMATICS – 2 units
  (Algebra I, Geometry..)
• SOCIAL STUDIES –
  2 units (Mississippi Studies required; Geography and World History recommended.)
• HEALTH – 0.5 unit
  (Students must receive 1/2 credit from their home schools.)
• TECHNOLOGY – 1.0 unit
  (Computer Discovery or 0.5 unit of keyboarding and 0.5 unit of Computer Applications.)
• FOREIGN LANGUAGE – 1.0 unit
  (Students are strongly encouraged to complete at least 1 unit of the 2 units required for graduation prior to enrolling at MSMS.)
• PHYSICAL EDUCATION – 0.5 unit
  (Students must receive 1/2 credit from their home schools.)

All students must pass the Algebra I, American History, Biology I, and English II subject area exams as required by the Mississippi Department of Education prior to graduation.

• Mailing Address: MSMS Office of Admissions 1100 College Street, MUW-1627 Columbus, MS 39701 Street Address: 1204 – II & C Lane Mary Wilson Home Columbus, MS 39701
• Website: www.msms.k12.ms.us
• Phone Numbers: 800.553.6459. or 662.329.7687 Fax: 662.329.8570

• The selection of students for the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) is a challenging task.
• To ensure that procedures for selection are fair and equitable, the State Board of Education established a process that uses three committees.
• These review committees are made up of educators and parents from across the state, representing all four of Mississippi’s congressional districts.
• By this system, MSMS students are chosen impartially. Only the Final Review Committee has access to the scores given by other committees.

• The Application Review Committee

  This committee (in teams of three) reviews all the application materials. Each committee member reviews and rates the applications individually.

• The Interview Committee
  

  This committee (in teams of two) interviews invited applicants. Each interviewer scores the applicant individually.

• The Final Review Committee

  This committee reviews the applicant scores from the Interview and Application Review Committees as well as scores on approved standardized tests and grades.

I haven’t done any science or math projects. What can I use for my work sample?

Your work sample shows the Application Review Committee what kind of student you are. That’s why it’s important to take some time to consider what you want to include as your work sample. Your work sample MUST be an example from the Work Sample instruction page. Be creative! Talk to your parents. The work sample MAY NOT be material that was submitted for an actual grade, but your teachers may be able to suggest ideas for a special project.

How do I obtain an application?

Several versions of the application are available on our website at http://www.themsms.org/apply. You are currently using the first version, the one for electronic submission. Use this if you want to complete the application on a computer and submit it electronically. The second version is an interactive .pdf file. Although this version is editable, allowing you to complete individual forms, you will not be able to submit them electronically. Instead, you will need to complete each form on a computer, print the completed forms, sign them, and mail them to the Admissions Office. The third version will allow you to download the entire application as a single .pdf file to print and complete offline.

Should I wait and mail the application together, or can I mail in each page as I finish it?

The application booklet is designed so that you can remove each page to be sent separately. The only requirement here is that all of the application be received by the due date. It should be noted that the pages are placed in the file separately, with the cover removed; so it is not necessary to keep the pages in the booklet.

Should I wait and submit the application together, or can I submit each page as I finish it?

If you use this electronic submission version, each page is submitted as you complete it. If you use either of the .pdf applications, you may submit completed pages individually or together as a complete package. The only requirement is that all of the application be POSTMARKED by the due date.

Should I type the application if I use the offline versions?

No, the application does not have to be typed. You may type the application if you wish, but you must use the original application pages. You may not type your answers on a separate piece of paper. Since the application will be reviewed in its entirety, neatness counts.

I don’t have anything to put on my Résumé. Should I just leave it blank?

Perhaps you have not given enough thought to this question. Some honors that you have received may seem small to you but should be included here. Have you made the honor roll? Does your teacher recognize special students? Not all honors you have received have been accompanied by awards. Try to think of these kinds of honors. You should also include church and community service organization awards and recognitions.

What can I expect on Interview Day?

On Interview Day, invited applicants will come on campus for a short interview (no more that 25 minutes). You will be interviewed by two Interview Committee members who will ask you a series of questions. These questions are the same questions all of the other invited applicants will be asked. Most students are nervous going into the interview but leave the interview very relieved.

The interview is usually described as a conversation. You will find that the interviewers understand that you are nervous and will help you to feel as comfortable as possible. The interview is your only opportunity to present yourself in person to the committees.

There will also be testing in the subjects of mathematics, chemistry, and English. Your scores on these tests will not affect your acceptance to MSMS. The scores aren’t viewed until selection is complete. The purpose of these tests is to properly place you in the correct classes should you be accepted to MSMS.

How many student apply and how many are accepted?

The number of students is determined by the vacancies left by the previous graduating class. The number varies but ranges from 135 to 160.

Why not more students?

MSMS’ small population allows opportunities for small classes. The low teacher-to-student ratio means that all MSMS students have the benefit of personal attention from their teachers. The maximum number also is affected by the number of rooms available for MSMS students in the residence halls.

What are the minimum GPA (grade point average) and ACT scores for admittance to MSMS?

The admissions process is open to all tenth grade students whose academic performance is above average (B or higher) in most subjects and superior (A) in science and mathematics. Admission is based on camparing the applications of all applicants.

I took the ACT in the ninth grade. Do I need to take it again?

MSMS requires one score from the ACT for admission. Although an earlier score would satisfy this requirement, it would probably be to your advantage to retake teh ACT now to see if your score improves. MSMS does not penalize you for taking the ACT multiple times and only takes the highest score..

Do MSMS students live in the same residence halls with the MUW students?

No. MSMS students live in Goen Residence Hall (female residence) and Frazer Residence Hall (male residence).

What are classes like?

The average MSMS student takes six or seven classes. Depending on what times and days these classes meet, you will have open periods at various times during the day. The academic class day is from 8 a.m. to 4:00p.m. Tutorial time is provided during required study hours Monday – Thursday or during teachers' office hours.

In class, MSMS faculty bring a great deal of experience and expertise to every subject. A full third of our faculty have their doctorates, and many have been recognized nationally for their achievements. MSMS classrooms often echo with class discussions, and special projects allow students to work separately and together on practical uses of knowledge. MSMS classes are challenging. Hard work and commitment will be necessary to succeed at MSMS, but you will not have to do it alone. MSMS teachers are always willing to help inside and outside the class and at tutorials. Other MSMS students can also be a source of assistance.