It's application season! Where did the time go? One minute you’re walking into high school for your first day of class and the next you're getting ready to apply to colleges. While applying to colleges may be a lot of work, it’s such an exciting milestone!
At the University of South Carolina, we accept two different applications: The Common App and the University of South Carolina App. Let us break them down for you so you can determine which one is your best fit.
The Common Application
The Common Application is a universal, undergraduate application accepted by more
than 900 colleges and universities, some being outside the U.S. This application allows
you to apply to multiple colleges at once. Students fill out the basic college application
questions like name, address and extracurricular activities at one time. Overall,
this application may save students a little time when applying to colleges. The Common
App for USC opens every year on Aug. 1.
The University of South Carolina Application
The University of South Carolina Application is made specifically for USC and is only accepted by our university. Most universities and colleges have their own application. If you apply using a universities application, you’ll answer each question separately for every college that you apply to. Download our USC Application Guide for step-by-step instructions on completing the application.
We don’t prefer one application over the other! If you apply using the University of South Carolina App, great! If you apply using the Common App, that’s great, too! There’s no advantage to using either application – we review them both the same!
Oh, did we mention our application is officially open? Once you’ve decided which application works best for you, head on over to our website and apply to become a Gamecock.
Remember, we’re test-optional this year. Learn more about our freshman requirements and test-optional policy.