Ole Miss is the "Harvard of the South" – Bahahahaha!

Just the other day I was having a conversation with a Mississippi outsider and I asked him about his perception of Mississippi State and Ole Miss.  He thought Ole Miss was the more prestigious school.  I naturally had some beef with that.  Not because I am a MSU alumni, or because I write about State, but because it’s simply not true based on facts.

Both Mississippi State and Ole Miss have EXACTLY the same admissions requirements for freshman:

Regular admission will be granted to the following:

1. All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum 3.20 high school GPA on the CPC.
2. All students completing the CPC with a minimum 2.50 high school GPA on the CPC and a minimum score of 16 on the composite ACT (or 760 on the SAT critical reading/mathematics).
3. All students completing the CPC with a class rank in the top 50 percent and a minimum score of 16 on the composite ACT (or 760 on the SAT critical reading/mathematics).
4. All students completing the CPC with a minimum 2.00 high school GPA on the CPC and a minimum composite score of 18 on the ACT (or 860 on the SAT critical reading/mathematics).
5. All students who meet certification requirements for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). This option is available to all freshman applicants.

That came directly from Ole Miss’ website, and MSU’s says the same thing. I wouldn’t exactly classify either school as an academic juggernaut.  But at least MSU doesn’t go around parading ourselves as something we aren’t.  More stats:

Average ACT scores

Ole Miss: 23

MSU: 23.6

Percentage of students from Mississippi

Ole Miss: 66%

MSU: 72.7%

Total student population

Ole Miss: 18,224

MSU: 20,424

Tuition

Ole Miss: $5,790 in-state, $9,006 out-of-state

MSU: $5,805 in-state, $8,865 out-of-state

Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t most “prestigious” colleges charge a hefty tuition?  But they’re less than the “cow college” down the way?  And their grades are the same? I guess those chandeliers in the tailgating tents are more for show than an actual representation of who has more money, brains and class (as they like to say).

Good for U of M that they have the medical school and the law school.  They got here first and created it.  They have a nice campus…good job, so do we.  They like to drink, congratulations for making those lists.  I’ve never been able to pinpoint how dressing well and socializing made you an elite individual, but who knows, I just enjoy a quiet life and my Georgia boots.

I’ll hand it to TSUN, they’ve done a good job projecting an image that they are “the school” in the state.  Outsiders view Ole Miss as just that, although Mississippians know who is ahead.  Public Policy Polling released their findings on November 18, 2011 about which school was best-liked in Mississippi, 36% favored MSU, Southern had 27% of the vote and Ole Miss had 21%.  16% couldn’t make up their mind.

Things are changing though, and the athletic department at State is leading the way.  No longer are we going to sit idly by while Ole Miss perpetuates stereotypes and propaganda.  Thanks to Scott Stricklin and Dan Mullen for standing up and taking what is ours, and that is: the state of Mississippi.  For so many reasons, THIS IS OUR STATE! HAIL STATE!