How can I compare my admission chances at Virginia Tech and Michigan State?

The key practical tradeoff is that Virginia Tech engineering is typically the more difficult admission hurdle, while Michigan State may offer a more attainable path but still requires solid preparation in math and science. A 1280 SAT is unlikely to strengthen a Virginia Tech engineering application, whereas it may be more workable at Michigan State depending on your transcript and the rest of your file. Your 3.8 weighted GPA cannot be evaluated by itself, because schools will look closely at the unweighted grades and level of coursework behind it.

For Virginia Tech, focus on whether you have taken and performed well in the most rigorous math, science, and English courses available to you, especially precalculus or calculus and lab sciences. Engineering applicants are reviewed in a particularly competitive pool, so strong grades in those courses matter more than an overall weighted GPA boosted mainly by non-core classes. With the information provided, treat Virginia Tech as a reach rather than assuming it is a target.

At Michigan State, the same academic preparation matters, but your profile may be more competitive relative to the broader applicant pool. A 1280 should not make you complacent, particularly for engineering, but a transcript with consistent B-or-better work in advanced math and science could put you in a realistic range. If your unweighted GPA is notably lower than the weighted figure or your course rigor is limited, move Michigan State toward reach territory; if your core grades and rigor are strong, it can function as a target.

Classify Virginia Tech as a reach and Michigan State as a target, not a likely. Add at least one engineering program where your academic record and testing are clearly above the school’s typical admitted-student profile, since neither option is a true safety based on the details here.