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What Types of Students are We Looking For?

There is no typical Gamecock. Students at the University of South Carolina come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The Carolina community prides itself in attracting students from different backgrounds, and visitors to our campus are constantly amazed at the diversity of the our community. With so many different types of students, it's hard for us to describe the typical carolina student. However, all of our students share at least one trait: success.

We are looking for students who have demonstrated academic success and the desire to continue learning. The University of South Carolina has seen its academic profile substantially increase over the past ten years, and we've altered our admissions standards accordingly. We evaluate each applicant closely to assess their ability to be successful at Carolina. Has the applicant been challenged in the classroom? Is the applicant taking harder courses? Is the applicant involved in extracurricular activities in school and the community? Of course, we will examine an applicant's SAT or ACT score, but other factors are also taken into consideration. Our goal is to make sure that the applicant is prepared before accepting him or her to the University of South Carolina.

It is our goal to accept all qualified applicants. There is more than one way to attend USC, and we want students who have not been initially accepted to consider one of our transfer options. The University enrolls hundreds of transfer students each semester, and many come from one of our regional campuses. Though it can be difficult to transfer from one college into another, USC is geared for helping all students succeed. There are numerous services on campus to help transfers.

As our academic profile continues to rise, we encourage applicants to contact us as early as possible in the admissions process. It is imperative that each applicant take a look at the freshmen requirements before applying. If an applicant is worried about whether or not we are going to accept a particular course, please ask us about it. Our admissions counselors are happy to advise you throughout the process. We hope you will encourage interested students to come visit Carolina. You, of course, are always welcome to visit, too.

Fall 2006 Freshmen Class Profile

Number of freshmen: 3,600
In-state: 62%
Out-of-state: 38%
Average weighted-core GPA: 3.67
Middle 50% SAT: 1070-1250
Middle 50% ACT: 22-27

Our admissions staff is available to assist you with any questions you may have about an applicant or our admissions process. We look forward to speaking with you.

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